[Steve RFE]

Hi. I'm new to the forum and have been reading the posts on Fadal mills for the last couple of hours.
I am about to buy a low hour second hand 2000 Fadal VMC15 with 88HS controler. I have a small machine shop with a couple of manual mills and am making the jump to my first auto machine.
I would like to know if there are any training CD's available "to suit novice users" for this machine's controler.

Also I would like advice on the following: I have talked to a couple of people who have asked "will I be using the machine's controller or my lap top" to run the machine? What advantages and disadvantages to running the machine with an external PC "Vista".
Regards Steve

[scadvice]

I'm not sure what they mean about running the cnc with a pc. Generally, we refer to posting or creating a program with a pc then down loading it into the cnc. To do this you would need a CAD/CAM softwear program on the pc. The CAD part of the program is used to do a drawing of the part either in 2D or 3D and the CAM is used to make a program that the cnc machine understands.
these CADCAM packages cost around $1200 and up to $50K. One example of a lower priced decent program is EZCAM. I have an old version of this and use it for 80% of my programming. The balance and more complex programming I do with Alibre and Visual mill 3 and 4 axis work. there are lots of different programs out there. Some work quite well at a low price for some people and some not so well. Almost all will give you a free test version to play with. A word of warning...don't just play with it and think you can make it work well for you. Make it really work before you buy. Read all the post here you can find about the programs and understanding you will hear both the bad and good about each. Make it work for you and if it will not, send it back.
You can also hand input G-code into the cnc and they do have some methods of helping to input a program code by hand on the machine.
Steve

[DareBee]

Yup - you will not be running the CNC with your PC.
What they were referring to is DNC or "drip feeding"
This is a typical method of getting the program into the machine control that is too big to fit in the memory of the control.
The control (88HS) still runs the machine, it just simultaneously "pulls" the lines of code from the PC.

Like Scad is saying, with the 88HS (which is a good reliable control), you will very likely want or need CAM. You will also need DNC and a serial interface cable to go with the CAM. You may or may not need CAD.

[DareBee]

BTW
This is the best I can do for documentation.
http://www.compumachine.com/Support/DL-Fadal.htm

Best way to get training is find someone at a local shop who runs a Fadal and give him a case of beer to spend an evening with you showing you how things work.
I will do it - but you have to pay my expenses

[Steve RFE]

Thank's to you both for your replies.
I had misunderstood what the people over here were asking me about PC,s or setting up with the controller.
The people I have talked to are doing just as you have described. Plotting the sequince in a program on a PC and then downloading from there.

Thanks again.
Regards Steve

[Steve RFE]

Hi. I have just recieved my VMC15 and need to replace all the wiper strips. Every one of them has been eaten away by swarf and they also seem to be crumbly....almost like graphite. I have spent 4 hrs today, cleaning 3 buckets of alloy swarf from in between all the slide covers and around the screws, and would like to replace the wipers to avoid this job. The tiny sections of wiper that are left, look to have a angled section that would scrape along the covers and clean off the swarf. Is this rubber material available from many places or does Fadal have it made?
Also, "it could just be me...but" the 2 banks of grease nipples on the left side of the table seem to be placed in a odd position. I had the covers off the tables to clean under them, and found the 45' nipples to be hard to engage with any of my grease guns. They are angled downward and face right at the cross brace on the end of the table. I think I will replace them with straight nipples or extend the lines and slot a hole in the end of the cover.

[scadvice]

I'm sending for replacement wiper strips this Monday or Tuesday for the vmc 15xt x axis and y axis. The z axis are of a different type and on my machine fine. I have to order $100 minumum, thats about four sets. I've had a few people respond back for some of them, but they were for vmc 40 & 40-20's and I think they are a different profile and they have not answered back so I'm just going to order the vmc 15 wipers. If you do a Fadal search for my past post, you can see where to get the originals. If can't find them drop me a PM.
BTW- i've spent about 100 hrs on a complete clean up and rebuild of a 15xt 1995.88hs control with a 4th axis. I'm almost finished and will post pictures when I'm finished. I'm not sure I WILL WANT TO USE IT AFTER i'M DONE IT LOOKS NEW!
Anyway, it you have questions about anything just ask.
Steve

[Steve RFE]

I'm sending for replacement wiper strips this Monday or Tuesday for the vmc 15xt x axis and y axis. The z axis are of a different type and on my machine fine. I have to order $100 minumum, thats about four sets. I've had a few people respond back for some of them, but they were for vmc 40 & 40-20's and I think they are a different profile and they have not answered back so I'm just going to order the vmc 15 wipers. If you do a Fadal search for my past post, you can see where to get the originals. If can't find them drop me a PM.
BTW- i've spent about 100 hrs on a complete clean up and rebuild of a 15xt 1995.88hs control with a 4th axis. I'm almost finished and will post pictures when I'm finished. I'm not sure I WILL WANT TO USE IT AFTER i'M DONE IT LOOKS NEW!
Anyway, it you have questions about anything just ask.
Steve

