Help: Conquest 42: Cannot return to zero, only travels -Z,-X

[dylancw]

Hello all,

I was able to get the lathe to power up and go to ready (hydraulic pump was not working). The lathe wants me to return to zero as a first operation, but it will not move the X and Z axes in a positive direction, only in the negative direction. They are both nearly at their overtravel limits. Any ideas on why this is, and how to fix this?

I checked the diagnostics page, the key presses for +X and +Z are correctly registering (assuming I haven't lost some of the ladder logic). The control is a Fanuc 0T-B.

Regards,

Dylan

[MadMax]

I had a similar issue with not being able to move Z axis to home. I kept hitting a soft overtravel limit before I could get the machine to find the home point. My machine is a different build though: Conquest T42 w' 18T controller.

Anyways, both travels need to be manually jog moved 1" negative X and negative Z before you can go towards home. If you're too close to they physical limits before crashing, you may have to manually move the turret with some leverage to push the turret to provide clearance for your 1" move before zeroing. It seems to be a goofy error mode to have having to pry your turret around with the machine depowered but that was how I got to a position where I could move the Z towards home before triggering a soft limit.

Have you tried holding reset while pushing +X or +Z? IRC that should override an inhibit which should allow you to move before homing.

[wmpy]

You shouldn't have to physically pry the turret over in the positive directions. Even if you can't rapid/jog the turret that way, you can still use the handwheel to move in that direction. This works on both my Conquest 42 and T42 machines. It takes a good amount of spinning the wheel, but it beats touching your machine with a prybar.

[MadMax]

Originally Posted by wmpy You shouldn't have to physically pry the turret over in the positive directions. Even if you can't rapid/jog the turret that way, you can still use the handwheel to move in that direction. This works on both my Conquest 42 and T42 machines. It takes a good amount of spinning the wheel, but it beats touching your machine with a prybar.

I did try that first. What happened was that the machine would count distance and hit a soft limit long before getting close to the hard limit switch. Very frustrating. I think what had happened was that the shipper didn't secure the turret. I found it close to the headstock smooching a crushed cardboard box duct taped to it. I think there was some pretty rough roads because the rigging job looked a bit like ****. Bent sheet metal and some crushed wooden beams. I think one end of the lathe descended which slanted the bed. Vibration ended up creeping the turret towards the headstock with no power applied so there was a long move that the control system couldn't account for to get back to zero.

I tried the knob, I tried the jog, holding emerg reset. After about half a day of frustration I gave the turret a shove with the power off and finally zeroed the poor thing.

[Nawrocki4Life]

Please please dont tell me you pry'ed on the machine to move the axis. That would put much "not needed" stress on the ballscrews!

On power up if the machine asks to Zero Return the axises you must do so. I would return the LA (tailstock) or y-axis(sub-spindle) 1st before you try x and z. You must jog both the x and z towards the spindle at least 1" each. To do so, 1st move the z axis up some ways towards the spindle (at least 1" but jog it a bit more then that.) After jogging the z that amount, then jog x axis down towards you untill it stops moving...... It should only move a tad bit (at least 1") if it doesnt stop after a couple of seconds, stop jogging it and repeat this. In the same order.

***NOTE IF AXISES ARE TOO CLOSE TO SPINDLE YOU CAN HOLD DOWN THE E-STOP RESET BUTTON AND USE THE JOG ARROW'S PUSH BUTTONS TO MOVE THE AXIS****

If it does stop then mack sure "zero return button/LED is on." Then hit the "x up arrow" and it should start to jog away from you. Once you activate this, it should move at a good rate untill it hits the "decel switch" then it should go to a very slower jog untill it stops.... Then that axis is homed. Then do the same with the z and it should move the same way.

****NOTE THAT THE "LOWER AXIS" NEEDS TO BE HOME BEFORE YOU CAN ZERO THE AXISES!****

If either of the axises move faster while being homed and never slows down/decel.... that axis's decel switch is bad.

If either of the axises take forever and eventually hits overtravel switch (hardware).... Decel switch can be "gummed" up and needs some TLC.

