[wildwhl]

Hello Tree lovers.

WW here, been playing with a small x2 converted for about a year.

Just took a leap (of faith) and made a deal on a 1992 1060 with Dynapath 10. Current owners drip feed it - but I'm not certain of the actual version of software.

Anyway, just starting this thread as a place holder - because I'll have many questions. Yes, she's a lot bigger and beefier than what I'm used to. I currently use CamBam for the x2 through Mach3 - I'm sure my process will change somewhat to say the least, but I'm excited.

Will take about 6-8 weeks to make a hole on my floor for her. She's in good shape, the price was right, and only real issue is the tool changer malfunctions from time to time (something I believe I can diagnose and fix).

Get ready to point me in the right direction....guess my first question is a post-processor for the Dyna 10? Is something like this where I need to spend some time/energy: http://www.softsquad.com/products.htm

WW

[underthetire]

Err, thought the 1060 came out later than that. I remember the 1st machine coming out about then, they had an 840 and a 1050. I always thought the 1060 came out later. Could be wrong. The D-10 actually has a EIA format available, should be able to use a Fanuc 0-M post to get you very close.

[wildwhl]

Thanks for the response. It is possible the controller has been upgraded - really can't determine until I see her next. Demo'd her and liked her (had never done any conversational before - she held a decent story so I bought her a drink, lol).

WW

[underthetire]

Anything is possible. Those had the Delta 10 or 20 available, as well as a Yasnac control. Later ones may have had the PC2100 control.

[zpsbob]

Tree made another machine in 92-93 that was called the 1060, it isn't the same ZPS built machine most people recognize. They later changed the name of it to VMC1000... they all had D10/D20 controls. That version has a long chain-type tool storage system on it, not the disk that is used on the ZPS built Trees. They only made 24 or them, 16 went to customers and the rest were organ donors.

Bob

[wildwhl]

That is precisely what this machine is, Bob...hope I'm not making a mistake here.

Bill

[Shane1234]

i dont know if my post processor for mastercam for my vmc 840 will work, but i can share it with ya if you want. will check back tomorrow when i am at work.

[wildwhl]

Hello gang. I've had the mill for a bit now, but have not had much time to learn it yet. Was futzing with it yesterday, and came up with the following. Mind you it has been working fine until now (all axis and tool changer reference home without issue).

My believe is I'm up against a limit/overlimit switch on the x axis. Only other change from a few weeks ago until now is that I have the coolant running - and sprayed down the enclosure a bit. Error did not occur until 2 days later - so I don't think it is a water issue, but could be.

Already confirmed: Air pressure, line voltage, etc.

Here is a screen shot of what I see on power up:


and if I hit reset:


the spindle drive reads *no power* and the power OK light is not lit:


Full shot of the controls/electrical cabinet:


Finally, current table position:





So if I am overlimit - how do I back it off the limit switch? I've tried to hold reset down while jogging, or referencing, but I get a loss of position/no movement series of errors.

I have checked all fuses. I can confirm that the power relay that sends power to the spindle drive (not the low voltage, but the high voltage) is NOT engaging, and I'm guessing that is because it is in fault mode.

All input appreciated!

WW

[wildwhl]

Also...can somebody how to run the spindle manually? I understand how to go into jog mode and move around - but I'd like to just fire the spindle up and manually jog to mill a bit - is that possible on this controller?

WW

[underthetire]

All the Tree's ive worked on had a small access cover on the side of the machine. you had to remove the small cover, insert a special wrench in to the end of the ballscrew, and manually turn it off the limits. I'm not familiar with your set up, i've never seen indramat drives in a tree, all the ones I worked on had Yaskawa. You can only MDI the spindle on on a dynapath.
Mode select
Program
Type N. enter
Event type (not sure what number, should be the mcode/offset one
Type M3
Type Sxxx (xxx being the spindle speed) enter
Cycle start.

Dont forget the . after the N BTW.

Then you can go to jog, and the spindle should stay on.

[wildwhl]

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately I do not see any place to insert a wrench or tool. I'm guessing I may need to remove a cover below the way covers?

[wildwhl]

Update: Fixed it! Was just the overlimit switch. How did I get it off? Well, I applied an ounce (or 4,000,000) of slight pressure on the x-axis. Truth is I just *tapped* it with a big hammer and a block, turned it back on, and all was well.

Now back to the learning curve.

Bill

[wildwhl]

Also, giant thanks to underthetire - perfect. I just made chips manually and I thinking I'm sportin' wood (yeah, I know this is a metalworkers forum - but wood sounds better!).

