Millport VMC1660 Centroid Upgrade (Leadshine EL7)

[KreiderMachine]

The other issue I'm trying to resolve this morning is the following:

Every time I open the hickory wizard it gives the following error message:

"
CNC Control Configuration Wizard: Error!
The following errors were reported:
An error has occurred while loading Drives from:
.\resources\wizard\saved\plcPresets\.
There is an error in XML document (2, 2).
"

The contents of that folder are attached.
The wizard is set to not overwrite a custom PLC.

There is an empty 'drives' folder at the same level as 'plcPresets.' I think the error initially appeared after I had attempted to backup my wizard settings.

[KreiderMachine]

PLC issue:

Following a manual carousel rotation (Tool Index +/-) if a toolchange is called, it works fine, HOWEVER: If estop is cycled between the manual carousel rotation and an the automatic toolchange, the machine tries to put back the current tool into whichever bin is current (has no persistent memory that a manual carousel rotation occurred).

After consulting AI, I added the following code:

IF Initialize_T THEN LastCarouselDir_W = SV_NV_W1,
CarouselPosition_W = SV_NV_W2

and

IF ToolCounterPD_PD THEN SV_NV_W1 = LastCarouselDir_W,
SV_NV_W2 = CarouselPosition_W

(see attached .src for location)

After compiling, the Toolchanges now fail, because the the carousel just rotates continuously, and never finds its bin at all.

How do I fix this? I have attached the .src files from before and after these changes were made.

Thanks!

[KreiderMachine]

Update:

I have reverted to the v1 and made the following change instead:

At line #5935, I removed '|| SV_STOP' from the 'IF' conditions of the following block:

IF IsCarouselATC_M && (((RequestedBinPosition_W == CarouselPosition_W) && DoingM6_M && AtPutbackLocation_M &&
AtRequestedToolLocation_M && ToolChangeComplete_M && !M6_SV) || SV_STOP)
THEN RST RotateCarouselStage, RST CarouselEnable_O, RST SetCarouselDirectionStage,
RST RotateCarouselStage, RST SetRequestedBinPositionStage, RST DoingM6_M,
RST M6_SV, RST AtPutbackLocation_M, RST AtRequestedToolLocation_M,
RST ToolChangeComplete_M, PutBackPosition_W = CarouselPosition_W

What unforseen consequences might this create? it seems to solve the problem for now.

[KreiderMachine]

Could one of you propose a way to better identify the cause of our probe detect issue:

At this point, the only way to get the probing cycles to do what we want is to call a toolchange to the empty bin dedicated to the probe. We have a DP-4 probe, and my understanding is that we should just be able to plug it in, and run probing cycles. The issue is that, when I do this, it doesn't use the correct z offset.

So if, for example, I want to set z-zero for a workpiece, and I pop the probe in and set it using the probing cycles under 'F1-setup, F1-part' then the z zero is inches too high when we try to run the program.

If, however, a toolchange to bin 8 (probe) is executed first, it will probe perfectly. I originally thought it wasn't detecting the probe, but the spindle is inhibited when the probe is plugged in, which seems to indicate that 'ProbeToolDetect_M' is active. I even simplified the conditions for ProbeToolDetect_M, but it made no difference.

When the probe is plugged in, both INP18 (ProbeDetect_I) and INP20 (DSPProbe_I) are triggered. Is the latter of these a mis-assignment of that input? (Our DP4 is not a DSP probe, or maybe it makes no difference?)

Is there a chance i'm just misunderstanding something about how the probe offset is set up?

[centroid467]

Could one of you propose a way to better identify the cause of our probe detect issue:

At this point, the only way to get the probing cycles to do what we want is to call a toolchange to the empty bin dedicated to the probe. We have a DP-4 probe, and my understanding is that we should just be able to plug it in, and run probing cycles. The issue is that, when I do this, it doesn't use the correct z offset.

So if, for example, I want to set z-zero for a workpiece, and I pop the probe in and set it using the probing cycles under 'F1-setup, F1-part' then the z zero is inches too high when we try to run the program.

If, however, a toolchange to bin 8 (probe) is executed first, it will probe perfectly. I originally thought it wasn't detecting the probe, but the spindle is inhibited when the probe is plugged in, which seems to indicate that 'ProbeToolDetect_M' is active. I even simplified the conditions for ProbeToolDetect_M, but it made no difference.

When the probe is plugged in, both INP18 (ProbeDetect_I) and INP20 (DSPProbe_I) are triggered. Is the latter of these a mis-assignment of that input? (Our DP4 is not a DSP probe, or maybe it makes no difference?)

Is there a chance i'm just misunderstanding something about how the probe offset is set up?

