What's new
What's new

Purchase of Hurco BMC-20

the spin doctor

Cast Iron
Joined
Jul 15, 2004
Location
oklahoma city, ok
We just set up an old 1991 Hurco BMC-20. The history of it operation status is unknown. This morning we powered it up and cannot get the manual, power, start sequence to boot the servos. The screens are on and the configuration screen is present. Estop, motion stop respond but when we push system manual, the light does not turn on.

We are neophytes with this thing but have some experience with a few old machines on a superficial basis and basic electronic knowledge. Unfortunately we have no manuals or schematics.

We assume that the machine would power up before the transport because the spindle has been moved into a block of wood as one would do to transport such a machine.

The power is set up for 208 v but we are not sure if the three phase is connected to the correct position but assume that since everything is DC that this would not affect the servos from booting.

We have searched the internet and cannot find a source for manuals but have the Hurco telephone number. I remember an online source for manuals but can't find it.

What do we need to do first to check out this thing? Lots of fun trying to figure it out and so much appreciate the internet and this forum for the help I have recieved in the past. I only hope to get more knowledgable in the future to help someone else!


Keith
 
If I recall correctly, the start procedure is
manual
power
start
exit (the screen changes)
calibrate machine (the machine moves to 0, xyz )

sometimes I have to do the first three buttons several times to get it to work.

some of the buttons are pretty gummed up from dried coolant and need to be pushed several times after the machine has been sitting unused.
 
Last edited:
Yes, that seems to be the sequence but the manual button does not respond. It feels like those membrane switches and not working. We are going to get inside and test the switches.

Thanks
 
Some buttons seem to move but the manual button seems fixed. We tried to remove the circuit board with the most buttons and have had some trouble getting it off. I read somewhere that the buttons can be replaced and may be available from Hurco?
 
If you can get to manual mode in the first place I suspect there is nothing wrong with the key itself (Machine goes directly to input mode on startup, at least mine does). Try switching between input mode and manual mode a few times, the machine doesn't need to be fully powered up to do this.

Do you know which control you have? Ultimax 2 or 3? Max 32?

I expect you already know this but it won't power up if there is low air pressure or no air connected.
 
Buttons are all broken. The circuit board is ok but the plastic buttons have bent and broken center pin structure so we have to buy or make new ones. I think the whole machine was dead due to a simple problem. We took off the board and when we got the plastic buttons off, most of them were broken underneath but the board and the actual membrane switches all look good.

It is good to know that the air pressure has to be connected, thanks! Not sure which control we have but I think there is some indication somewhere on the machine. I will have to search.

Thanks
Keith
 
The machine works! We got the axes moving and spindle turning. However, we had to use the enter, 999, enter to make it happen. How do we calibrate the axes and do we need some other software in the disk drive? I am expecting to see xyz coordinates like a dro and spindle speed indications on screen.

Thanks
Keith
 
The machine works! We got the axes moving and spindle turning. However, we had to use the enter, 999, enter to make it happen. How do we calibrate the axes and do we need some other software in the disk drive? I am expecting to see xyz coordinates like a dro and spindle speed indications on screen.

Thanks
Keith

You're almost there!

If you had to do enter-999-enter at startup then the control will have lost it's leadscrew mapping and you won't be able to calibrate it as is. I expect you have rows of ******* where the axis readouts should be?

With the machine fully powered up go to the diagnostics screen (manual > tool change and diagnostics > diagnostics, or something like that!). Next type one of the following, I can't recall which is the right one for leadscrew mapping so you'll have to try them both: enter-102-enter OR enter-103-enter.

One of these screens will present you with the option to load the default mappings. If you do that (might have to do it for each axis, I can't recall) then you will be able to calibrate and start using the machine.

Gregor
 








 
Back
Top