PCMill 100 with intermittent "2520 ORD 1 RS485" Error

I have a new to me PC Mill 100 - which looks like it's never been used, very clean & new looking!

The PC has clearly been replaced at some point - but it appears to work.

If I switch on, reference the machine - everything is happy for a few minutes then I get the 2520 error.

If I reset then re-reference the machine, it works for another few mins - then the same.

My first guess would be electrical noise or something like that, disturbing the RS485 signal. Before I start adding chokes & sticking my scope where it doesn't belong, I wondered if there's anything common I should look at first?

It's too nice a machine to re-fit with Mach3 or similar - so I'm determined to make it work as it's maker intended! If it makes a difference I'm running the Sinumerik 810 software. I have the 820 software too, as well as FANUC.

Personally, I'd prefer to run FANUC as I know it - but I don't have the Panel overlay for it. Maybe I ought to 3D print one!

Any help would be very welcome. Is there an EMCO specific forum somewhere? Their users don't seem to be as visible on line as other types of machine?

Si

As these machines are clearly getting old, PCB begin to fail. I had an intermittent connections on a couple boards in a pair of machines. This lead me to reflow solder joints on all connector headers. One board I found by chance pushing on a connector would trip the safety (E-stop) circuit. The other machine had a connector which was poorly supported, by design, had pulled a trace off the PCB over time. Finding stuff like this takes ages and much hair pulling.

Panels turn up on Ebay. There is one now on the US site. If you could get them to ship, just the interchangeable panels, shipping would be reasonable.

After a few goes, wiggling cables - the error cleared itself.
I've spent a few weeks trying to figure out the (horrible) software - but now the same error has reappeared!

Decision made - change to another controller!

My first choice is the Centroid Acorn which seems reasonable value as well as being solid.

This mill has an unusual (to me) arrangement for the ATC & Spindle. The Spindle appears to be a Servo Motor with an encoder. When a toolchange is required, it indexes to the correct tool orientation, drives Z up which disengages the motor from the tool and then engages the spindle motor, via a gear to drive the ATC. It moves the ATC around then reverses the process to re-engage the new tool.

It had a couple of inductive proximity sensors for it to work out the ATC position.

Do any of you have a logic timing diagram for the ATC process? Any idea what sort of servo it is - or, best of all how to make this all work! The Centroid has a PLC for ATCs & stuff like that and I have no doubt I can write a program to do it - if I can figure out the timing.

Si

Simonrafferty Did you ever get the Centroid Acorn to work on your PCMILL 100

By any chance do you have a Frequency Converter (FRC122C) left over from your conversion? I am in need to find one. I believe the part number is Y2C417000.
[email protected]

Doug