Need Help!- "Homing Milltronics Partner 4/Centurion 5"

[RonRogers]

Complete greenhorn needs help. Acquired above machine not operational.

Got monitor and keyboard booting up. Can't power up. When I tried to HOME machine I got 450 error message(Emerg. stop. Hit RESET or ESCAPE). Spindle position indicator seemed too high on scale. Turned Z screw down manually. Now I hit HOME and it calls for CYCLE START. It then commences to home Z axis (but no movement) and immediately see error 450 again. I press ESCAPE and I see error 409(excess error).

I was suspicious of upper limit switch but it makes/breaks OK after removal(still replacing ASAP). Proximity switch indicator light illuminates as soon as trigger plate edge aligns.

How much gap should there be between drawbar and pneumatic actuator in the HOME position?
I assume the proximity switch releases spindle brake, enables tool release, cuts spindle drive for a tool change.

[jpawelk]

The spindle should not have anything to do with homing of the machine. When you enable the drives (reset), is the Z axis brake releasing? TB63 and TB64 should have 90VDC to release the brake. Another possibility is that the Z axis drive is not turning on when the machine is in reset. Measure at the big, blue cap. Between the two terminals you should have 145-160VAC.

[RonRogers]

Originally Posted by jpawelk The spindle should not have anything to do with homing of the machine. When you enable the drives (reset), is the Z axis brake releasing? TB63 and TB64 should have 90VDC to release the brake. Another possibility is that the Z axis drive is not turning on when the machine is in reset. Measure at the big, blue cap. Between the two terminals you should have 145-160VAC.

Is it not necessary for the spindle to be all the way up for the Z axis to be HOME? Therefore, would not the 2 limit switches and the proximity switch on the Z axis drive be part of that HOMING process?
When I hit RESET, the spindle brake releases. Where do I find a Z axis brake? I thought that axis travel was controlled by the drive motor of that respective axis.
Where do I find the "big blue cap" with 145 -160 V.?
Thanks. All tips gratefully received.

[RonRogers]

Update on Partner4/Centurion 5_ connector to front panel: 5V. shows OK, 1 12V. OK, 1 12 V. shows 16 V., 24V. pin is showing me 19 V. Would this problem be strictly in the power supply?

[jpawelk]

Originally Posted by RonRogers Is it not necessary for the spindle to be all the way up for the Z axis to be HOME? Therefore, would not the 2 limit switches and the proximity switch on the Z axis drive be part of that HOMING process? When I hit RESET, the spindle brake releases. Where do I find a Z axis brake? I thought that axis travel was controlled by the drive motor of that respective axis. Where do I find the "big blue cap" with 145 -160 V.? Thanks. All tips gratefully received.

The home position for the Z axis is at the top of its travel. So therefore the Z axis does go up when commanded to home. There are 3 switches per axis, 2 being overtravel switches and the 3rd being the home switch.
The brake on the Z axis motor is part of the motor. The brake is wired into TB63 and TB64.
If you are checking voltages inside the electrical cabinet, you can verify correct voltages, check between TB1 and TB2 you should have 110VAC. Check between TB12 and TB22 and you should have 24VDC.
The "big blue capacitor" is found inside the electrical cabinet. You will only have this if you have DC drive cards for the axis. It looks like a large 16 oz soda can. When the machine is in reset state you should have between 145-160VDC between the two terminals on the capacitor.
If all looks good inside the cabinet, lets try this: Power on the machine. Upon power up, reset the drives by pressing the reset button located near the emergency stop button. The press F7(PARMS), F1(SETUP), F1(LEVEL). Type in the validation code of PROTO3 and press enter. Then enter 3 for the access level. Escape to the main menu. Then press F1(HOME) and then immediately press F10(HERE). Press cycle start. (The axis will not move!) Using hdw or jog try and move the axis. Does it move???

[franchcnc]

The 24vdc sounds low. You could have a limit switch or switch cable shorting to ground. The limit switch terminals are X axis 6-7, Y axis 7-8, and Z axis 8-9. You could remove all limit switch wires and place a jumper from TB6-TB9 to test or just check the resistance to ground.

