Occasional manual override of lube

[cncot]

Gentlemen:
My cnc retrofit Bridgeport is often used manually. The computerized oiler is driven off a digital out relay of the allin1. The oiler setup is standard out of the manual/TB, etc. The oiler function is fine is fine if one is using MDI or running G code, but my mill may not do so for many months, but rather be entirely run manually. It also may not be used at all for months (this is a home hobby shop). I need an aux button on the hardware control panel to momentarily apply power to the oiler relay when pushed without otherwise disturbing the existing PLC code running the oiler off MDI, etc.. I DONT want to disturb the existing hardware/software functions. The oiler requires 4++ seconds of power to do an "oil first" If the power is removed prematurely, the oiler stops pumping due to no motor power. The oiler has an internal timer programmed to pump immediately for X seconds (3 if I remember correctly) when power is applied. Another push of the Aux must start another cycle..repeatedly continuing to push the button momentarily until the oil shows up on the ways... How can this be accomplished?
Do I need to hire a PLC programmer?
Thanks for your kind instruction...
Mike

[cncsnw]

Assuming you have minutes and seconds in Parameter 179 (e.g. P179 = 2015, to power the lube unit for 15 seconds every 20 minutes), then you are using the "LubeUsePLCTimersStage section of your PLC program.

The functional part of that stage (after the explanatory comments) is:

Code: Select all

IF SV_PROGRAM_RUNNING  THEN LubeM_T = LubeM_W, SET LubeM_T
IF !SV_PROGRAM_RUNNING THEN (StopRunningPD)
IF StopRunningPD THEN LubeAccumTime_W = LubeAccumTime_W + LubeM_T, RST LubeM_T
IF LubeM_T || (LubeAccumTime_W + LubeM_T > LubeM_W)
  THEN SET Lube, LubeS_T = LubeS_W, SET LubeS_T, RST LubeM_T, LubeAccumTime_W = 0
IF LubeS_T || SV_STOP THEN RST Lube, RST LubeS_T

The statement that begins with "IF LubeM_T" and leads to "SET Lube" etc. is what initiates a lube cycle.

The simplest path to get essentially what you want, is to edit the triggering logic in that statement, to add, for example, the Aux2 key. E.g. that statement could be modified to read:

Code: Select all

IF LubeM_T || (LubeAccumTime_W + LubeM_T > LubeM_W) || Aux2Key_M
  THEN SET Lube, LubeS_T = LubeS_W, SET LubeS_T, RST LubeM_T, LubeAccumTime_W = 0

Then, pressing the Aux2 key would be the same as having the machine run a program for the specified number of minutes: the lube pump would start, and would continue running for the number of seconds specified in Parameter 179.

[cncot]

Thanks Marc, You have the plc you modified for me. Its still the same. I will write you tomorrow.the parameters are listed in the last snapshot-dump file you used before.
Thanks. Michael Brooks
susanbrooks3@mac.com
321-505-2745

[tblough]

The machines in my lab are used much the same way. I modified the PLC lube task to fire when the machine was first turned on and then based on the interval set by the lube parameter regardless of run time. The lube task is only paused when e-stop is engaged. This way I don't have to worry about users forgetting to manually run a lube cycle.

https://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopic. ... stop#p7052

[cncot]

They turn on the mill for manual use. It sits unused most of the day. They use the mpg rather than the hand wheel. After a few weeks a pint of oil is on the floor so much that they unplugged the oiler. I guess I need to find a way to stop it because it leads them to unplug the oiler. After it has sat for months, I need a way to initially oil the ways.. I don’t want it to run dry until it’s fully oiled, which will not happen immediately. Now it seems even more complex than I first envisioned. My report file is available from last year (the most recent post). Not used as CNC since then..
Thanks
Mike