[fungus_CNC]

Hi all,

I recently acquired a Kira VTC30E from a university which had lost all its parameters. The mill is in surprisingly good shape, and after a new CPU battery, 3D-printed "D" cell holder (absolute encoders) and manually entering all parameters (which were fortunately in the electrical cabinet!), the machine powers up, moves and seems to mostly be in working order.

A few questions:
The 99xx series of parameters are actually included in 2 documents: the "parameter list" (all parameters, PMC, etc) and the "special parameters" dot-matrix printout. Both have the machine's manufacturer number on them, albeit handwritten. The "special parameters" printout has some Japanese handwriting, which matches the form and ink of the manufacturer's number handwriting. Which is to say, I believe both lists are original to the machine.
These two documents are in conflict, but only where NEW handwriting is in place. A correction is made on the "special parameters", N9927 in the Japanese handwriting. This actually matches the "parameter list". In NEW handwriting, the following changes are made and conflict:
N9923: Original: 00000000 Changed: 00001000
N9933: Original: 00000000 Changed: 10000000
N9943: Original: 00000000 Changed: 00010000
I can't enter some of these, which may indicate an aftermarket addon that a FANUC tech entered personally (protected?); I would expect a new printout if these were authorized changes. Should I worry about these?

Next: I cannot enter the PMC Data Table data. I can write the Group Data Control section, but when I go into a section (for example 001/001), if I attempt to write "28" to "NO 000 ADDRESS D0000", I get "WRITE PROTECT" and the data does not change. I have "Parameter Write" enabled under (x2)Offset Setting. How can I get these data written in? (I'll try to attach a screen shot to the next post)

Next: (Possibly related to above configuration issues) I cannot get the spindle to turn. If I write a small program under MDI:
O0000
M03S300;
%
I get the following error:
1011 SPINDLE START IN Z-AXIS "+"AREA
This happens in every conceivable Z position. The ZRN has been set correctly for all axes.

These questions may be VERY elementary. Every machine I've interacted with from a maintenance perspective has been a LinuxCNC conversion. This looks good enough to leave as is :banana: I promise I've googled the heck out of all this, but I am stuck here.
Thanks for any help on these. It looks like a great machine and I'm really looking forward to making some chips!

[fungus_CNC]

Sorry for it being sideways, I corrected it but it insists on uploading this way.

[fungus_CNC]

Of course I figured it out after asking. Fortunately in another post, someone explained the "Parameter" byte value one screen up. In my parameter list, it says that this value must be 00000010; according to the other post this would be for "decimal with write protect". I am still fuzzy on this, as the screen still shows "BIN" highlighted (even with BCD I would expect this to be entered in binary format). Either way, by changing this to 00000000, I was able to remove write protect and get my values in. Of course, change this back to write protect afterward.

The other post is linked here: https://www.cnczone.com/forums/fanuc...ata-pages.html
Shoprag, thank you for sharing that textbook page!!! Hopefully this will keep someone else from wasting a day.

As for the spindle, it turns and sounds amazing!

[fungus_CNC]

Next issue: when I go to do a tool change, I end up with an error:
"1006 Z-AXIS NOT AT 2ND-ZERO IN M06"

The VTC30 uses the Z-axis to drive the spindle up after the toolchange forks engage the tool and (I assume) an air cylinder releases the pull stud (the air actuation seems to be entirely mechanical, with a roller switch on the Z axis).
In order for a toolchange to take place, the Z axis must move higher than it is permitted to during machining operations (it is zeroed at its max height, and is only permitted about +0.003" overtravel). Apparently a second zero is needed.

Is this something that's handled in post? I was hoping this was in ladder, but apparently it was in a macro that got lost along the way. If I can figure out how to drive it to this 2nd Z height, I can just modify my post processor such that it moves to the "2nd zero", then issues the M06 Txx command.

Any thoughts or experiences?
Thanks!

[fungus_CNC]

According to the following thread (https://www.cnczone.com/forums/tree/346952-cnc-5.html):
"It seems that I first need to do a "G1 Z-100" to distance the spindle from Z0, then "M19" to orient spindle and "G30 Z0" to put Z at second reference point to allow tool change. Then I can do "T[xx]M06" to change to the tool needed."

I have a couple issues I need to see to before I can fully attempt this route. I attempted M19, which failed due to "OPERATOR MESSAGE NO. 2005 SPINDLE ORIENTATION LS ERROR (CONFIRMATION LS NOT OFF)"
I assume LS to mean Location Switch, which very well could be dirty/blocked. The spindle did a 150% rotation while hunting; if it's an inductive prox I'd say it's got a chip in front of it.

I also attempted manually releasing the pull stud by hitting the roller switch; it's leaking air somewhere in the head and will not actuate (OR it is actuating and the holder is just gummed up).

I oriented the spindle manually close to the dog orientation, then tried G30 Z0; this failed due to going beyond the Z+ limit. I can look into the ladder and see if the spindle orientation switch overrides the Z+ limit.

Thanks m1n1m for sharing the information!