Hi Steve
Do you just buy the rubber material and open up the channel section that holds the wiper and replace it that way.
I had a sparky wire up my machine today and we tried to fumble through the comands to get it to do .... anything. He wanted to see if the spindle was spinning in the correct direction and I just wanted to see any movement. We finally got the X axis to move by hitting jog, but it jogged all the way to its extreme. We finally worked out how to manually wind all the axes back to centre and then tried to re centre but they did not line up with the indicators. I also tried a tool change but the Z was mis aligned with the ATC and wouldnt allow it. I then re read the manual and restarted the machine and tried the CS command but nothing happened so I hit jog again and it went to the extreme again. I have given up and will ring for some profesional help tomorrow. I may laugh about this one day but right now I,m impatient and frustrated

[scadvice]

The wipers can bought from www.gortite.com they are the Fadal suppiers. On the web site look for their "Custom Engineered Protective Covers Design Guide" page 47

I just carefully pride-up the metal where it was staked and slid out the old wipers.

You get it running yet? Try this if not. If any of the axis are full over to one of the + or- stops turn off the machine and reach under to the ball screw and hand turn it at least a 3 to 4 cm away from the end of travel. Then turn on the main breaker, next press the green button above it and after you hear the clicks (about 5 or 10 sec.) go to the pendant control and press the jog button (white in color I believe) next make sure the silver axis selector ( to the left of the keyboard) is on the axis you want to move. Move each axis to their CS marks... the x mark is in front center below the stainless cover, the y mark is on the lower right side below the way cover, and the z is up along the right also by the sheetmetal spindle cover ( about chest high). Now enter CS. They may jump a little and stop but if not hit e stop if they keep moving. Something else is not right. Let us know.
Steve

Steve

[Steve RFE]

Hi Steve.
The problem turned out to operator error.
Errr that would be me!
I got the local Fadal rep out and he Cold Started it, deleted all past programs, and checked the lash measurement read out on the screen. He didnt believe the lash readout, so I gave him my magnetic base dial indicator and he rigged it up to the X Y and Z , ....lash reading was correct. All still in new factory spec. I,m a lucky guy, in his opinion.
I bought some wiper material and have fitted it.
Now I am slogging through the manuals to try and get a handle on how to talk to it.
Thanks for your help.
Regards Steve

[DareBee]

Good to hear.

You will be fine.
The first few days may be a little daunting, but once you get through your first setup and program it will fall in place quickly.
Setting up fixture and tool offsets is usually more time consuming and annoying then making simple 2.5D programs.

I see you are online right now. you must be 10 -12 hours off of me? (time for bed?) 7:40AM here

[scadvice]

Great Steve,
If you have not already done so, put a little grease or oil on the new way rubber (my manuals discribe doing this as a maint. proceedure.) This will prevent them from pulling excessivly on the sliding opposite surface. Learning a new machine can be a head banger!(chair)
Steve

[Steve RFE]

Hi. I have plotted most of a program on paper using one of my castings in a jig fixture. I am starting from the factory CS point and have manually wheeled the X Y and Z through all the positions. I have started to log this in the controller in a program I have set up.
As follows:
N1 Program name
N2 G90
N3 M6 T12
N4 GO X1.90. Y3.450. Z-1.380. This line wont take and gives "Error Illegal No value for word" prompt.
I was hoping to move to these co ordinance at speed from the CS point. The next move was going to be spindle on, Coolant on, etc etc.
Any clues on why the dear little thing is getting so affronted by my language.
Regards Steve

[scadvice]

I don't have time to give you a proper answer with an example code. however in your example "N4 GO X1.90. Y3.450. Z-1.380." "GO" should be "G0" the letter. "O" you have written here should have been the number "0"
Steve

[Neal]

Steve--
The problem with this line is that you have 2 decimal points on each coordinate word. (N4 GO X1.90. Y3.450. Z-1.380.) Remove the decimal at the end of each word. Plus the GO vs G0 issue mention above.

Neal

[scadvice]

Steve--
The problem with this line is that you have 2 decimal points on each coordinate word. (N4 GO X1.90. Y3.450. Z-1.380.) Remove the decimal at the end of each word. Plus the GO vs G0 issue mention above.

Neal

Whoops.... I missed seeing the dots (chair)
Steve

[Neal]

Steve--
That's the advantage of 30 years of doing it myself!! :cheers:

[scadvice]

Steve--
That's the advantage of 30 years of doing it myself!! :cheers:

Neal,
Yep... after the first 5 years... I started using CADCAM program generation...you get lazy in the brain!!
Steve

[Steve RFE]

Hi. I am trying to tool up this new Fadal VMC15 machine and need a couple of tools that are not available here in Australia.
I would like 2 X BT40 arbours for side and face cutters...depending on your machinery language it could also be called Stub mill arbour. I need 3 1/2" from shoulder to end of thread with 1" centere spindle with 1/4" keyway.
Can any one in the States recomend a shop or have some spares. I can pay with PayPal or send Western Union money order.
I do not want any tooling with nicks or defects.
I am also in the market for a 4th axis card to upgrade my machine.
Regards Steve