Bridgeport with Centroid/Ajax 10 Problem

All things related to Centroid Oak, Allin1DC, MPU11 and Legacy products

Moderator: cnckeith

Post Reply
Pondera
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2023 9:19 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: No
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: (BHFDEGJJIF)
DC3IOB: Yes
CNC12: No
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: Yes

Bridgeport with Centroid/Ajax 10 Problem

Post by Pondera »

I have a Bridgeport CNC mill that I converted to Centroid Ajax 10 controls. I’m no machinist and this is for home/shop use. I’m getting a 401 error code when I start the spindle, I lose all control to the machine when this happens. I can reset it and gain control to the axis but will trip again when I turn the spindle on. I just got it wired up and testing all the functions when this happened. Not sure what’s tripping out. It’s wired using a rotary phase converter from North American with the wild leg on L1 as suggested from Centroid. This RPC is also rated for CNC use. I also have a VFD from Automation Direct that recommended for this setup that may be a better setup since I could control the spindle speed I assume. With the RPC I have no control of spindle rpm. I think this mill used pneumatics for that. Any suggestions on what causing the spindle motor to drop out and would the VFD be a better choice for 3 phase power. Thanks in advance
cncsnw
Posts: 3765
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 5:48 pm

Re: Bridgeport with Centroid/Ajax 10 Problem

Post by cncsnw »

How exactly are you switching power to your spindle right now?

What type of PLC and servo drive are you using?

How is the logic power to the PLC unit provided?
cncsnw
Posts: 3765
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 5:48 pm

Re: Bridgeport with Centroid/Ajax 10 Problem

Post by cncsnw »

Let's try some guesses to fill in the blanks in your narrative.

"401 error code" == "401 PLC failure detected"?

"Ajax 10 control" == Control system you bought through Centroid's DIY channel (formerly called "Ajax"), running a version of CNC10 software somewhere between CNC10 v1.21 and CNC10 v2.73?

Maybe using a DC3IO unit as the servo drive and PLC; or maybe using a SERVO3IO?

Maybe using a set of reversing contactors to switch spindle motor power, but since this is a D.I.Y. kit, no one but you knows what your contactor coil voltage is.

That still leaves a lot of unknowns.

You could try disconnecting the outgoing power from the contactors to the spindle motor, so that commanding spindle start will still switch a contactor coil on, but will not switch the motor on. That will tell you whether your power problem is with the contactor coils or wiring, or whether it is with powering the spindle motor itself.

You could try supplying the 120VAC power for the computer and for the DC3IO/SERVO3IO logic power supply from a 120VAC wall outlet, completely separate from your phase converter's output, to see if the motor start is causing a voltage dip severe enough to shut down the DC3IO/SERVO3IO logic power supply.
Pondera
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2023 9:19 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: No
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: (BHFDEGJJIF)
DC3IOB: Yes
CNC12: No
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: Yes

Re: Bridgeport with Centroid/Ajax 10 Problem

Post by Pondera »

Sorry for the lack of details. This unit started out as an R2E4. I thought I may be able to convert it to a manual but it looked to be nearly impossible for that. I came across a crashed mill that had been dropped with these Centroid controls so I bought it a retro fitted mine. It’s is a DC310. Supposedly the wrecked mill had ran fine on a RPC. I did have it hooked to 110 voltage just to power the axis and plc and all was fine. I just did wire it back to use the RPC. All was testing out fine but after about 30 minutes it would trip out when starting the spindle using manual start. The wrecked mill had the identical motor. That is as far as I have got with it.
Pondera
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2023 9:19 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: No
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: (BHFDEGJJIF)
DC3IOB: Yes
CNC12: No
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: Yes

Re: Bridgeport with Centroid/Ajax 10 Problem

Post by Pondera »

Another question. How can you control spindle speed with this setup? If I use the VFD I’m sure the motor is not rated for inverter use or do I hook the pneumatics back up some how? I have no idea how it was originally setup.
Pondera
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2023 9:19 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: No
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: (BHFDEGJJIF)
DC3IOB: Yes
CNC12: No
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: Yes

Re: Bridgeport with Centroid/Ajax 10 Problem

Post by Pondera »

I got it figured out. Found my schematics and the air solenoids I had squirreled away in the shop a couple years ago. As far as the spindle the Centroid transformer was being powered by L1 and L2 which L1 was the wild leg off of the RPC so I switched the transformer feed to L3 and L2. That seemed to fix it. Thanks for all the responses.
Post Reply