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Thread: Gantry and carriage doesn't work

  1. #1
    Member Prairiehawk's Avatar
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    Default Gantry and carriage doesn't work

    Hi All
    I bought a Mastercam Z7 with the A2MC upgrade. A bit of an issue getting the router to operate. The computer initializes and the spindle will start/warm up, but the gantry and carriage will not move, either manually or in a job. I get an error message (E103) when I do a function F12. The sensors all work when tested, all fuses are ok. Power is getting to the power distribution board that feeds the servo controllers in the control box. The servo controllers all have a red light that periodically flashes on them. Does anyone know what I could check to see what the issue may be?
    Any insight would be much appreciated.
    Thanks

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    Last edited by Prairiehawk; 05-25-2022 at 01:30 AM.


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    Default Re: Gantry and carriage doesn't work

    Mastercam does not/ will not control any machine functions.
    Mastercam will output g-code that in-turn will then be run to tell your machine where to go, what to turn on/off etc.

    What does your manual say what the errors are caused by ?
    Give us something to help with meanings.

    If you can't move any thing manually, it is not a result of Mastercam. You have some other fault (within the machine function that stops it from working)



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    Default Re: Gantry and carriage doesn't work

    Quote Originally Posted by Prairiehawk View Post
    Hi All
    I bought a Mastercam Z7 with the A2MC upgrade. A bit of an issue getting the router to operate. The computer initializes and the spindle will start/warm up, but the gantry and carriage will not move, either manually or in a job. I get an error message (E103) when I do a function F12. The sensors all work when tested, all fuses are ok. Power is getting to the power distribution board that feeds the servo controllers in the control box. The servo controllers all have a red light that periodically flashes on them. Does anyone know what I could check to see what the issue may be?
    Any insight would be much appreciated.
    Thanks
    Sorry, don't know why I typed Mastercam in there last night. The router table is a CamTech Routermaster Z7 with an upgraded A2MC control box. I do not think it is a software issue. The machine boots up and goes through the initialization check just fine and then will wait for a job to be loaded. I can warm up the spindle and control it, but cannot move the gantry/router carriage either manually or by loading a job.



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    Default Re: Gantry and carriage doesn't work

    Check all your limit switches and make sure none are tripped, also check them with a meter and make sure they are work correctly. If a limit is tripped it will not allow the machine to work. Are you using some CamTech software to drive the machine?



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    Default Re: Gantry and carriage doesn't work

    Quote Originally Posted by Prairiehawk View Post
    Hi All
    I bought a Mastercam Z7 with the A2MC upgrade. A bit of an issue getting the router to operate. The computer initializes and the spindle will start/warm up, but the gantry and carriage will not move, either manually or in a job. I get an error message (E103) when I do a function F12. The sensors all work when tested, all fuses are ok. Power is getting to the power distribution board that feeds the servo controllers in the control box. The servo controllers all have a red light that periodically flashes on them. Does anyone know what I could check to see what the issue may be?
    Any insight would be much appreciated.
    Thanks
    This most likely may not be your problem but remove the Spindle cable from the Box it can't be installed like you have it, and it has to be a Shielded Cable, between the VFD Drive and the Spindle, the Shields also have to be correctly Terminated 360° clamp at both ends for it to work correctly

    Is the Ground Bus mounted on a Paint Free Metal Surface, all Grounds wires Power supplies, Drives and VFD Ground should be connected to the Ground Bus

    Mactec54


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    Member Prairiehawk's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gantry and carriage doesn't work

    The machine has been factory wired and nothing has changed since it was last used. I was a shop teacher and used this exact router for years with no problem. I left the school 1 1/2 years ago and bought the machine at auction when the teacher there didn't want it. All grounds have continuity. It seems strange that the computer and spindle operate as expected, but just the axes that do not work. Verified operation of all sensors. The system circuit boards have LEDs when the sensors are triggered. I am wondering if it has something to do with the rotary phase converter generated phase. I am going to make sure that the control transformer is hooked up to the two utility phases. Maybe the transformer/control circuits don't like the generated phase? By the way, the rotary phase converter produces a true balanced 3 phase output.