Hans, I wouldn't necessarily call that a probe detect issue. Pay attention to the height offsets applied when you change to the probe tool (in bin 8). This is likely different from the height offset applied to the intended cutting tool.

In this case, CNC12 is applying the height offset from the cutting tool because that is what it thinks is in the spindle. Probe detect input is traditionally only used to inhibit the spindle. Newer versions of the software have modified probe detect in some ways but this still holds true in the typical VMC configuration.

SOP on the mills in our shop is to call a tool change to the probe tool (T10 on our machines) then pop the probe into the spindle. This gets the current tool out of the spindle and applies the correct height and diameter offsets.

The DSP probe input will not have any effect unless P155 is set to 2. This input is for DP-7 and can be ignored unless you plan to use a DP-7.

[KreiderMachine]

Ok, thanks, A. So it sounds like this was maybe changed on purpose.

The primary operator of this machine is remembering fondly the ease of just popping to probe in and setting the active tool to the side until after probing. I did discover last evening that we can, at least, easily probe work zeros without the tool change by telling the machine to reference offsets for a different tool in the dialogue for that probing sequence, so that will save him his major frustration, I think. This probably isn't the case for other probing cycles, though.

It seems like it should be possible to create this behavior in the plc pretty easily, considering that there is a bin assigned to the probe. I just don't know what other things may be affected, and I'm not quite brave enough with my plc editing to start hacking away at it.

[centroid467]

Ok, thanks, A. So it sounds like this was maybe changed on purpose.

The primary operator of this machine is remembering fondly the ease of just popping to probe in and setting the active tool to the side until after probing. I did discover last evening that we can, at least, easily probe work zeros without the tool change by telling the machine to reference offsets for a different tool in the dialogue for that probing sequence, so that will save him his major frustration, I think. This probably isn't the case for other probing cycles, though.

It seems like it should be possible to create this behavior in the plc pretty easily, considering that there is a bin assigned to the probe. I just don't know what other things may be affected, and I'm not quite brave enough with my plc editing to start hacking away at it.

I went and talked to our machinists and they reminded me that you can change the tool number on the page for Z part zero. Set it to the probe tool and the height offsets will then be correct. This may be what you mentioned above.

For regular probing cycles (Bore, Boss, etc.) and digitizing, you will find that the touch probe tool number is stored and CNC12 should apply the correct diameter offset assuming P12 (Touch Probe Tool Number) is set correctly. I'd have to test it myself to confirm that the height offset is correct as used by Single Axis and Find Angle cycles.

[KreiderMachine]

OK, yes this is what I was referring to, but I had been thinking that the other probing cycles wouldn't know to use the correct diameter and offset, so this is good news. I guess I could have just tried it. haha.

Thanks!

I went and talked to our machinists and they reminded me that you can change the tool number on the page for Z part zero. Set it to the probe tool and the height offsets will then be correct. This may be what you mentioned above.

For regular probing cycles (Bore, Boss, etc.) and digitizing, you will find that the touch probe tool number is stored and CNC12 should apply the correct diameter offset assuming P12 (Touch Probe Tool Number) is set correctly. I'd have to test it myself to confirm that the height offset is correct as used by Single Axis and Find Angle cycles.

[KreiderMachine]

So, I don't know if this may be related to our issue, but after comparing an old report from the previous CNC10 installation, I changed our value for Parameter 003 from '20' to '0,' so that it matches the old configuration.

'Add 16, I assume is intended to say 'Probe Protection based on Tool Number (typo on 'based?')
and
'Add 4: Turn on Tool Height Offset Retention"

Can any of you shed more light on what the 'add 4' setting is describing? I'm still not sure I understand after looking at the manual.

Thanks!

[centroid467]

So, I don't know if this may be related to our issue, but after comparing an old report from the previous CNC10 installation, I changed our value for Parameter 003 from '20' to '0,' so that it matches the old configuration.

'Add 16, I assume is intended to say 'Probe Protection based on Tool Number (typo on 'based?')
and
'Add 4: Turn on Tool Height Offset Retention"

Can any of you shed more light on what the 'add 4' setting is describing? I'm still not sure I understand after looking at the manual.

Thanks!

Ok, the first sentence states that the currently active height offset is kept when you enter the tool offset menu. If P3 = 0 then when you enter that menu (F1 Setup -> F2 Tool -> F1 Offset Lib.), the active offset will be disabled. You can see this in the status display in the top right. The "Tool: Tx Hxxx" line will go from showing a tool and offset number ( i.e. "T2 H2") to just a tool number ("T2 H---").

The second sentence means that when a toolchange is commanded via F7 in the tool library, it will automatically apply the height offset corresponding to the new tool. This probably means that it uses the offset with the same number as the tool.