Problem- mazak 640t mds-b-sp-300 alarm 3b

[sullione]

Hi people,
I am new as a member but not as a gawker. I have found useful information here in the past and I hope that I can both help and be helped.

I have a mazak 640t/ qt350 servo error 3b on controller mds-b-sp-300. The manual doesn't cover this alarm. Front panel alarm code is 021 (1, ,&003b). The mazak rep. says this alarm is caused by overheating.

Told me to check the rear fan for freedom of movement and dirt, clean if needed. This was in case of intermittent operation under this code.

After informing him that my problem was not intermittent but constant. He informed me that that controller needs replacing.

If any one is getting this alarm intermittently. Remove your servo and clean it.

Now, I am looking for a mds-b-sp-300 controller under $1700USD way under. my budget is $700USD. new, used or repaired.

Any suggestions as to alternative causes or repair solutions welcomed.

Sadly, after all these years and easily avoidable equipment failures. Preventative maintenance and lack of communication / documention of intermittent problems continue to be the number 1 cause of equipment downtime due to breakdowns.

Even if your company won't take action, record the problems. You know, squeaky wheels even if sounding annoying, puts you on notice that there is a problem.

[onthebumper]

Call Mitsubishi. They can repair the unit at a flat rate charge. It will come with the same warranty as a brand new unit too.

[sullione]

Updating the first post. I found the alarm 3b on the mitsubishi site.

The mazak guy neglected to inform me that a no or loose earth ground could also generate this error. Needless to say the earth had been knocked loose from its terminal and left that way. I would like to report that rectifying this condition made the alarm go away, but I can,t, the problem still exists.

Called mitsubishsi rep., followed his instructions to disconnect the motor and power the machine back up. Same code 3b. Repeated this to the rep. and told replace the drive.

mitsu. price $2400usd with 30% discount providing the core is repairable, ie: not axed, drop kicked or burnt up. Bringing the cost of ownership down to $1700usd. Price to repair $1500usd 7 day turnaround.

Now you would think that in the current economic climate you would be able to find some competitive (discounted / cutthroat) pricing! Not so, everyone has the same price for exchange, repair, cores and outright. This is what happens when collusion / price fixing runs rampant. It only occurs when companies or people believe that they have captive customers.

Pretty stiff penalty to pay because of a failure to report the loose earth ground. Cost of replacement terminals $3.00usd. Time to replace 1hr due to cover removal and replacement.

Time to date checking machine 4days minus the hr., another 8hrs in research. 40hrs. downtime so far. 40hrs lost production.

Target price $700.00usd.

[Justin_Terry]

i doubt that having to ground off alone caused the problem unless you were having incoming power issues. Lots of alarms have "Check for proper grounding" in the trouble shooting guide. I have yet to find a machine that was fixed by reattaching a ground. Now that's not to say the problem wasn't caused by a surge with no way to ground.

[sullione]

This post is an update to earlier posts. I apologize for the delay. Ordered the replacement part $1500.00. Installed and the machine has been purring like a kitten ever since.

As you can see I missed the target price of $700.00 by $800. ain't coluspetition wonderful.

Yes, I agree the missing earth ground seems an unlikely source of the problem. Yet as an integral passive safety item the importance should never be overlooked. The machining process alone is capable of generating ESDs ( http://www.siliconfareast.com/esd.htm ).
Consider yourself the operator of the machine, you are changing parts and BAM unarrested power surge occurs. Would you rather have the ground take the surge, your body or the equipment.

Of course the first choice is to have nothing damaged, so the ground is present and you the operator never notices anything happened.

Now about this Fadal?