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    Default Re: Gantry and carriage doesn't work

    Quote Originally Posted by Prairiehawk View Post
    The machine has been factory wired and nothing has changed since it was last used. I was a shop teacher and used this exact router for years with no problem. I left the school 1 1/2 years ago and bought the machine at auction when the teacher there didn't want it. All grounds have continuity. It seems strange that the computer and spindle operate as expected, but just the axes that do not work. Verified operation of all sensors. The system circuit boards have LEDs when the sensors are triggered. I am wondering if it has something to do with the rotary phase converter generated phase. I am going to make sure that the control transformer is hooked up to the two utility phases. Maybe the transformer/control circuits don't like the generated phase? By the way, the rotary phase converter produces a true balanced 3 phase output.
    No such thing with a RPC having perfect balanced Phases, unless you are using a Digital Phase-Perfect unit

    It should never have been run like it is shown in the photo, that is a very poor example if this was how it was installed and run, Why do you need an RPC, this should not be needed for this simple machine

    It seems to have a plug disconnected what is this cable and plug for

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gantry and carriage doesn't work-plug-png  
    Mactec54


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    Default Re: Gantry and carriage doesn't work

    Well, got the router working! I am powering it with a rotary phase converter where two phases are supplied by the utility (120/240 V 1 Ph). The rotary phase converter generates the third phase using a hybrid motor/generator. The two utility phases run the motor and there is a third winding that is 120 electrical degrees apart from the other two phases. This generates the third phase. The 3 phase is only required for the router spindle. Here's the tricky part. There is a transformer that is used for the various other voltages required. It was wired such that the generated phase was connected to this transformer. Turns out my thoughts were correct. The transformer MUST be connected to the two utility phases for the stepper motors to operate. So anyone out there with a A2MC control box for your router and thinking of using a rotary phase converter, make sure to use the two utility phases for the control voltage transformer.



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    Default Re: Gantry and carriage doesn't work

    Quote Originally Posted by Prairiehawk View Post
    Well, got the router working! I am powering it with a rotary phase converter where two phases are supplied by the utility (120/240 V 1 Ph). The rotary phase converter generates the third phase using a hybrid motor/generator. The two utility phases run the motor and there is a third winding that is 120 electrical degrees apart from the other two phases. This generates the third phase. The 3 phase is only required for the router spindle. Here's the tricky part. There is a transformer that is used for the various other voltages required. It was wired such that the generated phase was connected to this transformer. Turns out my thoughts were correct. The transformer MUST be connected to the two utility phases for the stepper motors to operate. So anyone out there with a A2MC control box for your router and thinking of using a rotary phase converter, make sure to use the two utility phases for the control voltage transformer.
    Nothing tricky about it, this would be the normal connection to make if you had to use a RPC, anything related to the Transformer needs real power and not a manufactured phase

    If you are in NA, you don't have 2 Phase power it is 120v/240v Single Phase, or referred to as Split Phase no such thing as 2 Phase power in NA when using a Single Phase supply.

    When you say you need the RPC for the spindle what size Kw / Hp is the spindle motor??

    An RPC is not always needed because your spindle motor needs 3 Phase power unless it is over 5Hp

    Your 3Phase VFD Drive will run just fine with 240v Single Phase supply depending on the Spindle Motor size

    Mactec54


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    Default Re: Gantry and carriage doesn't work

    Plugs were for two of the stepper motor feeds that I plugged back in. My supply voltage is 120/240 V 1 Ph. The router is a Perske 3 Phase spindle and controlled with a variable frequency drive in the control box. Since I didn't have 3 phase available I did need a phase converter to generate the third leg or the router would have run choppy (2/3 of the phases and run at only 2/3 of the speed, as well as run hot and burn out eventually). The issue was that I had to use the two utility generated phases for the transformer that supplied the control voltages. For some reason it did not like the generated phase. All is working just fine now. A rotary phase converter does balance the phases as it uses an idler motor/generator with the three windings 120 electrical degrees apart and the control box has phase balance circuitry.



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    Default Re: Gantry and carriage doesn't work

    Quote Originally Posted by Prairiehawk View Post
    Plugs were for two of the stepper motor feeds that I plugged back in. My supply voltage is 120/240 V 1 Ph. The router is a Perske 3 Phase spindle and controlled with a variable frequency drive in the control box. Since I didn't have 3 phase available I did need a phase converter to generate the third leg or the router would have run choppy (2/3 of the phases and run at only 2/3 of the speed, as well as run hot and burn out eventually). The issue was that I had to use the two utility generated phases for the transformer that supplied the control voltages. For some reason it did not like the generated phase. All is working just fine now. A rotary phase converter does balance the phases as it uses an idler motor/generator with the three windings 120 electrical degrees apart and the control box has phase balance circuitry.
    As I said you only need a RPC if your spindle motor is over 5Hp

    We all know what a RPC does, the router would not of run choppy running on Single Phase and would not burn out because you where using Single Phase Power supply

    So, what is the spindle motor spec's, and I will tell you if you need to run your inefficient RPC, There are thousands of people running 3 Phase spindles with single phase supply, that's the magic of the 3 phase VFD Drives as they can be used with single phase power supply.

    A RPC does not have balanced phases, that is why it would not run your machine as wired before

    Mactec54


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Gantry and carriage doesn't work

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