Tool Counter on O&H ACT20; How Should it Work?

WayneC369 · Feb 11, 2016

Hello All,

I have an Okuma & Howa ACT-20 that I have been learning the ropes on and I have been met with yet another stumbling block: The Tool Counter and it's expected functioning. The MTB manual isn't much help other than it suggests this counter will stop the machine once it's seen the preset number of pulses via the M90 code. Well, all I get is the alarm buzzer and the lathe continues to cycle. There is also an amber revolving light mounted on top of the console that just sits there. I would've assumed it would light up when the buzzer sounds, but no - it doesn't.

Can you tell me what I'm missing? Should I have another M or G code in the program to stop the lathe once the preset has been met?

Below is how I'm either wrapping up the program or looping back. I'm currently presetting the counter to one less than the desired number of parts, once I get the alarm I turn off the Block Skip and allow the program to terminate.

(TOOL #11 CUTOFF )
N90 G28 U0. W0. <<<<< Note: When my balls drop I plan to do tool changes closer to the spindle.
G97 S1500 T1111 M04 M08
G00 X.6724 Z-.6023
G01 X-.02 F.003
G00 X1. M09
G00 G28 U0. W0.
M90 <<<<<< Here is where I expected the machine to stop once the Tool Counter hits the preset value.

(THIRD PULL)
(TOOL #8 BAR PULLER)
N100 M05
G28 U0. W0.
G98 T0808
G00 Z-.875
X2.
M19
G01 X0. F100. M34
M11 (OPEN CHUCK)
W.6223
M10 (CLOSE CHUCK)
X2. M35
G99
/G00 G28 U0. W0.
/M30
M99 P20
%

Vancbiker · Feb 11, 2016

Behavior of the parts counter is primarily determined by the machine tool builder's ladder program. Unless the MTB operation or programming manuals describe what it does, you're left with just figuring it out. It is not uncommon for a builder to provide alternate behaviors via PMC parameter (keep relay) settings. a little reading in your ladder document program may uncover some answers.

Ox · Feb 11, 2016

On ours - it wouldn't stop mid program. Once it hits the counter - it will just not restart the program.
If you have the program looped inside it'self, I wouldn't expect it to stop it.
Doo you have a button on the control panel that says "repeat" or something similar?
If you put it in "repeat" mode and take the loop out of it and let the "repeat" feature take care of the looping, then the counter will likely stop production at the preset limit.

-------------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

WayneC369 · Feb 11, 2016

Vancbiker, The following is what the MTB manual says about the buzzer and lamp:

"Cycle Finish Buzzer and Lamp - if M02 (end of program) or M30 (reset and rewind) is programmed at the end of NC commands, it operates the buzzer and lamp."

Neither of which happens. The manual goes further with:

"Cycle Finish Buzzer (electronic buzzer) - The buzzer is activated/deactivated by setting PMC keep relay of the NC unit."

And that's it; no reference to which PMC keep relay. I suppose I'm left with poking around in the ladder logic and try to find some clues there.

Ox, there's no such switch on the operator's panel. I know the entire program isn't listed, but is there enough there for you to determine whether I'm doing the loop correctly???

EDIT: The program loops and is producing parts, it's just a pain to have to listen out and run over when it reaches the end of the stock material rather than just stopping on it's own.

WayneC369 · Feb 11, 2016

I've got a couple (actually there's plenty more) M codes with cryptic descriptions. Would these be of use and if so, how would I use them?

M92 - Finishing "on" command
M93 - Finishing complete

Both of these are listed as optional, so I have no clue whether they're functional. I suspect they would control a completely unrelated function, though.

Then there's a couple more:

M96 - macro interruption activated
M97 - macro interruption deactivated

I figger these would only be used in a macro and I can't see a tie-in with the counter... I also assumed the M99 wouldn't loop the main program back either, but someone on the forum showed me otherwise.

WayneC369 · Feb 11, 2016

Operator's panel:

Ox · Feb 11, 2016

If you know how many time you want it to loop ahead of time, all you need to doo is:

O1233 (Master for Part)
M98 P51234 (will repeat program 1234 5 times)
M2

O1234 (Part program)

bla

bla

bla

M99

Not as nice as a counter with REPEAT feature, but it will work.
You may need to edit the loop count number in the M98 line as required.

----------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

WayneC369 · Feb 11, 2016

Thanks Ox!

Vancbiker · Feb 11, 2016

WayneC369 said:
Vancbiker, The following is what the MTB manual says about the buzzer and lamp:

"Cycle Finish Buzzer and Lamp - if M02 (end of program) or M30 (reset and rewind) is programmed at the end of NC commands, it operates the buzzer and lamp."

