[spumco]

I'm getting a recently purchased 325-II sorted out and am running in to a few programming hurdles. Emco US & Emco Austria have not responded beyond sending a couple of manuals, so I'm hoping somone here might be able to help.

Everything functions on the lathe - all features & hardware appear to be fine. Only has 400ish hours of 'on' time and you could eat off of it - virtually unused tech school lathe.

The problem is trying to figure out the g-codes for live tools.

I have programming manual revisions B2002-03 (old) and C2003-07 (latest from Emco site). The WinNC version I have on the OEM CD & floppy is 14.14.0000.

B2002-03 does not have any description of live tool g-codes or programming (other than G7.1 and G12.1), and neither does the original paper manual I got with the lathe.

C2003-07 has live tool programming instructions and examples, but they don't match the WinNC/Fanuc version I have - control throws an 'invalid gcode' alarm when I attempt to use the documented codes (G77/G33 for radial tools)

This is making post processor development a little challenging.

I've found a set of demonstration programs on the Emco CD, and according to those the radial drilling is G87 and radial rigid tapping is G88.

Experimenting with G87/88 looks like those are the correct codes, but the demo programs do some odd/crashy movements before starting the drill or tap cycles (rapiding in X to hole bottom before rapiding up and then starting the feed).

So... does anyone have a 21TB programming manual earlier than 2003-07? If so, would you mind posting some radial drilling/tapping code so I can figure out the syntax? Or even post the manual?

Even better - anyone have a more recent version of WinNC than 14.14.0000? Emco took down the software files from the download section of their site so only the manuals are available now.

Last question...

Rigid tapping - can these things do actual rigid tapping (main spindle, live axial, or live radial) or do they need a floating collet/holder? My couple of attempts with the main spindle resulted in threads being ripped out.

Any help or guidance welcome.

-Ralph

[spumco]

UPDATE...

It appears that Emco did not include some g-code cycles in Fanuc "A" mode, as well as making typos in the latest programming manual for Fanuc 21.

Switched to Fanuc "C" mode and the radial cycles (G77/G33) started working. No documentation about this in the manual, but my guess is that "A" mode simply wasn't tested or given the attention that "C" mode or the Siemens alternate control was.

Programming description is accurate for "C" mode, but the example program(s) contain errors which will cause alarms or crashes. Just for posterity... don't use the examples in the manual to test functionality - or at least run them in air at low FR.

Have yet to try rigid tapping yet in "C" mode, but I suspect it isn't going to work and that floating holders/collets are required.

[A1CNC]

I too have a 325II. I have never used the live tooling because my tools need to be rebuilt and I don't think my parameters are correct.. My manual is dated c2002-10 In the g-code list on my manual the funuc c section is highlighted leading me to believe that is the preferred version.
I will look tomorrow at what version of winnc I have. Mine runs on win95. I know the Previous owner was using the live tooling. I will see if I have any of the old programs left for examples.

If possible, I would like a copy of your parameters. My machine crashed some time back and I had to build a new pc that would run win95 and I haven't been able to use the c-axis since. I don't think I have something right in the parameters

[spumco]

Thanks for the reply!

Photo of parameters (stuck to the electrical enclosure door) attached. I've modified the spindle acceleration/decel in WinConfig to be a bit more aggressive as it was taking forever. The VFD is set to 'max' accel and the actual values are managed in WinConfig.

If yours is running on Win95, then it's unlikely that it's newer than my verson 14.14. The orignal PC on mine had WinXP, so I'm thinking my WinNC version is newer as well.

I'm now using an old ebay Dell/Wyse Thinclient running Win7 embedded - runs WinNC fine. The other PC in the photo is not connected to the lathe - used for surfing and Fusion - files transfers are via thumb drive. Attempts at using the newer PC with WinXP in a virtual machine failed miserably - too many glitches with the USB lathe controls.

If you need anything else let me know. I have copies of the OEM installation CD and floppy if they'd be of any help. There's a ton of stuff on the CD if you poke around a bit.

If any of your control buttons are flakey, I figured out how to replace the snap-action contacts inside without destroying the whole board.

Last - if you know of a Siemens control panel let me know. I'm interested in trying out the control, but no dice without the button panel.

-Ralph

[Diesel_Pilot]

Contact Emco, they will set you up with software and MSD for your machine. MSD are somehow verified by serial number. Any manual edit of the file locks the machine, changes need to be made with Winnc. The PC used to run an ACC (Concept) machine can be virtually anything with ethernet. The PC for an AC95 machine with the ISA card is very limited in options. Did you have a copy of the HDD? It should be a simple copy/paste on a bootable drive for W98 and older.

ACC communicates via ethernet. AC95 via the ISA card. Windows, in either case, runs in a realtime environment, which is why the virtual machine fails.

[spumco]

Windows, in either case, runs in a realtime environment, which is why the virtual machine fails.

The Win 8.1/WinXP virtual machine ran WinNC and WinConfig fine - all lathe functions were operating - but the USB drivers for the control panel were flakey. Worked 75% of the time, but once in a while they would uninstall on a restart and then take 20 minutes to re-load. The drivers are 32-bit, and I finally realized nothing short of a genuine 32-bit PC & OS were going to work.

Once I switched to the old Wyse it's running stable as a rock. And, as you pointed out, this only works for the ACC-type controls.

Spindle and all other parameters are accessed through WinConfig, not WinNC. Shut down WinNC, start WinConfig, and then under one of the top menus there's a 'login' or similar selection. WinConfig administrator password, at least on mine, is "SERVICE."

I've read on the Emco forum (Google groups maybe?) that there may be other passwords that work, like "TECH" or "ADMIN" or some other easy & dumb variant. Keep pecking away if SERVICE doesn't work.

Once you're backstage in WinConfig there are a TON of options. Some of which will not apply to your lathe, but others do. This is where you turn on/off the bar feeder, set max rapids, change C-axis speed, backlash, homing location, etc.

[A1CNC]

So I just fired up the lathe for today. My lathe was made in 2002. Doesn't make much sense to me that it would have originally had win 98 but....
I have winnc ver 13.76. Mine is running on win98. I am pretty sure I was told or found out it wouldn't run on xp. But that was a couple years ago now when my motherboard died and I had to re-do everything. I was able to make a copy of the machines hard drive before and copy-pasted it in once I got win98 loaded and running. I have floppy discs with the usb drivers and the config files as well as a cd that has winnc on it.

Ever since I reloaded everything the machine gives an error message every time I try to use the c-axis. Error message is c-axis swing in timeout. I have a couple old files the past owner left in that were using the c. I think I just found my problem! I opened the cover over the collet closer and ran a program that tests the live tools. The spindle rotated, then I saw th ec axis motor turning and heard the solenoid for the aircylinder that is supposed to engage the c motor with the spindle but it didn't extend. Upon closer inspection I can see the shaft seal is popped out. I bet that is why it is faulting out.