[Ernie]

So this afternoon I turn on my Centroid controlled Series 1 Bridgeport mill, try to home it wont so now I got a problem , I reboot 3 times nothing .
I come on this site see my problem need a encoder right ok , I go to the screen to further trouble shoot, Now the screen is Blank HUH? I am really
in trouble anybody ever had this issue?? help
PS I am in Florida Tampa area anybody in this area ???

[cncsnw]

What style M400 do you have? Is it the original style with the 10" screen and vertical, sealed keyboard; or the post-2002 type with a 15" screen and sloping, conventional keyboard?

So this afternoon I turn on my Centroid controlled Series 1 Bridgeport mill, try to home it wont so now I got a problem , I reboot 3 times nothing .

When it did not home, what did it to? What error message was displayed?

Now the screen is Blank HUH? I am really
in trouble anybody ever had this issue??

I am sure lots of people have had blank screens. Is there 120VAC power to the console? Is there 12VDC power to the LCD screen? Is the VGA or LCD cable plugged in? Are there any signs that the PC motherboard is booting up (e.g. beeps, CPU fan turning, NUM LOCK LED on, etc.)? Are there any signs that the control software is running (e.g. lights in the jog panel)?

If you want help here, you should tell us more about what style control console you have, and you should tell us exactly what does and does not happen.

It would also help if you would use more coherent sentences. If you sound thoughtful, careful and sober, people are more likely to be willing to take their time to help you.

[Ernie]

Thank You sir for replying I did not mean to sound incoherent or not sober I was ?am flustered So that being said I have a M400s with a digital monitor (Samsung I think) it is the controller with a standard Keyboard .
When I first powered up I tried to home the machine it started to home when it got to the Y axis it went past the home directly to the limit and stopped , got a limit tripped code .
I can use the jog switches to move ALL axis all directions +and - machine just wont home .
I tried to reset the home in configure screen set new home tried again same thing .
I walk away from machine (left it Running ) I come back to try again now screen is Blank .
I shut machine down reboot nothing I hear the PLC start I have all lights on the control panel just no picture. This morning I try the machine again screen lights up great
by the time I walked around to machine the display is fading then goes blank. I hope this is clear enough again I am sorry for sounding Goofy

[cncsnw]

Okay, so you have at least two distinct problems.

First, you are not able to home the Y axis without stopping with a "limit tripped" error. The problem there is probably a sticky switch.

Second, you have a problem with the LCD display. The problem there is probably the backlight, or the inverter which powers the backlight.

I recommend plugging in an external VGA monitor, so you can troubleshoot and fix the limit switch problem, and optionally run the machine, without worrying about the LCD or backlight problem. Inside the back of the console, on the left edge of the motherboard, you will find a standard 15-pin VGA connector. It currently has an internal cable plugged in, which leads to the built-in display. You can unplug that cable and plug in a standard VGA cable to an external monitor.

Does your machine have separate home switches, or does it only have limit switches?

The most common setup is to have only limit switches, and to use a limit switch for homing. For example, you would have a Y+ limit switch connected to either INP4 or INP3 (depending on whether the Y axis required direction reversal). That switch number would be entered as both the plus limit and the plus home, on the Machine Configuration -> Motor Parameters screen.

During the homing sequence, running the line which reads "M92/Y", the control would:
1) Move Y+ until the switch trips.
2) Move Y- until the switch clears.
3) Continue Y- until the index pulse on the Y encoder comes around.

The next line, which reads "M26/Y", would set the Y axis machine home position at the current position, where it stopped at the index pulse.

So if, by "went past the home directly to the limit" you are describing step 1 above, then that is normal. It always goes past the eventual home position, until it finds the switch.

A few machines are set up with separate home switches, independent of the limit switches. In that case the home switch input numbers, entered on the Machine Configuration screen, will be different from the limit switch numbers. The homing procedure is the same, but it would be moving on and off of the home switch rather than the limit switch. If your machine is like that, and by "went past the home directly to the limit" you mean that it ran over the home switch without stopping, then you have a faulty or mis-positioned home switch.

If your machine has the normal setup, which homes using the limit switch, but your are getting "limit tripped" errors when it tries to home, then the switch probably needs to be cleaned, both physically and electronically.

When homing, the control gives you one "free pass" to trip the limit switch without error. If you trip the switch (step 1); clear the switch (step 2); then unexpectedly trip it again, homing will be cancelled with a "limit tripped" error. This can happen if you don't get a clean break or clean make of the switch, but instead the PLC sees multiple breaks and makes in one movement.

Clean and lube the plunger or arm so that it moves in and out freely. Then open up the switch terminal compartment, spray it with electronic contact cleaner, and work the switch a few times.


You will need to contact Centroid tech support for help getting the LCD display repaired. Tell them your control serial number, so they can look up the make and model of LCD screen and backlight, and tell you what your options are.

[Ernie]

Thank You For your help sir . The limit switch stop on the Y axis moved thats what caused the limit to trip hard , I repositioned the Y + limit stop and the machine homed Fine. Thank You. As far as Monitor I have a Samsung LCD 15 inch monitor, I understand the model number is behind the Monitor itself so I have to remove the whole control from the box to disassemble the sheet metal to get to PN. I am told the monitor from centroid is 995.00 I think I can probably get a monitor from a second source(after market) for much less Again Thanks For all you help
PS I did use a Computer Monitor to trouble shoot Problem .