Older South Bend EDM

Chip Sweeper · Sep 18, 2006

I have never operated, or seen operating an EDM, so naturally I went out and bought one. It came with no documentation. I have been able to figure out most of the hook up, but have no idea how to operate it. The hydrolics seem to work, the ram will retract when I push the jog button, but I havn't figured out how to make it go down. I also couldn't make the gap power come on, but at the time the dialectric pump was not running, so I don't know if there is an interlock or not. I need to buy some fluid before I can try that part.
The machine is a South Bend Criterion 150. I think I've seen the same machine with the Hansvedt name on it.
Any idea where I can get a manual for this machine? I intend to buy another generic EDM book for operating, but I need something for troublshooting this machine. I work as an industrial electronics technician so with the right documentation I feel confident I can make it work.
If there is a way to post a picture on this forum I can try that to help identify this machine.
Thanks for any help.

Davis In SC · Sep 18, 2006

It has been a long time since I saw one of those... The Hansvedt power supply does require that the flushing oil pump be on, and it may also have a door interlock switch, and/or an oil level float switch... As I said, it has been quite a few years, since I was around one of those...

bluchip · Sep 20, 2006

The Hansvedt line has been re aquired by the same people who made them before....

Sales & Service

Hansvedt Arrow EDM

802 Veterans Parkway

Rantoul, IL 61866

217-893-4277

Fax: 217-893-1887

Southwest

Sales/Distributor Information

Regional Manager and Distributor

McDermott Inc.

P. O. Box 451989

Grove, OK 74345

800-887-6076

Fax: 918-786-3861

E-mail: [email protected]

Perhaps try them. The South Bend line is what Hansvedt acquired to produce their Benchman series.

Chip Sweeper · Sep 26, 2006

Got a little further with the EDM today. I took the top off the flushing tank, drained and cleaned the goo in the bottom. There was probably 1/2" of black sludge in the tank. Same with the filter. I saved about 5 gallons of fluid, I'm hoping that will be enough to at least test the power supply.
Before I opened the tank I tried to bring the gap power up again. I left the flushing pump unpluged but turned the switch on so the electronics would think it was running. Then I could push the gap power button and the light came on but would go out as soon as I let it off. There was no voltage indicated on the meter at any time.
I thought I had read that the cutting is done with the electrode submerged, but the drain in the bottom of the machine to the tank is about 1.5" in diameter. It is connected near the bottom of the tank. I don't see how the pump could keep up with it and keep the work submerged. There is another small hose going into the top of the tank, it's connected to a valve of some sort and what looks like an air regulator. Only thing I can think of is maybe the tank is pressurized slightly to force fluid from the tank up into the machine. Am I totally off track here?
I think I'm almost ready to try it out if I can get these questions answered. I'd sure like to know it works before I spend a few hundred dollars on EDM fluid. :confused:

Davis In SC · Sep 27, 2006

My newer Hansvedt uses air pressure to fill & maintain the oil level. It also has a float switch, so electrode power cuts off, if level falls below the desired level. It also has a hi-pressure switch, that kills the power to the pump, if filter is too restrictive. Does your machine use a big Luberfiner filter ? If so, the best place to buy them is at a diesel parts place or truckstop. Less than 10 dollars, usually.

Hollistergc · Sep 27, 2006

Cutting is done with the electrode submerged. There should be a float switch on the tank to tell the machine that the dielectric is up to operating levels. The Gap power will not come on until the machine at least thinks that the fluid is in the tank.
On that old of a machine i would suspect a solonoid valve in the drain line to close it off for filling and/or open it for draining. Open would be the normal position. Solonoid could be on the dielectric tank itself.

Chip Sweeper · Sep 28, 2006

Thanks for the help so far. I found a new filter at a truck supply store, $11. I think I'll try circulating the fluid through the old filter and see if it will clean up, then try it out. I haven't found any solenoid or float switch, I'll try to maintain the fluid level manually. Not sure what the machine would use for feedback to indicate there was enough fluid present. I'll post the results when finished. Then to figure what all the knobs and dial do, and what to use for what.

bluchip · Sep 29, 2006

The work tank is filled by shop air pressurizing the dielectric tank. You fill the tank by holding the tank fill pneumatic button til desired level reached. The pump merely supplies fluid to flushing manifold where it is directed to desired flushing points AND a tank bypass. The bypass directs filtered fluid into worktank to create a "changeover" effect. The dielectric returns to the resivoir only as the level rises in the work tank and the head pressure becomes greater than the air pressure held in resivoir. Therefore if no bypass were used then the small amount of fluid being used for flushing would mean that the worktank fluid would have a very slow changeover rate and get dirty. Increasing the bypass rate allows more fluid to circulate thru the work tank and thus increase the change over rate and allow filtering to take place and the worktank fluid stays cleaner. Depends on your desired results how great of a change over rate you need.....cleaner/greater for finer work.

By the way folks.....what flushing motor you guys have? Who made the motor? How 'bout it Davis? Ours is Franklin Electric.