[RonRogers]

Progress!
TB12 to TB22 is showing me 19.3 V., not 24. Could be a Power Supply component bad?


Capacitors (there are 2 side by side) both showing 190 V. instead of 145-160.

[jpawelk]

My guess is that something is dragging the power down.
Start by removing the AMP style(black, round 14 pin) FPP connector on the control box to see if you voltage comes back. If voltage comes back there is a problem with the front panel.

If power is not affected by removing the FPP, disconnect the AMP style POWER connector from the control. If the power comes back, then there is something wrong with the control or an input that is dragging it down. To determine which one, install the POWER connector and then start removing all the input AMP connectors. Determine which connector, when connected, is dropping your power.

If all of that does not help, start removing wires from TB12 while monitoring VDC between TB12 and TB22. If there is a shorted wire, you will regain the full 24VDC when its removed from TB12. Trace the wire to the problem.

Good luck!

[RonRogers]

Originally Posted by jpawelk My guess is that something is dragging the power down. Start by removing the AMP style(black, round 14 pin) FPP connector on the control box to see if you voltage comes back. If voltage comes back there is a problem with the front panel. If power is not affected by removing the FPP, disconnect the AMP style POWER connector from the control. If the power comes back, then there is something wrong with the control or an input that is dragging it down. To determine which one, install the POWER connector and then start removing all the input AMP connectors. Determine which connector, when connected, is dropping your power. If all of that does not help, start removing wires from TB12 while monitoring VDC between TB12 and TB22. If there is a shorted wire, you will regain the full 24VDC when its removed from TB12. Trace the wire to the problem. Good luck!

Got a little further along with some help on the weekend. Discovered a couple of bad components in the Power Supply. It is now out for repair. Will post results here as soon as I get it back and try again(maybe by Thur.)
Thanks again for the interest and effort.
Ron

[RonRogers]

Have re-installed repaired Power Supply and voltages check OK now.
Also replaced bad resistor (10 ohms to grd. on capacitor for drive system)
Problem still shows up the same.
As soon as machine starts HOME sequence for Z axis, we get error 409 (excess error).
Z axis drive_ limit switches check OK
Proximity switch_ indicator lights as soon as trigger plate is even with edge of switch.
We're back to square one but have corrected several faults in the meantime.
Any ideas?

[ZZZZ]

Back in post #5, Jason suggested you try Home Here. If you can move X or Y now but not Z, your Z motor brake may not be releasing.

[RonRogers]

Originally Posted by jpawelk The home position for the Z axis is at the top of its travel. So therefore the Z axis does go up when commanded to home. There are 3 switches per axis, 2 being overtravel switches and the 3rd being the home switch. The brake on the Z axis motor is part of the motor. The brake is wired into TB63 and TB64. If you are checking voltages inside the electrical cabinet, you can verify correct voltages, check between TB1 and TB2 you should have 110VAC. Check between TB12 and TB22 and you should have 24VDC. The "big blue capacitor" is found inside the electrical cabinet. You will only have this if you have DC drive cards for the axis. It looks like a large 16 oz soda can. When the machine is in reset state you should have between 145-160VDC between the two terminals on the capacitor. If all looks good inside the cabinet, lets try this: Power on the machine. Upon power up, reset the drives by pressing the reset button located near the emergency stop button. The press F7(PARMS), F1(SETUP), F1(LEVEL). Type in the validation code of PROTO3 and press enter. Then enter 3 for the access level. Escape to the main menu. Then press F1(HOME) and then immediately press F10(HERE). Press cycle start. (The axis will not move!) Using hdw or jog try and move the axis. Does it move???

Hi again,
Still plugging away here. Have repaired several defective components in Power Supply. Those voltages now OK. 3 drive boards have checked OK along with 3 axes boards from inside the computer box_ no obvious bad components.
No longer getting the "Excess error" when initiating HOME process. It just says "homing Z axis" but no movement.
Voltage reading TB1 - TB2 I am getting 132V.
" " on capacitor, I am getting 183VDC rather than 145-160.