Set Absolute position on 18i for a SWISS?

My new to me Hardinge ST220 is so close to not being a paperweight I can almost hear the parts hitting the basket.

Got batteries changed and getting the 300 alarms. Tons of sources quote the exact same procedure. No problem. Did it on the X and worked... sort of. For the reset to 'work' it seems it needs to BE in the exact 'home' position. How on earth do you do this on a swiss type machine???

On a mill, no big deal for the Z just use blocks off the table. Without turning a center in the collet (which I can't get the machine to move to do) how do I set the x 2.74" from centerline or the Z 9.646" from face of spindle??? Those are the ONLY references I can find in the manual. It shows errors on main and Sub... how do I set the sub? If I jog the Sub Z it over travels. Same on Y, and main X and Z and shows errors for all except X which I just eyeballed.

Lost here and hoping someone can help me make sense. How do I get to the magical position without absolute position or any known position to measure off of?

Sorry if this is not workable, as I don't know your machine at all. I've cheated in some circumstances on the past by putting a dowel pin in the spindle, using Jo blocks, 1-2-3 blocks, etc to wag stuff close enough.....

eaglemike said:

Sorry if this is not workable, as I don't know your machine at all. I've cheated in some circumstances on the past by putting a dowel pin in the spindle, using Jo blocks, 1-2-3 blocks, etc to wag stuff close enough.....

Click to expand...

I am thinking the X is 'centered' around the spindle so that should work for X.

For Z... it's a swiss type so the Z stroke is hidden in the spindle spline and Z0.000 would be with it still a ways behind the guide bushing. I'm new to swiss and can jog the Z forward but really not sure what is and isn't safe. Mistakes could mean it will slam the collet into the end of the guide bushing if there is no limit switch... this whole lack of limit switches deal is very strange to me.

Next problem is the errors showing on 'Second' (sub) also... don't know how to 'set' a second Z and can't find any reference in the manual to where it should be set, nor the Y (on the sub)

Doo you not have the manual?
The Hardinge Maint manual should spell this out very clearly how to doo this.
Their directions are very clear on other machines.


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Ox said:

Doo you not have the manual?
The Hardinge Maint manual should spell this out very clearly how to doo this.
Their directions are very clear on other machines.


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Click to expand...

Hardinge used to always be good about machine zero proceedures. I hope they still are.

huskermcdoogle said:

Hardinge used to always be good about machine zero proceedures. I hope they still are.

Click to expand...

I have a Hardinge 8x lathe from the same era, with same control, and it is very clear exactly how to set it.


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Ox said:

Doo you not have the manual?
The Hardinge Maint manual should spell this out very clearly how to doo this.
Their directions are very clear on other machines.


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Click to expand...

I do have some of the manuals (would SURE be easier if they were PDF and searchable). I spent 3 hours leafing through them 2 nights ago and the only thing I found was the one reference to the home under "To Review Control Status" that mentions X-Axis ref pos 2.74 from spindle center line, and Z ref Zero position is 9.646 from the face of the spindle. I'm not even sure what that measurement is from: collet nose, collet nut, taper start? Should be easy to turn a 9.646 bar, push against the collet, jog back until the bar is flush. For the X I can only guess it means from the edge of the rear tool block? No clue on the sub since I have no measurements and don't even know where to put them/set them in the control as there IS a Y, but no Z2 under those parameters.

I'm not saying it isn't there... but after 3 hours of looking through every page that is all I found. I was hoping someone would have the info at hand and I could get it cleared, schedule LNS to align the bar feeder, get the Brother S700X1 that was installed yesterday running parts, then work on the code for this one while waiting on LNS. I am sure if I throw 10 hours at it I'll figure it out, but I'm not sure which month will have 10 hours to throw at it. Still have to work up new macros for the Brother since all 800 programs I run on the Haas are macro based and need to be remade for the Brother after figuring out new speeds and feeds then re-posted.

I'm sure you can imagine how hard it is to sit down with a cup of coffee and the Hardinge manual while the shiny new Brother quietly holds down a cold chunk of concrete Few thousand pages yet to read on the Brother too. Plus new fixtures, and a second new control to learn.

Ox said:

I have a Hardinge 8x lathe from the same era, with same control, and it is very clear exactly how to set it.


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Click to expand...

Do you know off hand which manual that is in? I have Install, Operator, and Maintenance. Nothing that dives deep into parameters.

On mine, it is in the Maint manual, just before the prints/schems start.


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Thanks Ox. No such luck here. The maintenance has a battery change section but no info on parameters or procedures for what happens if they died.

I have instructions for resetting the home positions on this machine. email me at [email protected]

Tom