What's new
What's new

Color LCD on control...first year of such ?

Milacron

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Dec 15, 2000
Location
SC, USA
What was the first year that most, if not all, Haas models came with color LCD monitors ?
 
It was Oct 2006. I ordered my mill right at the time they were switching over and delayed the order a month to be sure I got that and the new USB file transfer that was added at the same time.
 
It was Oct 2006. I ordered my mill right at the time they were switching over and delayed the order a month to be sure I got that and the new USB file transfer that was added at the same time.
Au contraire....

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/showthread.php/2005-haas-vf-1-197003.html

Surprising to me they had the stainless steel control panel as early as 2005 as well...makes me wonder if zgoo got the year right on that thing...

Maybe some models got the LCD and SS panel before other models ? :scratchchin:
 
My 2004 has a 10" LCD. I think he may have been thinking about the newer 15" display. They introduced the 10" LCD at least a year or two before mine, though it didn't have color graphics yet. I've seen plenty of them on eBay over the years. My guess is 2002.

As for the stainless bezel, they were introduced with the Super Speed (SS) models around the same time...and they suck. We have three machines at work that have them. Both of my machines have the painted bezels. The paint is a helluva lot easier to keep clean. The stainless ones collect grimy fingerprints. Alcohol is the only thing that manages to clean them and that damages the lettering.

If I were buying a new machine, I think I'd do what I could to get the painted bezel. It only seems to come on the lowest cost machines (tool room models). IMO, it's a much longer-lived panel.
 
My 2004 has a 10" LCD. I think he may have been thinking about the newer 15" display. They introduced the 10" LCD at least a year or two before mine, though it didn't have color graphics yet. I've seen plenty of them on eBay over the years. My guess is 2002.
Yeah I just saw a 2004 VF1 on eBay that seemed to have color LCD. I say "seemed" because it displayed white background with blue text so could have been monochrome LCD for all I know. Funny, I haven't been looking until past couple weeks, but have never seen a 2002 Haas for sale...plenty of 2000,2001, 2003, 2004, etc...but no 2002's...wierd. Course if I Google it I'm sure some would turn up.

Interesting about the SS control panel. There are special cleaners just for SS I have used, that work fantastic...have your tried those ? Course for all I know they would also take the screen printing off too.
 
To clean the panel and the whole machine, use ZEP orange cleaner in the gallon jug, Zep spray bottle and don't add water use it straight. To clean the panel use a clean rag spray on the rag and slowly wipe the panel (screen too) and it will look like new, SS some time will streak and so take a little damp clean rag and wipe again and it will look great, Clean the whole machine with the Zep and you will be happy camper! I think I've used about 75 gallons of Zep in the last 2-3 years. D, it's color and a 2005 But I could be wrong because I found ZEP Orange Cleaner and Rum makes for a tasty Drink!!!
 
That 2005...You sure that is not just a monochrome LCD?
Was looking thru my files yesterday and ran across a "What's New for 2004 ?" Haas brochure... apparently picked up at the 2004 IMTS show. And in the brochure all the Haas machines have color LCD screens.

IMTS is in Sept... so one still wonders if they had color LCD in Jan 2004 ?
 
I have two manufactured 02/04 and 05/04, both have the 10" LCD with the painted front panel.

One machine 06/05 with the 10" LCD and the stainless steel front panel.

Two manufactured 04/06 and 06/06 with 10" LCD and stainless front.

One manufactured 01/07 with 15" LCD and stainless front.
 
I have two manufactured 02/04 and 05/04, both have the 10" LCD with the painted front panel.

One machine 06/05 with the 10" LCD and the stainless steel front panel.

Two manufactured 04/06 and 06/06 with 10" LCD and stainless front.

One manufactured 01/07 with 15" LCD and stainless front.
Interesting. Is there any difference in the 10 and 15 inch screen other than size ? For example, is the type less pixilated, any 3D graphics, etc ?

(and yes I know any improvements in pixelation or graphics would have nothing to do with the screen size per se, but just wondering if they made software improvements at the same time of the screen size change, since they would have more screen "real estate" to throw in more stuff... and if so, what were they ?)
 
Yes, lots of software changes between 10" and 15" and subsequent to that as well.

They kept the same area of screen showing the program that is running and in the border around this they have lots of machine data such as active offsets, machine position, position relative to work zero, distance to go. I cannot remember all of it because I no longer do anything on the main shop machines and my two at home only have the 10" LCD.

I know I found it confusing at first because there was so much information but after a while it becomes useful.
 
I baught my first Haas from an engineer at Boeing and he used it as a hobby. He was really upset when they delivered his late 2002 haas to his door with a B/W screen after he negociated a new color screen machine with Haas when they barely came out. I sold that machine and upgraded to a 2007 TM-1P. To answer your question, late 2002/early 2003.

-Andres
 








 
Back
Top