[underthetire]

Well, we bought a brand new TM2. Finally getting around to powering it up. This machine is the first test bed for our facility to install a 400 watt laser in, since our other laser machines are soooo old. The entire spindle assembly has been removed, motor, unclamp cyl, spindle, cable track etc. I was able to get all the alarms bypassed through the control, except the spindle drive. The spindle drive is in the machine still, and has a green ready light. I would like to completely turn off the spindle axis, such as a A axis or whatever. The first guy I called at haas was pretty helpful, since i was able to bypass all the tool clamp/air etc alarms. Second guy not so much. He said to just hang the spindle encoder somewhere in the cabinet. Problem is, when our monkeys took the motor out, they pulled all the pins from the connector.

[haastec]

Well, we bought a brand new TM2. Finally getting around to powering it up. This machine is the first test bed for our facility to install a 400 watt laser in, since our other laser machines are soooo old. The entire spindle assembly has been removed, motor, unclamp cyl, spindle, cable track etc. I was able to get all the alarms bypassed through the control, except the spindle drive. The spindle drive is in the machine still, and has a green ready light. I would like to completely turn off the spindle axis, such as a A axis or whatever. The first guy I called at haas was pretty helpful, since i was able to bypass all the tool clamp/air etc alarms. Second guy not so much. He said to just hang the spindle encoder somewhere in the cabinet. Problem is, when our monkeys took the motor out, they pulled all the pins from the connector.

Not 100%, but try this to get aroung the encoder problem:

Parameter 43, bit 6 (Disable Z T) or bit 15 (Cable Test). Try turning these off and see if that works for your application. Start with bit 15.

Good luck!

[underthetire]

Well, that didn't work, however it turns out my "monkey" is smarter than the average monkey. He did unpin it but wrote everything down. (he's really not a monkey, pretty smart guy) so the encoder is now screwed in to the electrical cabinet from the bracket and alarms are gone. I would like to disable the spindle drive and encoder and get them out of the cabinet, but it's not killing the job now.
Thanks for your help. Looks like this machine is going to work, my only real issue now is the ballscrew comps are disabled, we kinda wanted to laser this thing and get it closer than factory specs for positioning. I even talked with our sales guy about it before we bought the machine. He gave some squeaking about thermal and comps are already in the machine. Can't trust those guys i guess.

[Matt@RFR]

I'm curious, are you going to replace the stock table with some sort of downdraft table? If not, how are you planning on controlling debris and smoke from the laser process?

[underthetire]

Down draft box goes on the table. Room is also down draft. Most cuts/welds are super tiny. They have been doing this for 30-40 years now in some form or another, so they have it down pretty well. Just the old mill bases controls are shot and can't get parts for them.

I'm dead in the water again, now getting a spindle encoder cable error.

[underthetire]

Wow, got the thing going. Then it wanted a password from the dealer. Got that, adjusted a couple parameters, now its moving around in auto. Now to bypass the door locks, since the enclosure was removed. That should be pretty simple, adding a button on the side of the pendant and a relay to "cycle" the doors at power up. Still need to install the 4th axis drive and connectors then wait 4 months for the new laser to get here. A few Mcodes that we did purchase from HAAS, and should be good to go.

[miljnor]

that's cool I would love pictures if you could, when its done!

[extanker59]

Or pictures now! I'd love to see what this thing looks like.

[underthetire]

Sorry, they will most certainly not let me post pictures of this thing. Right now it's just a tm2 with no encloser or spindle. This is a huge money laser coming from Germany, I was just told 4 to 6 months delivery after order. That should give me time to see if I can get in to the haas software to re configure the screen a bit. Kinda want to get the spindle info off the screen, since there is no spindle. I feel I need to let everyone know, I am not a fan of disabling door locks, I would never recommend it, but this room is protected by building interlocks, so door interlocks were redundant. They were also simple to bypass

[miljnor]

too bad about the pictures!

as for door interlocks that's always covered somewhere, but in a litigation based society everyone always want to protect themselves from lawsuit's. Too bad fear based laws have ruled the planet too long. I'm a fan of Darwinism and let people take the risks they are willing to take. And there are always going to be reasons to circumvent the built in safety measures of any apparatus. Either do to time saving or the simple fact the part wont fit in the machine when the doors are closed. But meh, I digress...wish we could get pictures.

[haastec]

too bad about the pictures!

as for door interlocks that's always covered somewhere, but in a litigation based society everyone always want to protect themselves from lawsuit's. Too bad fear based laws have ruled the planet too long. I'm a fan of Darwinism and let people take the risks they are willing to take. And there are always going to be reasons to circumvent the built in safety measures of any apparatus. Either do to time saving or the simple fact the part wont fit in the machine when the doors are closed. But meh, I digress...wish we could get pictures.

Since this thing has been stripped down to a moving xyz platform, I would think that door switches are pretty low on their liability factors. I imagine that they build in their own safety systems when it's all said and done anyhow.

I agree about the Darwinism statement also!

[miljnor]

I would also love to hear how you can reprogram a screen if that's what you end up doing....always thought about buying an old Tupperware version of a Haas machine for cheap and messing with it in just this way.

[extanker59]

I usually agree about Darwinism, especially when watching the Jacka** movies.

I started a long paragragh about the reasons for these laws but deceided life is too short. Suffice it to say that, while I agree that the pendulum has swung too far in one direction, doing away with the pendulum altogether would bring the 1800's worker death rate back.
Maybe just moderate the law a bit?

[Matt@RFR]

Maybe just moderate the law a bit?

You can not legislate common sense.

[extanker59]

Good sound bite but you can. Seatbelts, can't dump toxic chemicals in Love canal, speed limits in school zones, etc...

[underthetire]

1st off, this wasn't about door locks or no door locks. Our process is interlocked through the building doors. I am a fan of door locks myself. Yes, its hard to deal with sometimes. There was a recent thread about a horizontal mill doing a pallet change and almost hurting/killing a guy. Operators now for the most part are not very skilled (maybe not in the above case), and shop owners need to try and protect themselves any way they can. The good old days with skilled machinist on every CNC are gone. High speeds now cause a lot more damage in an accident. A broken 1/2 End Mill at 10K rpm is no longer a just a pain. It's now turning in to a bullet. Ive seen the end result from a couple accidents, and they will change you forever.

[extanker59]

Apologies for hijacking the thread.

[miljnor]

your fired! go stand in a corner! =)

[extanker59]

Again!? They're gonna name that corner after me.

[underthetire]

Well, a little update on my laser build up of this thing. Still waiting for the laser, coming from Germany, so 5 months from now, and the price is staggering, but I'm not paying for it. I decided that our almost new 30 year old rotary table would be just fine for this. So I ordered a motor, cable assembly, and home switch from haas. Removed the old dc motor and encoder from the table and promptly tossed it in recycling. I probably cut 20 pounds off the weight and the enclosure for the motor can be half the size. Adapters for the motor are being made in the shop tonight. I couldn't believe my eyes when I got the hardware from haas. Yaskawa servo motor with plugs, a cable assembly with matching plugs, and a home switch with a plug. No soldering, no terminal strips, plug in, and test within five minutes out of the box. A call to haas for the"secret" code to enable the fourth axis, set parameter 30 and the thing lives. Tomorrow I bolt the motor in to the rotary table and set up my calibration, then sheet metal makes a new stainless cover.

Dam I wish the laser was here....it's fun doing this kind of stuff instead of fixing other people's screw ups..