AL-2 with tool setter

[PirateMachinist]

New here, first post. I've been in the trade 14 years and worked with Haas mills & lathes also Cincinnati CNC's and Okuma lathes.

I just took a job at a place that has an AL-2 with a probe or tool setter on it. The manuals they have with it have no information on this feature.

I have set tools with it kind of manually. I touch off on the probe and type the numbers in as the input button won't work. It has a Fanuc 10TE-A control. I'm not 100% on it yet.

What mode should the selector be in to have the input button work properly with the probe?

Should the edit key be turned off/on?

Does this one automatically select the offset page and tool when the arm is pulled down?

Is there an additional manual that has info on the tool setter?

I can provide further info on the machine once I get back to work Monday if needed.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[tmbruno28]

you don't have to write the value by the keyboard, normally, when the tool setter is down, the offset page appears automaticly, if not, check the limit switch of tool setter's arm , or may be you don't have the fanuc option ....

[PirateMachinist]

Thanks. I read in here the limit switch is in the area where the small lock for the arm is located. I'll check that Monday.

Is there a parameter that needs to be set for the probe to work?

The machine has been sitting for a few years unused. Its last use was two years ago. Prior to that it sat for about 6 years.

The last user made many parameter changes during two weeks he took making one good part.

I have a generic programming book and the machine operators manual.

Nothing on the Fanuc 10t.

[PirateMachinist]

OK, checked button under the tool setter arm. It must have been stuck because the ALARM 2 ? lights up now when the arm is pulled down.

The screen does not change to the tool offset page but the rapid will not work now when the arm is down.

When I touch off a tool and use the input button the ALARM 2 ? lights up and the info is not placed in the offset block.

I guess something is wrong elsewhere. I can just set up my tools manually.

Although I found out if I touch off a drill bit in the X axis and zero out the position and then move down 5.555 + the diameter of the drill it is on CL.

One good thing I guess.

Please add anything else that would help.

Thanks.

[tmbruno28]

ok, i don't have a wiring and a ladder diagramm for a AL2 machine with me but i have in my office. i could check why alarm 2 occurs when you pull down the arm but i can't said you exactly when . (did you have a tailstock on your machine anf if, is it retracted?

[PirateMachinist]

Yes, it is retracted.

If I pull the arm down in any mode other than OFFSET the ALARM2? lights up.
Hitting reset makes it go away. Tells me its trying to work.

Touching tools off on it still will not move the info to the tool when INPUT is used.

Friday, the Rapid would work with the probe down, after checking the button under the probe arm today, the rapid will not work when the probe is down. This seems like it would be normal to prevent an incident.

Maybe something minor is wrong.

I checked the toolsetter parameter and it is set correct per the manual.

[PirateMachinist]

OK, I think I have a handle on my problem. When I tried to get the machine to run a simple program I wrote, it did not go where I told it to go. This put me off with it. Now after much reading and hair pulling I find it is not like the other machines I have ran.

As I understand, there should be NO tool offsets and the Manual Offset menu setting should be set to OFF if you plan to work with G50 or G54. A manual offset situation. From X0 Z0 you move and touch off each tool and place this info in the G50 or G50 lines.

If you prefer to run it the other way, the Manual Offset menu setting must be ON, the tools must be offset after homing the machine and G50 or G54 are not needed.

When I tried to run it the first time I used G54 but the Manual Offset was set to ON and the tools had offsets in them. So, the machine did as it was instructed, not so much what I wanted.

I think if I run it in G54 and work off CL I can get by. This is what I’m used to doing.

If I wrong on this assessment please correct me!

[PirateMachinist]

Big break through this morning. There is a button on the control with a picture of the Tool Presetter on it! DUH! Set machine in handle jog, drop the arm, press the PSM button and BAM! Offset page pops up and touching a tool tip automatically updates the screen. No need to change to the other axes, just jog over and it changes there too. Very happy as there is no manual for the toolsetter here. In the dark.

The screen changes with the tool auto matically and X & Z changes as you touch the pads. Sweet.

Now, the button next to it is PST and has a tool over it. This is what we touch off for the X and Z axis work / sift offset. If so, I can see the speed of set up and running this beast.
Set the Z off a clean face and leave X at zero to work and program off CL of bore.

Touch off a drill in the X axis and then add in the diameter with +INPUT and we are comped dead on CL. Pretty quick once you get the hang of it.

I've got Haas and Centurn habits to break! LoL

Thanks for the help so far.