[OC_]

I posted this in a different forum, but I think it might have been the wrong one; seems that this would fit better here.

Many years ago (1991-1992?), my university bought a brand new Kiwa 510 Colt with a nice Troyke 4th axis. Apparently, there was one professor that arranged for the procurement of the machine and he was just about the only one to ever use it. Judging by the wear on the machine, it looks like he must have done one or two projects on it giving the machine something less then 25 hours of total use. After that, the professor left this university leaving only one other person that could run the machine. At about the same time, the school got another machine. This time a Bridgeport Torque Cut 22 which had a much easier interface. The shop master, the only person that could run the kiwa was spoiled by this interface and never had a need to use the Kiwa again. So, the Kiwa has pretty much sat in the corner of the shop for something like 14 years without use. At some point, the battery on it died and caused the machine to lose its parameters. A mystery man one day came along and got the XYZ axis going again, but for some reason couldn’t get the 4th to work. The machine sat some more, then I came along. I sat down and took the time to learn the ways of this old Fanuc 0M system and have gotten pretty darn good at it. I reconfigured some of the parameters to get it to drip feed and have been using it almost every day. I seem to be the only one here that can actually run this machine now; even the shop master, who used it in the past, has now forgotten how to use it.

Now, I have been trying to for some time to get this fourth axis to work. I’ve been on the phone with both Fanuc and Troyke and have emailed Kiwa; and all of them can’t help me. Even though the 4th axis has a Fanuc brand motor in it, Fanuc told me to talk to Troyke because they don’t know how it’s configured. Troyke has tried to help me, but they told me they didn’t keep very good records back then and pretty much lost their manuals for it. They have sent me some other parameters for some similar models, but its no good, they don’t work at all. Kiwa also told me to contact Troyke even though I stated clearly in the email that they can’t help…

So here’s my request:
If anyone knows anything about this 4th axis or anyone else that can help, please let me know! I hope I don’t have a totally useless 0-hour 4th axis!

Here’s all the model information:

The machine in a Kiwa 510 Colt with a Fanuc OMC control

The 4th axis is a Troyke NC-9-B Lot# 4077-10 – I believe it’s a 1990 vintage.
The part number for the motor is A06B-0313-B504

Someone has to have this old Troyke on a 0MC.
Any info would be great!

[desktoprouters]

Do you have a picture of this machine, maybe it help if people can see it. If the machine is that old and someone has a similar one, maybe it will look familiar.

[OC_]

I found a picture online of the same machine

http://inv.wigglesworthmachinery.com...08660/1144.jpg

Bring back any memories?

[tobyaxis]

Have you tried to find Used Manuals for the 4th Axis. Do a Google Search "CNC Manuals". You might be suprised.

[jtreanor]

OC,
is the servo control for the 4th axis motor a separate box.
If it is, try using a command in the code to "Open Port"
then send the move command to the port then "Close Port"
many of the old add on options used parallel communications
to a separate controller.
Jim

[OC_]

yes, there is a separate control box for the 4th axis.. but i dont understand this "open port" command or how i would go about entering it... I think this 4th axis is 'semi integrated' and not using parallel coms.. unless its somehow hooked up internally someplace else.

[jtreanor]

OC,
follow the wires from the rotary servo motor, If they go to the external box then the servo controller in is the external box. you must send commands directly to the servo controller from your gcode program running in the machine, there should be a 25 pin cable connector somewhere on the box to connect to the machine. In the G code it looks something like

N435 POPEN
N436 DPRNT[A4A0EF1000G#[20] B#2[33]M30A4]
N437 PCLOS

open the COM port
I don't remember the exact format of the Dprnt command something like
Acceleration feed Go B(degrees) endprogram (wait for move complete)
close the COM port

N438 resume Gcode programming

[OC_]

Oh, I got what you’re saying now...

Yeah, this totally wont work. The 4th is controlled though the Fanuc controller as a semi-integrated unit and does not use serial or com connections. It shows up on the Fanuc’s CRT as axis ‘U’ and has full control as a rotary axis, not just indexing. Right now, the CRT is displaying alarms when I have the 4th enabled. I think one of the major parameters I’m missing is the pulse code; I do have the motor number: that is 23.

[benkokes]

Hey OC_, whatever happened to your investigation? Were you able to find the correct 4th axis?