[JWG1020]

I need some help! I just purchased the Tormach 1100 Part Maker Package with full enclosure, ATC, RapidTurn, Tilting 4th axis,..........

So far here have been my issues....

1. The controller was bad (would not start up, Tormach sent a new one)
2. After assembling the stand, mill, enclosure, putting on the ATC (not dialed in as of yet) I lost all of the lights and power to my drivers.
3. Tormach sent pictures of the correct wiring inside the E-Stop relocation switch (lights and power are now back on) but, when the controller fires up and I reset the E-Stop and hit the start button, I can see on the controller that the X, and Y axis are active and noted to the left on the screen and lit up on the right with the green bubbles, but the Z axis is not showing on either side and I cannot hit the reset button in PathPilot without getting an error code "Command cannot be executed unless machine is powered on and the control software is out of RESET". The machine is on all driver's are lit the added circuit board led's (red and yellow) the red is lit but the yellow is off. And I cannot move the X,Y,Z with the keyboard or shuttle.


Any thoughts?

Also I do not have a Enclosure door switch and the box is not checked in PathPilot.

[philbur]

I'm new to pathpilot so take the following for what it is worth. Is the z axis all the way up, or down, ie. is the limit switch tripped. If it is then you can go to (I think it is in settings) and temporarily disable the limit switches allowing you to reset and then move the z axis off the limit switch. then reactive the limit switches.

Just a guess.

Phil

PS: If you are new to CNC machining then you sure have bitten of an elephant size mouth full.

[JWG1020]

I am new to CNC. I have worked around CNC machines for the last 26 years in the oilfield. I just recently started my own business and knew I was going to have some issues, but I have had this machine for the last 3 weeks, and have had issues after issues with the wiring installed from the factory and the assembly instructions from Tormach contradicting themselves. the guy's at Tormach have been a great help in trying to get me up and going, but I work a full time day job so by the time I get home and get started figuring out the "next issue" they (Tormach Technical Support) has left for the day. also they do not work on weekends. seems like these personal CNC machines are used primarily by individuals working from home after hours and on the weekends, so you would think Tormach should have some kind of support during these times. Thank you so much for replying. I will certainly check that when I get home tonight and hopefully that is the "fix". I am just ready to cut the first chips so I can see what other issues I will have! LOL Thanks again.

[cncbuilt]

Is your z all the way to the top? Inside pathpilot settings you can disable limit switch so you can move the z off the limit switch. Then reenable it again.

If you look inside the cabinet do you see a light on the z controller? So all 3 of those small boxes are light up.


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[mountaindew]

I need some help!

Any thoughts?

.

You found a good place to get help for your issues! There are number of very qualified people on this forum .

[JWG1020]

It was a bad controller. Thanks for the help. Finally up and running! Cutting the first chips is nerve racking! LOL.

Is your z all the way to the top? Inside pathpilot settings you can disable limit switch so you can move the z off the limit switch. Then reenable it again.

If you look inside the cabinet do you see a light on the z controller? So all 3 of those small boxes are light up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[mountaindew]

It was a bad controller. Thanks for the help. Finally up and running! Cutting the first chips is nerve racking! LOL.

Great to see your up and making shiny stuff!

I get nervous still when I run code using cam operations that I never setup before. Watching a 50$ carbide endmill rapid moving around parts and fixtures to a fraction of an inch, still gets me looking at the big red button now and then. I rely on fixture, tool, holder and material collision provided by my cam software and I cut it right down to paper thickness clearance at times.

