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    Default tool change problems in bridgeport tc-3

    Our bridgeport tc-3 with fanuc control is having an intermittent error during tool changes. The carousel will move forward, grab the tool, the spindle raises and stops, it does not turn and try to select the next tool. The error message that comes up is tool arm not back. I can jumper out the tool arm brake, push the tool carousel back, rehome the machine and run for a day or two before the error comes back. Any Idea?

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    First thing check your relays one may be not activating consistently
    Quote Originally Posted by bedfordia View Post
    Our bridgeport tc-3 with fanuc control is having an intermittent error during tool changes. The carousel will move forward, grab the tool, the spindle raises and stops, it does not turn and try to select the next tool. The error message that comes up is tool arm not back. I can jumper out the tool arm brake, push the tool carousel back, rehome the machine and run for a day or two before the error comes back. Any Idea?




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    Default Re: tool change problems in bridgeport tc-3

    Clean and check the limit switches. Clean the bumper stops, and verify all adjusters are still tight and correctly adjusted. My TC3 ATC use to mess up all the time. One of my bumpers was loose. My ATC still fails every few months but nothing like when it failed multiple times per day.



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    For hire,
    We have discussed the TC3 tool changer before. I am very familiar with it. You have referred to these "bumper stops" before. My machine has no bumper stops. Please define and photo if you can.

    My machine has the yearly failure of the tool change gear box. I have about 7 or so broken gear boxes. I always keep a spare on hand and do a NASCAR style change out in under one hour. The maker of these gear boxes has made these a legacy part now and they will slowly become not available. So I am now rebuilding the broken gear boxes for my spares. I also run 90:1 gear boxes. Original box was 30:1. The issue has always been the undersized gears and the lack of motion control on this setup. The stress of the carousel's moving mass is put entirely into the teeth of the gears (which fail). Coupled with the swing arm's predetermined length of movement out to spindle and back to home (without an effective damper or shock absorber) is the reason these gear boxes fail on my machine. I have added a spring to cushion the out to spindle position. To at least provide some cushion. Gear boxes still fail.

    So if you would be so kind as to photo and describe the bumper stops that you have spoken of before. The only factory installed damper I have is that tiny little one on the home side of the swing arm which is quite useless and provides almost nothing in it's function.

    Thanks!



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    Default Re: tool change problems in bridgeport tc-3

    JohnnyTurn, we have a TC3g and one of the most important peices of a good working tool changer is that little damper, it actually works in the extended and retracted position. Ours wore out, all the oil leaked out, there is a small philips screw on the top, it takes a little patience but if you can fill it with 30 wt or lighter oil it makes a huge difference. They leak out the oil in a few days and its time to replace it. When this is adjusted and working properly there is no bounce at the end of either direction of travel. We have the original 30:1 gear box and probably a few million tool changes !!!. I might mention that ours has the DX32 control but i'm pretty sure the tool changer is the same. Good Luck Jon P.



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    Default Re: tool change problems in bridgeport tc-3

    Jon,

    Thanks for the reply. So what you are saying is that every few days you add 30 WT oil to the damper? My damper is fairly new and is adjusted properly. However, I do not feel it provides much dampening. My carousel does not bang or bump per say. It just puts all the kinetic energy into the gearbox when it goes out and when it comes home. The gears in that box are tiny, wimpy gears. If the gearbox was even one size larger, this might help with the breakage. A 15MM drive shaft is very wimpy as well.

    Consider yourself very lucky that you have not had tons of trouble with the Panasonic gearbox. Mine went after a couple of months of running a small production job. Replaced with two 50%, then two 70% now I am on my second 90% with one in reserve.

    I have a love/hate relationship with this machine. Made plenty of nice parts with it. Started on a Bridgeport R2E3 with BOSS 8 back in 1992. Have since owned MORI SEIKI & HARDINGE.
    Have never had problems with any of these machines except for "Old TC over here!"



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    Default Re: tool change problems in bridgeport tc-3

    I definately understand your love hate relationship with the TC, there is a lot of kinetic energy in the tool changing motion,especially with a carousel full of tools, on ours when the damper is not working properly we have all kinds of problems. I know there is probably a important relationship between the prox switches, ( when the power is removed from the motor ) and the damper. Maybe your prox switch is activating a little late and driving the tool changer arm into the damper a little too hard, just an idea. I assume that the gearbox destruction is happening at the end of travel not at the beginning of travel. When a person thinks about it, a AC motor with a wimpy gear box is a poor choice in this application, they should have used a servo motor. I know a lot of people have changed out the gearbox to the slower one , but as many times as you have had to change yours i'm thinking there may be more to the problem than the motor/ gearbox, it's just hard to say exactly where it is, Good Luck Jon P.



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