Love this place...

Bill

[wildwhl]

Gang -

I seem to be stumped trying to program via conversational mode. Can't seem to enter an event. Is conversational a waste of time? Should I just use the EIC programming?

Bill

[wildwhl]

OK - update. Been moving along with some conversational programming. Getting my feet wet in the little time I've had to mess around. Still need to wrap my head around part origin (fixture offsets?) and how all that works, but I'm getting closer.

Question - on the side of the Dynapath controller is a Sticker that says *Q-Tour* and a key that (maybe?) turns said function and on. Can anyone explain what this is for?

Thanks gang.

Bill

[zpsbob]

I *think* that is the end limit (switch) release button

[wildwhl]

zpsbob -

key'd switch doesn't seem to do anything when on end limits (?).

I've taken a bit of a break from the big Tree mill working with bikes and some lathe time. Plan to get back on the mill this weekend - goal is to get programs to load from a PC. I've played with it some, ever downloaded a couple of the DNC software demos - but for the life of me can't seem to get the communications up and running. Will reread all of the information on Dynapath's website and here, then take a systematic trial and error approach to sort it out. For certain I have the null modem cable (started without one - and I know better) and am hoping I just need some uninterrupted time to setting up the load/dnc communications.

Wish me luck.

Bill

[hoganj]

I have just been working with this very same thing. A TREE\ZPS was donated to my school where I teach machining. My control is the Delta 20. I was going from the 27 pin on the machine to the 9 pin on the computer. You can not plug the 27 pin into the parralel port of the computer. So I had a 27 pin to a 9 pin adapter but the adapter crosses the 2 and the 3 pins. Fortunately my 27 pin cable had removable caps and I could move the wires to where they needed to be. Long story short the #2,#3, and #7 pins need to be straight through. I had a ohm meeter to test this. Once this was correct I had no problem loading and recording programs. I download this for DNC cnc and dnc software for RS232 CNC program transfer with drip feeding.
Jake

zpsbob -

key'd switch doesn't seem to do anything when on end limits (?).

I've taken a bit of a break from the big Tree mill working with bikes and some lathe time. Plan to get back on the mill this weekend - goal is to get programs to load from a PC. I've played with it some, ever downloaded a couple of the DNC software demos - but for the life of me can't seem to get the communications up and running. Will reread all of the information on Dynapath's website and here, then take a systematic trial and error approach to sort it out. For certain I have the null modem cable (started without one - and I know better) and am hoping I just need some uninterrupted time to setting up the load/dnc communications.

Wish me luck.

Bill

[wildwhl]

Jake -

Thanks for the information! Question - what are your communication settings? I have both cables you mention (and easy access to the backside of the plug on the Dynapath 20 controller - so could move wires there easily). I'm wondering why I can't use 27pin to 27pin as the manual suggests? Regardless, if I use the 9 pin port on the computer - WHAT IS THAT COM PORT NUMBER? That is where I think I'm hung up is defining that port number (selecting it) more than anything else.

All help appreciated.

Bill

[hoganj]

you could if you had a 27 pin serial port. This is not something that computers have come with in a long time. Chances are the 27 pin port on your CPU is a parrallel port that is typically used for printers. Many computers now don't even come with a 9 pin comunications port. They are USB ports now. In my situation the DNC software that I downloaded only recognized 1 com port. This was my 9 pin port called com port 1. I don't know my other settings for sure but for the most part they need to match on the computer and the machine in the load menu. I know my baud rate is 9600 and there is a parity and an xon/xoff. The DNC software also had a setup wizard which helped to get set up. I could check the settings tomorrow.

My manual says that to comunicate only three wires are necessary. #2,#3, and #7 which is the ground. I changed the wiring in the cable to achieve continuity from the 27 pin end to the 9 pin end (I certainly would not change the wiring on the machine RS232 port). All the other wires I believe are not necessary. So if you have a tester put it on the #2 pin on one end and the #2 pin on the other end and it should ring through, do this for #3, and #7.(The pins are numbered with very tiny lettering so look close. I used a paper clip to stick in the female end to make it possible to test.) If i didn't have a cable that I could change the wiring I probably would of cut the 9 pin adapter cable and tried to rig it up that way.

When you go to load the program to the machine you would go to the load menu and hit the load program soft key first, then go to the cpu and send the program. If it works you should see the N numbers counting up. If you get this to work you will soon be depressed with the size of program that the control will hold.

hope this helps. I also was able to get some help with this from Dynapath website.
Jake