[blackbolt9]

The toolchanger on my Arrow 750 seems to have a mechanical issue. When I try to do either a manual movement or an automatic tool change it moves a small amount (maybe 1") then it seems to hit something and stop. I can't see anything that it is running into or interfering with it. I am guessing something moved or fell into the gearbox since I know it worked before the machine was transported to it's current location. I can't seem to find any schematics to show how to get into the mechanism though and don't want to start tearing this thing apart before having at least some sort of idea how it works or is assembled. Thanks for any help or prints.

Tom

[mallardfizz]

hello have you moved the machine ( new location )?
if you have the linear toolchanger electrically operated - not air- then i think you need to swop two of the phases over. check the fan on top of the spindle motor it needs to be 'blowing' up.
regards
mallardfizz

[blackbolt9]

hello have you moved the machine ( new location )?
if you have the linear toolchanger electrically operated - not air- then i think you need to swop two of the phases over. check the fan on top of the spindle motor it needs to be 'blowing' up.
regards
mallardfizz

Yes, the machine was moved. I don't know if the toolchanger moves electrically. I know it uses air to spin the tool drum though. I believe the phases are correct as the spindle operates in the proper directions as I have been making parts and just using manual load tools for the time being.

Also the tool changer attempts to move in the proper direction and seem to jam after only about 1" when the "load" position is manually selected under the "Mech" menu on the pendant. It will also return home when the "park" position is selected. So that would lead me to believe it is wired properly as well. It behaves as if there is a mechanical jam some where, I'm just not sure where that intereference is occuring. I see it moves along what appears to be plastic linear rails. I was wondering if maybe it's off the track or if something could be wrong with the gearbox itself. I can't really see how it works very well and haven't found any detail or layout drawings of the mechanism to try and determine what are the easiest things to check first.

Thanks for the help.

[underthetire]

I agree with the possible phase issue. Spindle won't care if its backwards or not. Only fans/pumps care. Check the spindle motor fan as suggested before.

[blackbolt9]

I agree with the possible phase issue. Spindle won't care if its backwards or not. Only fans/pumps care. Check the spindle motor fan as suggested before.

I can't check that at this time as the machine is 2 hours away and I won't get back over to it for another 2 weeks. I have run coolant though so I would assume it is functioning properly. Does that solve anyone's phase suggestions? When I get back to the machine I will check the fan first thing though.

Until then I am trying to research other possibilities. I really believe this to be a mechanical issue anyways because of the noise/way the changer stops and moves back in the proper direction when the manual buttons on the pendant are pushed.

Does anyone know where to find drawings or schematics of the tool changer assembly? I would like to know how it functions. It obviously has a pneumatic rotary device for rotating the tools around. I can obviously see the rails that it follows to/from the spindle. Does it use a rack and gear to move it? What does it use for end stops? Could they have moved during shipping? Etc.

Thanks again for the help.

[mallardfizz]

trust me its the phases.
the machine isn't bothered by the phases for spindle direction or for moving the axis , only the toolchanger. the coolant motor was disconnected for moving and reconnected when in its new position. change the phases to the machine and then the coolant motor. i was responsible for installing all birmingham built machines at shows all over the world ( including Chicago twice ) ive seen it before.
mallardfizz

[blackbolt9]

trust me its the phases.
the machine isn't bothered by the phases for spindle direction or for moving the axis , only the toolchanger. the coolant motor was disconnected for moving and reconnected when in its new position. change the phases to the machine and then the coolant motor. i was responsible for installing all birmingham built machines at shows all over the world ( including Chicago twice ) ive seen it before.
mallardfizz

OK, I don't mean to come off the wrong way. I believe you that the phases are most likely my problem as this is the first machine I've moved by myself. I will swap them around and get the fan spinning the correct direction before doing anything.

However, I would like to find mechanical documents for the tool changer so that in the rare case that the phases isn't my problem I can continue on with the trouble shooting. I only have the weekends to work on this thing and since I won't be there for another two weeks I want to be as prepared as I can be to get the issue fixed instead of trying something then having to wait another week or two before I can try something else if it doesn't work. I really appreciate your help as I don't have as much experience or electrical knowledge as I would like. I would rather learn too much instead of not enough especially since I have rather limited time to deal with this machine.

Again thanks for all the help and don't misunderstand my continued asking for mechanical documents as me not believing you on the true problem. I WILL be changing the electrical connections to fix the problem. I appreciate what I learn from this forum!

Tom

[Bob Rudella]

If you take the top off of the machine and look in from the rear you'll see a right angle gearmotor. There is an arm attached to the shaft that swings 180 deg to go from spindle to park position. At each end of the arc the arm hits a limit switch. If you remove the front cover of the box above the drum you'll see a vertical slot in the back of the box. In the slot you'll see a ball bearing that is bolted to that arm. If the gearmotor came loose the whole mess will bind up. If you remove the bolt that holds the bearing to the arm the whole drum assembly will be free to slide back and forth, then you'll see the arm and limit switches. You can jog the motor if you locate the pair of small 3 phase contactors wired for fwd/rev in the control panel. Mine are on the left side near the main switch.

[blackbolt9]

Thanks Bob, that should be very helpful if it happens to not be an electrical problem.

[blackbolt9]

Got to work on the machine today. I felt several fans and they seemed to be blowing the proper direction so I took the cover off to see if there was an interference somewhere. Looking at it, the arm seemed to be going the wrong way which indicated the phases being wrong so I switched them which obviously fixed it. One of the prox switches may need to be replaced though since it seemed to not stay lit every time the toolchanger was at the spindle.

Thanks for the help mallardfizz and Bob Rudella!