[RustyR]

I have an Amada Pega 357 with a 6M control on it. We started the machine up and were zeroing everything, when we went to turn the turret it gave a 2000 Index not prepared on the top of the screen and the bottom said 06 Interlock. Now I have had it do this before and just played around with it and got it running agian. Not happening this time. The Autoindex stations are all in line and the clamp is ingageing and disingageing fine along with the lower pin on the turret. Any one have any suggestions?

[springlakecnc]

Hi, sorry,

I don't know your machine. Read below, if you get no other response.

I write logic for custom machinery, and when you push cycle start, everything must be at the home, or the start position. If its not there, the program should send everything to the home position, before the logic will start the program that makes the machine do, whatever it’s suppose to do. In your case, with a turret, before the turret can rotate, the logic must know the lock is unlocked, and every moving part, in its place, then the turret can turn. Your turret lock must have 2 switches, one which tells the logic the lock is unlocked before it will try to turn the turret, and one that tells the logic the lock is locked, to allow the machine to continue on. Its possible the lock can lock and unlock with manual operation buttons, but if the switches are not made, the logic has no idea where the lock is, and shouldn’t allow the turret to turn, if the unlock switch is not made. If the turret can rotate with the pockets not in alignment, then the pockets wouldn’t be the problem, if the pockets must be in alignment, anyone of those switches will stop the turret from turning. Some turrets have 2 switches, one for counting, and one for a home position. If the logic program knows you have, say 10 positions, one of the positions would also have the home switch, and if the logic knew the turret rotated by 11 positions, and never seen a home switch, the logic knows there is a problem, and should shut down, and hopefully give a fault message. The Acroloc machining centers have a rotary potentiometer that sends 0-10 volts (analog) to the logic control, telling the logic where the turret is, and this kind of turret would not need a home switch, and if you call for a tool change, and there is something wrong with the potentiometer, the turret simply keeps spinning and looking for the value of the position its wants, until you hit the e stop button, or a watchdog timer times out, so I don’t think your turret is like this type, unless the motor is simply burned out. My guess is, that your machine is not making a switch, even though it appears to be in the correct position, or making the unlock switch. I would think the fault messages would be in the service mans repair manual, and may even be in the owner’s operator manual. Your turret is probably turned by an electric motor. And you say the lock works, so get out your multi-meter, and someone push the rotate button, while someone else checks to see if there is power going to the motor. If there is power going to the motor, and it don’t turn, that’s a problem. You did check all the fuses, didn’t you? Good Luck, I hope this helps a little.

[RustyR]

Everything seems normal on it. This is happening when I turn the machine on and try to bring everything home. The part thats killing me is the turrret pin for the top of the turret isnt disingaging. The error codes are in the book and it tells me what it is but I cant figure out how to fix it. Its got me thinking that one of the air selionodes is out but I can make them all fire. I can manualy release the pins and autoindex brake with the switch in manual but when I kick it back to retract to bring everything home it ingages and gives the error when trying to bring the turret to the home position.

[msantaji1]

i give u fedd back later

[RustyR]

So we have figured out the problem....The drive on the Auto Index is locking up. Had me fooled. We disabled the Auto Index in side the control and it works like a champ again. The only problem is now I cant play with the A/I and programing for it.

[orbets]

Hi,
I'm having the exact same problem today on my Vipros 357.
The inex pins are out when the machine is off.
They engage when started.
So I am assuming that the switchs actually work
I can not release them when I toggle the Index Pin switch.
The error appeared about 20 seconds into the punching cycle.
It was an A/I station in use at the time.
All fuses look ok and so does the A/I
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance for any help.

[perfpro]

What control is it? 6M? O4PC?
Do the pins engage when you first turn on the controller, before the controller even boots up?
Check the relays, look for the one marked SHP.

[orbets]

Hi,
It is an O4PC.
The index pins do engage before it boots up.
Where should I be looking for relay SHP?
Is the switch in the PNHC panel or the Main Control panel?
Thanks

[perfpro]

The relay board will be in the back of the electrical enclosure, the one with the main power on/off switch.

