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I've been working at my current job for 13 years as a CNC Operator. For awhile now I've been doing the normal cleaning and minor maintenance stuff. But as stuff breaks I'd like be a little bit more knowledgeable about repairs. We currently have 5 haas vf2 ss, a fadal 88hs and 10 harig ez surfs. I've already found the haas service section of the website for those but as for the others does anyone have any ideas for training on servicing them? Any help would be appreciated
I don't know of any schools for training CNC service techs. Most of this is done by the in-house training at the machine manufacturer, then a lot of on the job training for the field techs.
Having said that, all of the machines are the same and all of the machines are different. The same in that shafts run in bearings, tables have rails or ways, things are moved around by motors under computer control. Sensors can be encoders, prox sensors, limit switches, photo eyes, and the like. But exactly how all of this works and is controlled is specific to the machine and manufacturer.
A CNC tech is a machinist, millwright, controls electrician, and a computer geek. And is a journeyman in all of these trades, and most importantly can logically troubleshoot any of the combined systems.
If your company has a maintenance department, transfer into that and start learning. I spent the first 20 years of my career just learning and mastering the trades above.
Pretty much mirrors my experience.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Dawson
I started out as an Industrial Electrical apprentice, then acquired Industrial Electronics Certification, where I serviced automated assembly line equipment.
In Canada I got a job with a large company and retro fitted their old assembly line using PLC's, then acquired CNC experience and retro fitted initially using Fanuc , but preferred Mitsubisi.
Also designed a few small systems.
Pretty much have to live and dream it
from what I've seen is it's on the job training . The best guy I've ever seen used to be a sewing machine repairman . He got a job working for Elliot repairing matsuura's and learned everything on the job . When he was in the shop we knew it was getting fixed before he left and sometimes that literally meant days .
Most haas tech's I've seen are flat out monkeys who use cell phones to have the factory walk them through the repairs . I doubt they have a second of formal training . It's good though for a guy who is keen to learn
Millwright training may be the best rounded training that a guy can get but I don't know if they touch on automation such as cnc yet , they didn't when I was trained , but that was also over 30yrs ago
That's also what I've seen with the haas guys, there are a few that aren't looking up instructions on the computer but for the most part they seem greener than me on some things.Quote:
Originally Posted by metalmayhem
I recall back in the 60's in Europe where Siemens started opening Technician schools, at that time the Automation industry was already in full swing, but there was no one on the shop floor level to service the equipment, such as PLC/CNC etc.
The maintenance electricians did not quite have the skills, and the graduated engineer's were reluctant to get their hands dirty.