[elaganis]

Does anyone with a new VF2SS have an issue with the spindle dropping over a 1/4" when the machine is powered down? After my program was done the tool stopped at my R plane of .250" not an issue. However, after shutting down the machine it buried the tool, breaking it, into my piece.
My VM3 does NOT do this?

[HAILINHAAS]

vm3 has an PFDM .. power failure detect module ... the brake on the Z-axis doesn't engage right away .. e-stop machine first .. than power down.

[elaganis]

Thanks!

[Kool Parts]

A good habit to get into is always use power up..that returns the machine to xyza 0.0, then E stop, then power off. That is where it will go when you power up the machine anyway. This kind of puts it to bed

[Geof]

Get the Power Failure Detection Module!!!!!!!! It is only a few hundred bucks.

If you have a power outage while the machine is running it will also drop and if you have a big tool doing a few thousand rpm bits of hard stuff fly everywhere, not to mention the part is now scrap.

I think all the Haas machines with high speed rapids have this head drop issue; I seem to recall my GR510 did it on Estop until the module was installed.

[HuFlungDung]

So in consideration of this head drop issue, how do you guys feel about the old gas spring counterweight? I sometimes wonder if I want to get 'newest used' instead of "newer used" machines in light of little irritations like that.

[Geof]

If you get a new Haas you don't have any choice. I think they should stick the power failure module on all their machines and if it really costs $400 or so just bury that in the basic machine price.

I have seen Threads where people discussed the same issue on other machines so it is not unique to Haas.

[Shotout]

A good habit to get into is always use power up..that returns the machine to xyza 0.0, then E stop, then power off. That is where it will go when you power up the machine anyway. This kind of puts it to bed

We where taught in school to always park the machine in a different position for powerdown. Supposedly to prevent excessive wear in one area of the ways, same reason for remounting vices in a different position every quarter. Is this just a personal preference of my instructor or is it valid?

Scott

[Geof]

We where taught in school to always park the machine in a different position for powerdown. Supposedly to prevent excessive wear in one area of the ways, same reason for remounting vices in a different position every quarter. Is this just a personal preference of my instructor or is it valid?

Scott

I don't think these kind of worries are totally valid. When the machine is stationary it is not wearing the ways. Remounting the vises may have a little bit of validity if you were always doing identical parts so you were always working in exactly the same limited region of the ways and ballscrew.

Regarding parking the machine before powerdown this is something I insist on. Hit HOME G28 and bring up the WARM UP program before POWER OFF.

There are two reasons for this:

First, it is a good idea to do the spindle warm up every morning particularly with high speed spindles. If the warm up program is brought up then it is not possible to kick the spindle up to maximum rpm after it has been sitting over a long weekend and filled the bottom bearing with oil.

Second is a safety issue. The POWER UP RESTART will start the machine homing even if the doors are open. It moves slowly but it is still a hazard, especially the toolchanger which doesn't move slowly on a side mount..

[serviceman]

depending on the version software if you hit the estop first the head will not drop when you power off.

[Geof]

depending on the version software if you hit the estop first the head will not drop when you power off.

So if you are omniscient you can hit Estop a few seconds before a power outage .

[Kool Parts]

o if you are omniscient you can hit Estop a few seconds before a power outage
I think serviceman was speaking to the original question, not about a power outage....but "omniscient"....

You are right about the power up working with the doors open though.
I would bet that you didn't have to buy lunch for the shop...if they got the door open switch disabled before the installer's truck got out of the parking lot I know I did...

[Geof]

o if you are omniscient you can hit Estop a few seconds before a power outage
I think serviceman was speaking to the original question, not about a power outage....but "omniscient"....

You are right about the power up working with the doors open though.
I would bet that you didn't have to buy lunch for the shop...if they got the door open switch disabled before the installer's truck got out of the parking lot I know I did...

Yeah but I thought it was a chance to use a big word .

I frown a bit on disabling the door switch. I have this funny idea that people are more productive with all their fingers .

[Shotout]

OK that makes sense. In school we all worked from the same project prints, some of them dated as far back as the 60's so especially on the conv mills (some from the 60's) that would make a difference. The instructor took over the program a few years ago from his old instructor when he retired so it was probably passed down. I run the spindle warm up program every monday on our machines and only every day in the colder part of winter. The program comments say before highspeed machining (not our 4K spindles) or after 2 days of inactivity. Will it help to extend it's life to do so daily on our spindles?

[Geof]

...I run the spindle warm up program every monday on our machines and only every day in the colder part of winter. The program comments say before highspeed machining (not our 4K spindles) or after 2 days of inactivity. Will it help to extend it's life to do so daily on our spindles?

Doing it every day may be overkill on a spindle that only goes up to 7500 rpm. On the 10k spindles if they sit for a week without being run they get a bit warm to the touch when the warm up is run. On the 15k spindles after sitting for for the same time get very warm when the warm up is run. I had one get way too hot to touch because the machine was not being used on a regular basis.

[Shotout]

Doing it every day may be overkill on a spindle that only goes up to 7500 rpm. On the 10k spindles if they sit for a week without being run they get a bit warm to the touch when the warm up is run. On the 15k spindles after sitting for for the same time get very warm when the warm up is run. I had one get way too hot to touch because the machine was not being used on a regular basis.

Thanks

[bborb]

I was taught NOT to park machine at home, but to home machine, then jog just a bit off the limit switches, this prolongs the life of the switch's mechanics.

[Geof]

I was taught NOT to park machine at home, but to home machine, then jog just a bit off the limit switches, this prolongs the life of the switch's mechanics.

I don't know about other machines, I have Haas and when they are homed they are not on the switches.

The homing operation takes the machine past home until the switch operates. Then it reverses and moves until the switch is released. At this point it starts counting encoder pulses and looks for the encoder index signal which indicates home.

And if your machine has proximity sensors it doesn't matter.

[Edster]

Coolant rusting stuff up is the only reason I would think you shouldn't park the machine in the same spot. I've seen stains on my TL-1's rails where the machine wasn't used for a week or so, and coolant was trapped around the linear bearing packs. Now after using it with coolant, I move it around a bit each day for a few days until everything has evaporated. I don't do this on machines I use a lot, just if there going to sit for a while.

[Geof]

Coolant rusting stuff up is the only reason I would think you shouldn't park the machine in the same spot. I've seen stains on my TL-1's rails where the machine wasn't used for a week or so, and coolant was trapped around the linear bearing packs. Now after using it with coolant, I move it around a bit each day for a few days until everything has evaporated. I don't do this on machines I use a lot, just if there going to sit for a while.

This suggests it would be a good idea to grease the guides after you have finished using it so you push all the coolant out.

I think I will start that as a regular practice every Friday.