Originally Posted by
the_gentlegiant
The Alarm codes will be created by the Machine Builder. You'll need maker documentation to lead you. You won't find it in a Fanuc Manual.
If this machine has sat and is filthy, try cleaning everything and verifying that the sensors are working and not soaked in coolant. One place to start.Your current problem might be the sensors on the hydraulic cylinder? Look in your Help Screen if you have one.
I have a Kawatate Pallet System on a Mori Seiki Vertical Machining Center. Here are all the things that have to be good for it to change. I'll start in manual mode where you just want to change pallets with an M code. On my machine, M160 removes A loads B. M162 removes B loads A. Doubtful that your machine uses the same codes.
1) All doors must be closed and door interlocks active. (That's 4 doors on my machine)
2) The pallet in the station will have a pneumatically activated lock pin underneath the pallet. Also another sensor that signifies a pallet is present and where. (Mine uses a roller plunger micro switch, tripped by the table lead edge)
3) MDI M160 or M162 (Your M flavor may vary)
a) Z head moves to home position.
b) Table moves to 3rd reference position next to pallet shutter. (A position is X 3rd/Y3rd - B is X 3rd/Y home)
c) Pallet Un-clamp happens. (Proximity Sensor Verified)
d) Shutter Opens (Shutter closed keyed sensor opens, shutter open prox sensor activates at full open)
e) Pallet is pushed into pallet station. (Sensors on both pallet arm hydraulic cylinder and roller plunger mentioned earlier are activated)
f) Newly arrived pallet lock pin activates. (Position Sensor on Pneumatic Cylinder)
g) Pallet carrier and arm move to other pallet. (pallet A position is X 3rd/Y3rd - B is X 3rd/Y home)
h) Pallet to be loaded lock pin retracts. (Sensor on cylinder verified)
i) Arm pulls pallet into machine (hydraulic position sensor verified)
j) Pallet clamps (Digital pneumatic switch verified. Including errant chip obstruction and/or failed clamp detection)
k) Shutter closes. Keyed switch verified)
The same thing happens in Auto Mode, except there you also need the push-button on the pallet station activated to signal ready status.
My point here more then anything is there are a lot of motions done one right after another. Each one needing verification before moving on to the next. Any one verification signal missing, (like a FIN signal) will stop the whole process and either hang the machine or throw an alarm.
Nothing is left to chance.
All of these systems have to be operational. They are mostly simple sensors but they need to work. Every one of them.