Chip Sweeper · Sep 30, 2006

More progress in getting this machine going. I got the dialectric pump running, but it wouldn't pump any fluid. Went on line to try to locate a new one, no luck finding an identical replacement. (Teel pump with a Dayton motor) So I went back out, primed the pump through the discharge port, and away it went. I guess with air pressure on the tank it would keep the pump primed. Anyway it pumps fine and won't need replacing. Then I decided to try to find the problem with the gap power not comming on. Didn't take long, I found a small coax cable had broken off one of the circuit boards and repaired it. Now the power will stay on and I get a voltage at the output. I'm not sure if I have enough fluid to try it out tomorrow night, if I do I'll give it a shot. After it's proven it will run I'll replace the dialectric hoses and some of the electrical cables. I'm hesitant to spend much money on this until I see some sparks.

Chip Sweeper · Sep 30, 2006

In all the excitement in getting motors turned on and lights lit up I forgot I don't have a clue on how to operate this thing. I figured I would start with the knobs and controls centered and with 1 - 2 microfarads selected and see what happens. Not sure where to start though. I can make it feed up or down in manual but not sure how to feed it close enough to the work piece to start in auto. Do I bring it down to touch the work piece in manual, switch to auto, then turn on the gap power? It does have a jog up that works in auto. It came with a piece of brass tubing in the electrode holder, about .125" diameter. I'll try that first on some mild steel. Don't yet have any graphite. So I'm looking for any suggestions you could give to help he out to see if this thing will work.

Davis In SC · Sep 30, 2006

By the way folks.....what flushing motor you guys have? Who made the motor? How 'bout it Davis? Ours is Franklin Electric.

I need to look... Been a while since I had the tank/pump slid out from under the machine...

I do remember working on the pump of an older Cincinatti EDM, it was a Robins & Meyers pump. Old guys referred to it as a Pig-Dick pump..rotor had flutes, & it runs in a rubber shell...I got in touch with R&M, the parts were made at a plant 100 miles away, but I had a heck of a time finding a dealer that could sell the parts...

Davis In SC · Sep 30, 2006

Chip Sweeper, if you were not 3,000 miles away, it would be fun to help you get that EDM up and running... It sounds like you are making good progress.. Keep asking questions, & we will keep trying to help.. One little tip, just be careful not to touch the electrode or ram, while gap power is on.. It hurts.. will rattle your teeth...Not that it has ever happened to me, LOL...

Hollistergc · Oct 2, 2006

It's happened to me!!!!
One more precautionary note. At least for your first time out of the box, Be sure to cover the workpiece with about 1" of dielectric fluid or you're in for a surprise. It is after all a flamable solution (high flash point but flamable none the less).

bluchip · Oct 2, 2006

I do remember working on the pump of an older Cincinatti EDM, it was a Robins & Meyers pump. Old guys referred to it as a Pig-Dick pump..rotor had flutes, & it runs in a rubber shell...I got in touch with R&M, the parts were made at a plant 100 miles away, but I had a heck of a time finding a dealer that could sell the parts...

That's a good one!!!! It's a Moyno pump. Goofiest thing there is. It takes hours of studying to figure out how that silly thing pumps. Have one on a big ol' Hansvedt. Had to replace it once...provided hours of entertainment!!

If you have a Franklin Electric motor....well I made the mold for the endframes!!!

Chip Sweeper · Oct 3, 2006

Got some sparks out of it tonight, and something resembeling a hole. I think an improvement in my flushing and fluid would help. At least it all seems to work and probably will be worth putting some money and effort into.

I don't think the filter is filtering properly. The fluid comes into the canister at the bottom, flows around the outside of the filter element, and then appears to go to the top of the cartridge and out through the pipe in the center. It seems the fluid never goes through the element, just over the top and down the tube. It is leaving a dirty residue on the top of the element. Am I missing a gasket or something, the o ring for the top is the only gasket I see. The center tube has a hole only in the end, how is the fluid suspose to get from the center of the element down the tube? There's something here I'm not understanding.

Chip Sweeper · Oct 3, 2006

Just took another look. It looks like there should be a stopper of some sort in the top of the element. The center tube is small enough diameter to permit fluid to flow from the paper up to the hole in the end of the tube, so that's no longer a mystery, but should there be something plugging the hole in the top of the element?

Davis In SC · Oct 3, 2006

It has been quite a while since I changed filters, I cannot remember exactly how it looks... (Actually I have only run our EDM a few hours in the past year

Business is real slow ) But, IIRC, there is a threaded rod, with a nut, that runs through the filter. There might be a diagram on the Luberfiner website...
Mine also has a pressure gage on top of the cannister. I think the machine cuts off gap power if pressure goes over 50 psi...

Hollistergc · Oct 4, 2006

Is this the type of filter you have? The one on the right is an old style, left is new style. This is all I could find on Luberfiners site.

Some machines have a big o-ring that sits on top of the filter and seals the top of the canister to the filter. Anyway, I thought this might help.

Chip Sweeper · Oct 4, 2006

It looks closer to the one on the left. The Fram # is C175E. I think if I come up with a sealing washer for the bottom and a plug for the top or a gasket for the top it should work ok. I knew something was missing, just not sure what.
How do you post a picture?

Davis In SC · Oct 4, 2006

My 1993 Hansvedt, as well as an older Ingersoll EDM, both use an AC750 filter, the ones I buy are Fleetguard brand (Cummins)

Older South Bend EDM

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Hot Rolled

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