[JWG1020]

I know the feeling. so I finally got the mill working and made some pretty cool stuff through the PathPilot conversational. now new problem. checked out the first run video on the Tormach RapidTurn which I also purchased, and thought I would give it a go. Well "screwed again"! After hitting the "oh Sh@t" button (cycle start LOL) everything looked as if it were going to be a okay. Well X dropped to the safe zone Z came over and the spindle on the RapidTurn started up in REVERSE! I hit the stop button and double checked my G-code and it was saying spindle forward. After an hour of checking re-checking and doubting myself I finally opened the cover on the RapidTurn motor and there it was, they had the wiring backwards from the factory. fixed it ran the program again and all went well except for the RPM of 1800 I was looking for was only about 300 and the X went down to about an inch above the part and stopped. the spindle continues to run at the 300 RPM range but will not move from there. I get no fault codes and the G-code stops running as well. I am going to get more than my fair share of CNC problems in my first few months just hope they slow down after that! LOL. Any ideas?

[tmarks11]

fixed it ran the program again and all went well except for the RPM of 1800 I was looking for was only about 300 and the X went down to about an inch above the part and stopped. the spindle continues to run at the 300 RPM range but will not move from there.

Did you use the thumb drive to reprogram the VFD after you hooked up the rapid turn? The VFD for rapid turn requires different parameters than when it is hooked up to the spindle motor. Not really a fan of the way Tormach is making the VFD serve double-duty in this situation; seems like a clunky solution.

Probably a stupid question, but did you shift PathPilot over to the "RapidTurn" mode? Also, do you have the "High Speed" or "Low Speed" selected on the settings tab, corresponding to the belt position on the RapidTurn? If you are in "High Speed" mode, but have the belt in the lower gearing, pathpilot command of 1800 rpm would probably result in 600 rpm spindle speed.

Having a three phase motor turn backwards upon initial installation is a common issue even in industrial applications. Sometimes the only way to get it right is to turn it on and check rotation, than swap two of the leads if you got it wrong. If a company doing maintenance on a nuclear reactor can get the three phase connections "wrong" (seen that quite a few times), then it is not surprising that a factory in China might get it "wrong" too.

Tormach manuals usually have great troubleshooting guides, and the RapidTurn manual has entries for both of these issues (reverse spindle direction and incorrect speed).

[philbur]

I I finally opened the cover on the RapidTurn motor and there it was, they had the wiring backwards from the factory.

How did you recognise that the three phase motor was wired incorrectly?

Phil

[JWG1020]

Did you use the thumb drive to reprogram the VFD after you hooked up the rapid turn? The VFD for rapid turn requires different parameters than when it is hooked up to the spindle motor. Not really a fan of the way Tormach is making the VFD serve double-duty in this situation; seems like a clunky solution.

Probably a stupid question, but did you shift PathPilot over to the "RapidTurn" mode? Also, do you have the "High Speed" or "Low Speed" selected on the settings tab, corresponding to the belt position on the RapidTurn? If you are in "High Speed" mode, but have the belt in the lower gearing, pathpilot command of 1800 rpm would probably result in 600 rpm spindle speed.

Having a three phase motor turn backwards upon initial installation is a common issue even in industrial applications. Sometimes the only way to get it right is to turn it on and check rotation, than swap two of the leads if you got it wrong. If a company doing maintenance on a nuclear reactor can get the three phase connections "wrong" (seen that quite a few times), then it is not surprising that a factory in China might get it "wrong" too.

Tormach manuals usually have great troubleshooting guides, and the RapidTurn manual has entries for both of these issues (reverse spindle direction and incorrect speed).

yes every thing is correct as far as what the manuals say.

[JWG1020]

searched for a wiring diagram of the motor and opened the cover of the motor and marked clear as day the wires were in a different order than on the diagram. I knew it was not the wiring on the quick change motor connection because in mill mode my mill spindle turns in the correct directions. once switching the U and V wires the RapidTurn spindle now reads the same as PathPilot.

[JWG1020]

Well looks like the Encoder switch might be bad. I can't get the green LED to "blink" in the "status" tab when rotating the spindle by hand.

Any ideas on how to check it and what the proper adjustment is for it? Also any ideas on why the "yellow" light on the new circuit board that came with the control relocation kit (for the full enclosure "E" stop button and start button) doesn't ever light up?