Neither of which happens. The manual goes further with:

"Cycle Finish Buzzer (electronic buzzer) - The buzzer is activated/deactivated by setting PMC keep relay of the NC unit."

And that's it; no reference to which PMC keep relay. I suppose I'm left with poking around in the ladder logic and try to find some clues there.......

Yes, a bit of reading in your ladder will turn it up. One thing to check... IME, it is quite common for lights and buzzers to be un-wired, broken, burned out, etc. to avoid the annoyance of those devices. If this machine is newish to you and you don't know the history you should look at/check for that.

Philabuster · Feb 12, 2016

WayneC369 said:
(TOOL #11 CUTOFF )
N90 G28 U0. W0. <<<<< Note: When my balls drop I plan to do tool changes closer to the spindle.

You may need to edit a parameter somewhere to allow it first. Wheelieking's O&H will not allow the turret to index anywhere except at the home position.

Paging Angelw...

chip_maker · Feb 12, 2016

Philabuster said:
You may need to edit a parameter somewhere to allow it first. Wheelieking's O&H will not allow the turret to index anywhere except at the home position.

Paging Angelw...

Interesting, both of my lathes (ACT-20 & HL20M) will allow a tool change anywhere.

WayneC369 · Feb 12, 2016

Vancbiker said:
Yes, a bit of reading in your ladder will turn it up. One thing to check... IME, it is quite common for lights and buzzers to be un-wired, broken, burned out, etc. to avoid the annoyance of those devices. If this machine is newish to you and you don't know the history you should look at/check for that.

Well, when I got the machine the buzzer had what looked like a whole roll of masking tape over it. So, it definitely got on someone's nerves; it works. As for the light, I have checked the bulb with an ohm meter and it appears to be good. I'm not getting any volts to it at any point. I have not taken the time to trace the wire back to the control cab. I noted the wire marker number and looked over all the terminal strips and can't find that marker, although it could be terminated on a relay or somewhere other than a terminal strip.

WayneC369 · Feb 12, 2016

Philabuster said:
You may need to edit a parameter somewhere to allow it first. Wheelieking's O&H will not allow the turret to index anywhere except at the home position.

Paging Angelw...

Seems I remember you can go in somewhere and define an area where tools aren't allowed to enter. I suffer from chronic CRS and can't remember how that is done exactly. Perhaps that's how his it setup. (???) (thinking aloud when I should probably keep quiet...)

Vancbiker · Feb 12, 2016

Philabuster said:
You may need to edit a parameter somewhere to allow it first. Wheelieking's O&H will not allow the turret to index anywhere except at the home position.

Paging Angelw...

If there is a parameter to control that, it will be a PMC (keep relay) parameter. I've seen the need to be at machine zero for turret indexing in a few ladders. I've only worked on a couple O&H lathes over the years and don't recall if that was one of the builders I've seen do that.

I've also seen ladders that allow or restrict turret indexing during axis movement by keep relay setting. Nice for those times you're trying to eke out every split second of cycle time, but high in pucker factor. Particularly when the turret indexing is a fixed speed but rapiding to or from the work is able to be overidden.

Other Brother · Feb 13, 2016

Hi Wayne

Look at Keep Relay 0.0, it will be for the counter if it is labeled as the screen shot below. Also 0.1 will be for the buzzer.

Daryl

O&H keep relay screen shot

Other Brother · Feb 13, 2016

Philabuster said:
You may need to edit a parameter somewhere to allow it first. Wheelieking's O&H will not allow the turret to index anywhere except at the home position.

Paging Angelw...

I believe O&H uses keep relays and ladder to control this. I will add a link to a supplemental manual for the HL20 that should explain.

Wayne, I don't have a supplemental manual for the ACT20 but this should be close.

Daryl

HL20 Supplemental Manual

Ox · Feb 13, 2016

That's still not going to help him much if there is no REPEAT button.

----------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Other Brother · Feb 13, 2016

That is true Ox, your post above should work tho. The supplemental manual should help explain how O&H controls certain functions and help with alarms, counters, timers etc.

Daryl/Hank

Philabuster · Feb 13, 2016

Other Brother said:
Also 0.1 will be for the buzzer.

Sweet. Thanks for the help. I thought everything on a Fanuc was controlled via some secret parameter. :willy_nilly:

I think the buzzer pisses Wheelie off even more than the home only turret index location. Time to see if we can fix them both. :cheers:

Tool Counter on O&H ACT20; How Should it Work?

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