Re-commishioning Supermax with FCAM3A control

I am hoping this is a simple one. I have a Supermax rebel 3 that I am trying to get back running after it sat for 2 years. The control is a FCAM3A which I think is a Meldas M300 series.

I formatted the memory, loaded the cans. I also have a parameter sheet and have loaded all the parameters. The trouble I am having is that I can't get the machine to home. I can jog the machine but only if I use the handwheel (Handwheel only seems to move in .0001 increments no matter the switch selection) I can jog using the buttons if the mode selector is on reference but it will keep going until it hits the Overt-ravel switch. It doesn't automatically go to the home switch, I have to keep holding the jog button.

The second might be more difficult,
When I got the machine the spindle drive was gone. I bought a FRSF 11k drive at auction that seems to function but I don't know what option card the original had and the one I have has a SF-TL option card. I only have 3 plugs to go to the drive but the manual seems to show 4 with the SF-TL.

When I command a speed and M3 It will hold position but doesn't rotate. When I command M19 it spins a couple rotations, stops then hunts slowly back and forth.

Any help GREATLY appreciated

Shoot, I never got that sheet to you for the serial communications (I think it was you). Sorry! But it looks like you figured your way through all that.

I am no expert (full disclosure.... but then again, you did say *any* help was appreciated so at least it is something) but I know that they have several different types of spindle sensors. My guess is that you have an incompatibility with the type you have on the machine and the option card you purchased with the drive. If you take a picture of the card and the sensor, I can check these against what I have in my running SFJ system. This isn't perfect, but who knows... maybe I'll have at least one of these and that will better narrow down what you may, or may not, need.

Have you looked at the SF service manual? In typical Mitsubishi form, it is not that great, but it is definitely better than nothing.

Just an update,
I obtained an electronic copy of the original parameters for my machine. Once I loaded them, the spindle now works and will orient. I had a original paper copy that I was using but, apparently there were things missing from the paper copy.

Still doesn't home without commanding a G28(axis name) 0. It does home properly when commanded to so it might just be that I now need to go through the set up for the homing.

Bad news is, I found a BUNCH of turcite piled up under the x axis cover

Thinking out of the box a bit here, but.... If you are expecting to press a button and home, then that is likely a ladder logic customization made by the machine integrator. I know my machine has a custom (non-Mitsubishi) button on the control panel and I'm pretty sure I've seen a path for this in the ladder logic documentation. This is where it gets interesting though... The ladder is, I suspect, very frequently burned into EPROM. That is absolutely the way it is setup on my machine. The ladder is in the thing that looks like an old Atari game cartridge (I'm dating myself) on the NC unit. I have gotten the feeling that on some machines this might be RAM based, however, and the ladder is somehow uploaded (almost certainly via the serial port). This would be more flexible but also a PITA if your battery died. These controls were designed in the days before inexpensive E2PROM. There *is* a small amount of E2PROM in the drives, but not much... definitely not enough to store all of the ladder.

Anyhow, I digress.... If you have any external buttons that trigger the homing sequence *and* you have EPROM ladder logic, then I am guessing the problem is user error (said in a friendly way). Mind you, this is a guess that is intended to promote different thoughts; I really can't say I'm onto something here....

I too come from the days of Atari... I well remember my 2600

I agree the homing could be in the ladder logic,

I have the M3 manual and I am pretty sure there is supposed to be the ability to just press the axis jog button in the direction required when the selector switch is in the return to home position and then the control uses the grid spacing and grid setting to accurately determine the zero position. I haven't set those yet so, once I go through the procedure I will let you know if that works.

I want to see if it's possible to "save" the parameters on the EEprom. I believe I read somewhere it might be possible

I only vaguely recall seeing references to E2PROM in the manuals, but I work with different things and I might be getting my wires crossed.... so please update this thread if/when you find anything. I am pretty sure E2 does exist though. I've had this conversation with another member, and his machine looks as though the base parameters were still in the machine after it was without power for 5+ years. Clearly the battery would have been dead dead dead at that point. The params he observed were far too "accurate" to known values to be considered luck, though. Come to think of it, I think I may have seen a serial E2PROM on a board once too... Hmmm....

I may have misunderstood your question.... If you are asking about *how* you home the machine, that I can help with. You probably have a rotary switch that has a bunch of options on it. Put it into 'Jog' mode and move the X/Y/Z to the middle of the axis area (not really necessary, but it is a good base point). Another position on the rotary switch is likely to be 'Zero Return', to which you should rotate the switch. You can then press the axis buttons (X right, Y forward, Z up). When the first limit switch is hit (home one), the machine will slow the axis down considerably, but continue jogging until it gets to home. There is typically an LED on the panel, or you can see the home icon on the screen. That is the process that is generically the case. However, the buttons, (maybe not the rotary switch) and LEDs are all things that would come from the ladder logic (85% sure on that). I don't think there are dedicated ports assigned to these functions, although this is a bit iffy because the rotary switch (at least) is something you'll see referenced in the manual. Anyhow, we are a bit in the weeds with that; the reality is that pretty much everything will need some of these basic buttons.

Hopefully some of this helps.

BTW, I apologize if I was a little off on my previous comment. I had my machine in a barely operable state over the last few months. I was working on an S12 amp repair for a guy here on the forum, and I had to take my amp out during the time. I was unable to even turn the machine on due to disconnected wires and such. I finished that repair yesterday (Roughly 5 separate errors on it! Holy Cow!) and just finished putting the machine back together again in the evening.