[gunmaker]

I've had my Main-Parms-CTRL Auto Rotary Brake set to yes since I installed my 4th axis on my RH19 Cent7. After getting my Fusion 360 post processor to spit out code for full 4th axis machining and not just indexing, I ran a test program. The 4th axis moves were constantly stopping waiting for the brake to turn on or off. After setting the Auto Rotary Brake parameter to no, the program ran smoothly. But.....

When I put the machine in handwheel mode and the 4th brake was on, you could turn the 4th axis dragging the brake. I'm a little concerned that accidentally ordering the 4th axis to rapid to different positions with the brake on could be a bad thing.

When running a F360 program that indexes the A axis, it leaves the clamp on.

Any thoughts/suggestions on this?

Regards
And Hope you all have a Happy New Year!

James

[gunmaker]

Here's the sample program that F360 spit out:



O1002
(T7 D=0.125 CR=0.01 - BULLNOSE END MILL)
N10 G90 G94 G17
N20 G20
N30 G32
(2D CONTOUR25)
N40 M0
(MANUAL TOOL CHANGE TO T7)
N50 S6112 M3
N60 G17 G90 G94
N70 G540
N80 M11
N90 G0 A309.889
N100 M8
N110 G0 X-20.4125 Y0
N120 G43 Z1.3254 H7
N130 G0 A309.889
N140 Z0.9254
N150 G1 Z0.7504 F3
N160 Z0.4002
N170 X-20.413 Z0.3887 F7.3
N180 X-20.4146 Z0.3772
N190 X-20.4173 Z0.366
N200 X-20.4209 Z0.355
N210 X-20.4256 Z0.3445
N220 X-20.4312 Z0.3344
N230 X-20.4377 Z0.3249
N240 X-20.4451 Z0.316
N250 X-20.4533 Z0.3078
N260 X-20.4622 Z0.3004
N270 X-20.4717 Z0.2939
N280 X-20.4818 Z0.2883
N290 X-20.4923 Z0.2836
N300 X-20.5033 Z0.28
N310 X-20.5145 Z0.2773
N320 X-20.526 Z0.2757
N330 X-20.5375 Z0.2752
N340 X-20.55
N350 G93 X-20.5532 A309.801 F2003.6
N360 X-20.5562 A309.541 F1719.8
N370 X-20.5588 A309.127 F1603.2
N380 X-20.5608 A308.588 F1602.6
N390 X-20.5621 A307.96 F1719.8
N400 X-20.5625 A307.287 F2003.5
N410 A128.29 F8.5
N420 A52.714 F20.2
N430 X-20.5621 A52.04 F2003.5
N440 X-20.5608 A51.413 F1719.8
N450 X-20.5588 A50.874 F1602.6
N460 X-20.5562 A50.46 F1603.2
N470 X-20.5532 A50.2 F1719.8
N480 X-20.55 A50.111 F2003.6
N490 G94 X-20.5375
N500 X-20.526 Z0.2757
N510 X-20.5145 Z0.2773
N520 X-20.5033 Z0.28
N530 X-20.4923 Z0.2836
N540 X-20.4818 Z0.2883
N550 X-20.4717 Z0.2939
N560 X-20.4622 Z0.3004
N570 X-20.4533 Z0.3078
N580 X-20.4451 Z0.316
N590 X-20.4377 Z0.3249
N600 X-20.4312 Z0.3344
N610 X-20.4256 Z0.3445
N620 X-20.4209 Z0.355
N630 X-20.4173 Z0.366
N640 X-20.4146 Z0.3772
N650 X-20.413 Z0.3887
N660 X-20.4125 Z0.4002
N670 G0 Z1.3254
N680 M9
N690 G32
N700 M11
N710 G0 A0
N720 G28 G91 X0 Y0
N730 G90
N740 M30

[Brian L]

Brakes on the rotary are for heavy milling in place, so acting like an indexer. Move to 90º and do the face operations, then to 180º and so on. If you are using the fourth axis as a true simultaneous 4th, then you would leave the brake off as it's moving any time in A axis. Your cuts should be lighter and hopefully there is no large amount of backlash in the 4th. You usually have a 90:1 ratio on the worm and then 2:1 or maybe even 3:1 on the belt drive, so you get a lot of strength against cutting forces just by the gear reduction ratios.