[orbets]

ok. not the problem.
checked the A/I stations again.
While turning the turret by hand to check each A/I, it came to a hard stop.
The coupling (below bottom turret) on one of the A/I stations that would be engaged by the A/I drive appears to be out of sync and is bumping up against the A/I drive pin.(the part mounted to the frame of the machine).
I can rotate the A/I coupling to clear the drive pin, but now the station is not locked into position. The other 3 A/I stations are locked in place and clear the drive pin properly.
Questions:
Would you normally see the drive pin when the power is off? I'm wondering if this should be down further than it actually is. At the current state, the pin would have to travel about 1/4" to engage the A/I coupling.
Is there a way to actuate the drive to have it cycle up and down?
Unless there is a quick fix, looks like Amada tech required (again $$$).
Thanks.

[orbets]

New information.
The A/I had just finished the punching cycle and was about to move to the next tool when the error occured.
Now I'm leaning towards a mechanical problem. ie: a slug?
I need to find out how to cycle the A/I drive manually to prove this.
It looks like it would be quite the job to get to the drive if it is a slug stuck.
Would prefer to do less tearing apart than more.
Any ideas?

[perfpro]

I have had a problem in the past with slugs jamming the A/I brake in the lower turret.
One option is to remove the centre cover plate from the top of the lower turret to clean away the scraps. Refitting the cover plate is a challenge!
You may be able to clear most of the slugs if you can get your hand inside the lower turret from underneath when the A/I station is at, or near, the tool change door. There is an access hole under the A/I drive on the lower turret.

[orbets]

The stations themselves are all ok now.
I cleared out the slugs around the A/I and tried to push down & lift up the drive pin with out any luck.
It does now look like its in the correct position. The A/I drive pin on the upper turret measures about the same distance from the coupling as the bottom unit.
Been checking the manuals, but nothing there that tells me how to actuate them manually. Drive belt appears to be good and tensioned correctly.
Any ideas on how to check if the index brakes are on?

Thanks.

[perfpro]

The A/I brakes should be on when the A/I station is not in use, so if the machine is switched off you should not be able to turn the A/I by hand. There would be proximity switches to indicate position of the brake, if you have the electrical circuit diagram for your machine check the section on autoindex. This gives proximity switch numbers corresponding to the helpful stick-on labels Amada put on the switches. Check the diagnostics screen (2016 and 2017) on the controller to read the state of the A/I brake switches.
The parts list for your machine has the drawings for the autoindex assemblies to help get a picture inside what you are looking at to assist with diagnosis. Probably you will need to remove the cover plate on the lower turret if a slug has jammed in the brake, it may need the brake released to clear it. You cant release the brake unless the A/I station is engaged (clamped), but then you can't get access from under the turret to clear it.

[orbets]

OK. Found the problem today after many, many hours and lots of covers removed.
There are 2 sensors located below the table on each side of the turret that are supposed to sense the stroke of the cylinder for the reposition clamps. There are absolutely no alarms anywhere on the machine to advise that this is at fault. It was pure luck that we found one of them to be the culprit to put the machine into a stop position. There are wired in series, so if one doesn’t work nothing will happen. We ended up jumping T14 on the circuit board mounted in the enclosure located above the Y axis servo to bypass them until we can get the new sensors delivered. You need to remove the table pieces that cover these, and there they are. BTW, it is a great place for a small slug to find its way into and enough room to park itself in front of the sensor and stop the machine.
Thanks for all the help.

[Cris_acevedo]

Hi, Rusty.

I have the same problem, can you help me?

How to disabled the auto index?

[orbets]

Hi, Rusty.

I have the same problem, can you help me?

How to disabled the auto index?

I had the same problem. Check the above replies. A faulty reposition sensor below the table will cause the machine to stop and make it appear that it's an A/I issue. Take off the small corner pieces on the table where the reposition pin is and place a thin piece of metal between the sensor and the pin. If the light doesn't illuminate on the sensor, then that's your problem. If one side does work, you can jump them together until you get a new sensor.