If either of the axises hit a software overtravel before homing, you need to do a special power up of the control.

****NOTE PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT BOTH THE HARDWARE OVERTRAVEL AND DECEL SWITCHES WORK BEFORE DOING THIS AS IT DISREGUARDS AXIS TRAVEL UNTILL AXIS IS HOMED


Turn the control power off. Hold down the "P" button and "Cancel" button down and while keeping both buttons down, turn the control back on. Keep holding them down untill you get to the normal machine screen. Then start the whole process over again.

Hope this helps you guys. If you have questions please ask. I am a service tech that knows Hardinge equipment very well!

[MadMax]

Nawrocki4Life: It's too bad I didn't try a post here first. I did try every one of those fixes except for the special power up. We did eat up an hour of technical support from Hardinge, but they didn't propose that reboot routine. I'm in Canada, we have no service reps here which is a pain.

Anyhow, it seems that prying the turret with the machine depowered isn't all that big a deal. I figure with my leverage lengths I was exerting about 60lbf on the turret which I think is fairly light compared to machining loads. I was pushing on a wood 2x4 with a standoff on the inside of the cabinet. I can't see how 60lbf after frictional losses could exceed the hardness of the ballscrew assemblies when they are designed to exert much more during machining operations like knurling. Not that I recommend regularly horsing one's turret around. I hated doing it.

I'm going to scribble that special power up routine on a note and stick it into my control cabinet. I think this special power up routine is the answer that dylancw is looking for. Definitely check to see that the limit switches are working first.

[Datech]

Where is the P button? Do I have to hit SHIFT to get to the P button? Please can some1 show me how to do that special power up method to clear out the 500 overtravel alarm.thx

[Nawrocki4Life]

Ok here is what you need to do. PLEASE BE CAREFUL to only hold these 2 buttons on power up. Other things (very bad ones) will hapen if done incorrectly!!!!

1.)Turn off control power.
2.)Hold the "P" button. (it is a 2nd letter of button but shift is not needed)
and Cancel button
3.)Turn control power back on while continuing to hold these button down.
4.)Release these buttons after power up is completed and you are to normal operationg screen.
5.) Do normal homing procedure.

By doing this procedure, the control ingores SOFTWARE overtravels. It is possible to bottom out the axis is your not paying attention b/c machine will not stop jogging. This is true untill machine is properly homed or power is cycled again.

Hope this helps....good luck!

[dylancw]

Here's the problem right now. When the lathe starts up, it says that I have to home the tailstock and X and Z axes. I have to hold OT release to move the X and Z axis at all. I can not get them to register home position, I have checked the home and overtravel switches and they work.

The tailstock only moves away from the headstock, it will not move toward it. But I tested the relay and the hydraulic solenoid valve on the other direction and they work. Also, when I press "T-" the button press shows up in the Diag panel as one of the bits toggling 0->1 but the LED on the button does not come on. "T+" LED does light up.

Also, the turret change function used to work but does not work any longer...

Hmm... Not my favorite control right now, there's so little documentation.

[cf7go]

Originally Posted by dylancw Here's the problem right now. When the lathe starts up, it says that I have to home the tailstock and X and Z axes. I have to hold OT release to move the X and Z axis at all. I can not get them to register home position, I have checked the home and overtravel switches and they work. The tailstock only moves away from the headstock, it will not move toward it. But I tested the relay and the hydraulic solenoid valve on the other direction and they work. Also, when I press "T-" the button press shows up in the Diag panel as one of the bits toggling 0->1 but the LED on the button does not come on. "T+" LED does light up. Also, the turret change function used to work but does not work any longer... Hmm... Not my favorite control right now, there's so little documentation.

Did you ever solve this issue? I am having the same problem right now.

[Imperial Sewing]

Power Down Machine. Power Back Up, Put in Jog Mode, Move the Z axis 1" Minus, Move X axis 1" Minus, Press X axis Home, Then Z axis Home. The tailstock Will Only Move If TRAV button is pushed with the T- Button together.