[gunmaker]

I still question if there's any kind of setting through the Milltronics system that would keep the A axis from turning when the brake is on. Now that I've set the Auto Rotary Brake parameter to NO

From the "7000 Series CNC Programming ManualMN-72-1"
Yes will control the rotary brake on A and B axis automatically. This brake shuts off before rotary moves, and it turns the brake back on when the move is complete. No requires M10/11 and M12/13 to turn the brake off/on. Note: power needs to be cycled when this parameter is changed.

Considering that the power has to be cycled after the parameter has changed makes me think that this can't be switched on and off by modifying the post to edit the Byte Parameter #397 Auto Rotary Brake when I run a F360 generated program. If you look at the above program, you can see there are several A axis moves to accomplish what I would hand program on the machine in one line with the auto brake left on. Reason being that F360 uses radius lead in and lead outs including the rotary moves during lead in and out.

[Brian L]

Well, is your Centurion 7 the same as the 7000 series? If so, it sounds like setting the parameter to yes will take the brake off when rotating and put it back on when stopped. If you tried that and it doesn't work, then you would have to go and set it to No and then edit your post processor to add in the brake release, M11 before any A axis move and M10 to engage the lock when there aren't any A axis moves on the next line. M10/11 is based on the Centurion 5 software... I don't have the manual for Centurion 7 machines.

[gunmaker]

Maybe I haven't explained my self very well. I'm looking for an uninterrupted cutting motion making a great machine finish that will still need a day or more of hand polishing. Any little divot caused by the cutter dwelling waiting for the brake to cycle on and off will add hours to finishing my project.

I ran a test program. The 4th axis moves were constantly stopping waiting for the brake to turn on or off. After setting the Auto Rotary Brake parameter to no, the program ran smoothly.

Here's all the A axis moves isolated from the program. Each one making a divot.

N350 G93 X-20.5532 A309.801 F2003.6
N360 X-20.5562 A309.541 F1719.8
N370 X-20.5588 A309.127 F1603.2
N380 X-20.5608 A308.588 F1602.6
N390 X-20.5621 A307.96 F1719.8
N400 X-20.5625 A307.287 F2003.5
N410 A128.29 F8.5
N420 A52.714 F20.2
N430 X-20.5621 A52.04 F2003.5
N440 X-20.5608 A51.413 F1719.8
N450 X-20.5588 A50.874 F1602.6
N460 X-20.5562 A50.46 F1603.2
N470 X-20.5532 A50.2 F1719.8
N480 X-20.55 A50.111 F2003.6

[Brian L]

Well, it sounds like you found your solution, don't use the brake...

setting the Auto Rotary Brake parameter to no, the program ran smoothly.

[gunmaker]

It does run smoothly but it makes it a pain in the ass to have to MDI M11 to position the rotary axis with handwheel or jog function.

I wonder if there is a way to edit the macro for the jog and handwheel function that would add M11 and M10 so it doesn't drag the brake if I forget to turn it off....

[Brian L]

Seems to me set to no should make any A axis movement, programmed or MDI/Jog be without the brake on. If that's not the case, then contact Milltronics and ask them.

[gunmaker]

end of a simple F360 indexing program leaves the brake on

N2960 M9
N2970 G32
N2980 M11
N2990 G0 A0
N3000 M10
N3010 G28 G91 X0 Y0
N3020 G90
N3030 M30

[cbChris]

Edit your post processor then.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[gunmaker]

Edit your post processor then.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

That still doesn't address the ability to jog with the brake on.

[cbChris]

Edit your pp to turn off the brake at the end of a program, then it will always be off unless you specifically turn it on.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[gunmaker]

Still curious what other Milltronics owners that run a 4th axis do with their setup/parameters.

I still haven't checked if the brake is left on and powered down, if the brake will still be on when the machine powers up and goes through the homing sequence.