Adding a sensor to Haas TM3

[Atlascycle]

Does any one know if it is possible to add a sensor to a TM3 to check if a hole is there before it is tapped?

The seeing the hole part is easy, but is the machine capable of accepting the input?

Thank you in advance for any help that you can offer?

We are tapping a stamped part and the part is symmetrically shaped but the hole is only in one side, there is not another way to foolproof it. Every time there is a new operator at the machine they will sooner or later put a part in wrong and break the tap.

Jason

[KenFoulks]

A simple way might be to but a dummy rubber tool in that "drills" into the hole and set a very small tool load on it. If it alarms out due to load, flip the part. A probe can accomplish the same thing. A tip for the rubber tool is too make it as long as possible to reduce the travel time.

[Atlascycle]

Ken,
I can see where you are going with that but the tool changes on the machine is slow. This is a Cycle time thing, there are 2 fixtures that hold 8 parts each, Tapping a 1/4"-20 hole. I think that there is 20,000 parts to do this run.

There are several other parts that we tap or countersink in this machine and we are attempting to make the process as fool proof as possible.

Thank you for the suggestion Ken.

Jason

[Geof]

Have you phoned Haas or sent a query to the Answer Man on the Haas website. I read something about Haas machines having the ability to detect a switch closure input for checking pallet clamping. It may be possible to adapt this.

You could also try adapting the M21 M-FIN signal. Have you probe on the hole operate open a switch in the M-FIN circuit if the hole is not there. You would move the probe into position then activate M21. If the hole was not there the machine would stop waiting for the M-FIN signal.

This thread has some information about how the M-FIN works.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/haas_m...n_problem.html

[Geof]

I just read your reply Ken describing how you don't want to waste time on tool changes. Here is another suggestion:

Figure out how to mount little switches in your fixture with an operating pin coming up through the location of the hole(s) in the WRONG place. Wire all the switches in series with the M-FIN signal and then you will only get a complete circuit when all the parts are in correctly and all the pins are depressed.

[Atlascycle]

Geof,
My impression was that the M21 is an output?
Where would you connect the signal back to the machine?
our operator loads one fixture while the other is being tapped.

I like your Idea of checking for the hole to be in the wrong location, I am leaning towards using an optical sensor to actually look for the hole, What I would like to do is program a rapid, stop look for the hole and then if the hole is there then tap the hole. I think that this set up will require less fixture modifications and be able to be used on almost any fixture.

Thanks for your reply Geof.

Jason

[behindpropeller]

By the time you mess around putting switches and wiring in your machine I bet you could have the probe paid for.

Tim

[Atlascycle]

the PDF that KenFoulks posted is helping, I will have to do some investigating on our machine to see if the M-Fin is installed.

Tim,
The probe option will add time to the cycle, But thanks for the suggestion.

Jason

[behindpropeller]

Originally Posted by Atlascycle Tim, The probe option will add time to the cycle, Jason

Have you increased the rapids on your machine?

[Matt@RFR]

Is there no way to put a retractable pin (via pneumatics or hydraulics) in the fixture so the operator simply can't load the part incorrectly? I've never done anything like that that would be controlled in the part program, so I am no help on how to actually implement it.

Otherwise, I don't see how you're thinking of doing this without a tool change.

[Atlascycle]

the rapids are limited on our TM3 due to it being an open machine, (at least that is what i am being told).
We ordered the M-FIN Adapter and the plan is to have the machine rapid down, activate the M21 to have the sensor look for the hole and then if the hole is there tap the hole, move to the next spot in the fixture and then repeat the cycle.

Thank for the help with this I will post on how this works.


Jason

[Geof]

Originally Posted by Atlascycle Geof, My impression was that the M21 is an output?.. Jason

The M21 is actually a relay contact closure but it is combined with a circuit that looks for an external contact closure indicating that the function activated by the M21 has done its thing.

The socket which the M21 relay contacts are accessible through has four pins, two are the internal relay contacts and two are for the external contact closure (the sensing circuit). When the M21 command is given it closes the internal relay contacts and then sits waiting for the external contacts to close. Once the external contacts are closed the machine cancels the M21 by opening the internal contacts then it waits until the external contacts open and resumes running the program.

To use this for detecting whether a switch on a fixture is activated you wire a small relay through the internal contacts (you need a small power supply for this of course). Now the M21 command activates this relay so its contacts close; you wire the sensing circuit through these contacts. If you have a switch or any pair of contacts in series with the relay when the switch is open the sensing circuit is not closed so the machine satops on the M21 command. If the switch is closed the sensing circuit is closed so the machine cancels the M21 which opens the relay, which opens the sensing circuit and the machine continues. All you need to do is have your optical sensor activate an extra set of relay contacts in the sensing circuit.