Need help! Mazak VQC 15/40 M-2 control Locks up at tool change

I have recently bought this machine Mazak VQC 15/40. Finally got It running this week. When it goes to change tools it moves to change position. Then moves very small amount and locks up. I have to hold in reset and OT release to move Y Axis of over travel. Then I re-home the machine. Now when I do a restart from the home position. It will do the tool change and run the tool. But when it goes for next tool it locks up again. I have noticed that both #1 zero and #2 zero buttons are lit up when it goes to do the tool change. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

It could be a soliniod causing problems or the tool senser that is like an eye that reconizes if a tool is or isnt in the carasel? My 2050 needs to be cleaned everyday. Our 515 has been doing almost the same thing except its at power on. It wont home or move at all so we kill it a few times and eventually the soliniod starts working and all is fine till we shut it down again. Ours gives us an alarm tho, it does take a minute to pop up tho. Hope this helps a little

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Where exactly is it stopping? Is there no alarm at all?

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Im pretty sure #1 zero and #2 zero should not be able to be in at the same time as they are 2 seperate locations. It suggests a sensor playing up or sensing something nearby. What errors is it giving?

As an example I was having trouble with mine the other day when going from T0 to any other tool. The tool eye was telling me there was a tool even though there was nothing in it. Turns out that the coolant tube was blocking the beam from seeing the reflector. .

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Cleaned eye on tool changer didn't seem to help. I noticed when I looked at diagnostic page it said I had over travel in Z axis also.

Im getting an alarm 20 emergency stop. Then after clearing that and restarting hydraulics. It has a 110 over travel alarm +y and 115 over travel -z on diagnostic page. I have also gone trough parameters from a factory list I have they all check right except on one page. On mach constant page #1 there is cs#s that are zero on my sheets but have data in them on the machine. Don't know if that means anything. It will do a tool change from home position when I restart a unit.

Did you look for chips on the dogs for the home switches ? Does that machine have A hard limit switch or soft? Did you shut it down all the way and power back up? Are you axis belts tight and in good shape?

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Hmm ya know the cinncinati milicron magnum 800 horizontal i run at work was doing the same thing in z axis and on the pallet carasel. It was those darn magnetic sensers, 1 was a lil to far away and read late. I readjusted it after cleaning and wallaaa! But i find your issue screwy with having 2 axis out the almost exactly the same way? You know they hit a soft switch and (count) and if they hit the hard switch they O.T. as long as nothing was changed in the parameters you'd think its a hardware (chips/dirty/worn the hell out)somethin? First thing id do is clean up home switches, check function and gap. Check belts and clean chips off of. Home out and shut it all the way down,main off too. And power back up, home out and see if its better ,? Machine was holding size and location on making the parts end of things right? Only thing that messed up was the T.C end of it right? So that would rule out encoder? Im still very new at this, i start out slow,i look for the simplest reason, then work backwards from there.

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Just seeing so many people with tool changer problems makes me CRAZY!! There HAS TO BE A WAY FOR US to avoid this. What maintenance are we skipping out on? I'm drawing the line here, I'm putting new belts on her to eliminate that, then gapping my soft switch. Gotta think, these things ran for 30 plus years, and rubber gets old and stretches even more with age.lol maybe itll help me, maybe ill just be wasting time and money. But at least its 1 less thing to worry about. See mines inna garage and used strickly for fun, not work.....its how i unwind. Its so nice to make whatever you want, with no boss, no bad mooded coworker! Just me, ma hurdy gurdy 20 fiddy and my imagination...lol

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My book says all zeros as well? But still if it was fine, and now not? If cleaning doesn't help, write down what they are, in your electrical book it will tell you what each one is for

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Thanks everyone I'm new at this. I will do a good cleaning and check everything. Will get back after that. Thanks again!

Cleaned eye and trip switch on y axis and vacuumed all chips out. It ran through entire program without a hitch. Thanks again!

It started doing the same thing again.

Mazak VQC 15/40 M-2 control Tool Change Problem

Could anyone tell me if the sensor (eye) on the Y-Axis should be activated when the machine goes to the tool change position. I'm talking about the position it goes to when waiting for the tool door to open. Mine is not but when it moves +Y-axis about a .25" the eye is engaged and the machine goes into the emergency stop. The eye rail stays engaged through out the tool change. Don't know if I should move the rail to make the eye engage. Thanks

maganzer said:

Could anyone tell me if the sensor (eye) on the Y-Axis should be activated when the machine goes to the tool change position. I'm talking about the position it goes to when waiting for the tool door to open. Mine is not but when it moves +Y-axis about a .25" the eye is engaged and the machine goes into the emergency stop. The eye rail stays engaged through out the tool change. Don't know if I should move the rail to make the eye engage. Thanks

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Hopefully sophtayl can help you with that. Or your book if one came with it. Mine should arrive wensday or Friday. So it ran for a whole day and then pulled a temper tantrum again eh? Hmmm? As for your (eye) im guessing that you mean the magnetic senser? Im just guessing here but if it reads it late like your saying that might cause it to loose count or miss a ladder sequence? I think the plc works with a check and balance type scheme. Like for this to work or happen next , this has to be here and that had to happen kinda thing. You need to find out what it's looking for, when,were, and why. I know that our machines will go into e-stop if they are "inside the tool change area" when NOT being in cycle... but your saying you get an e-stop alarm while in the tool change cycle?

Im away from the machine till rhe weekend and can have a look then. Can you post a pic of what you are looking at in each position?

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maganzer said:

Im getting an alarm 20 emergency stop. Then after clearing that and restarting hydraulics. It has a 110 over travel alarm +y and 115 over travel -z on diagnostic page. I have also gone trough parameters from a factory list I have they all check right except on one page. On mach constant page #1 there is cs#s that are zero on my sheets but have data in them on the machine. Don't know if that means anything. It will do a tool change from home position when I restart a unit.

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Our AJV and fjv will give overtravel alarms if you stop during a tool change . Suddzy has a point with the air cylinder sensers too.

Sorry for not getting back sooner customer showed up with a lot of work needing it asap of course. I have noticed when I take it to the home position in Z axis then restart it tool changes fine. But when it comes up from the table to do a tool change thats when it does its little move and goes into emergency stop. Think maybe the prox switch on Z axis might be the problem haven't had time to get into it yet. But looking from up top looks like the prox switch has a groove rubbed into it. It will be next week before I have time to look. I want to say this is truly a great experience for me the way all of you pitch in to help. I really do appreciate all of the help.

maganzer said:

Sorry for not getting back sooner customer showed up with a lot of work needing it asap of course. I have noticed when I take it to the home position in Z axis then restart it tool changes fine. But when it comes up from the table to do a tool change thats when it does its little move and goes into emergency stop. Think maybe the prox switch on Z axis might be the problem haven't had time to get into it yet. But looking from up top looks like the prox switch has a groove rubbed into it. It will be next week before I have time to look. I want to say this is truly a great experience for me the way all of you pitch in to help. I really do appreciate all of the help.

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Yes i believe that if that groove is big enough to change the position to witch it makes the hit it could throw it a lil wonky,,,,,could be why it will do a t.c from one position and not the other?
I to must thank everyone on this site for all the help! If it wasnt for us lil band of vqc'ers id be lost too! For instance yesterday my machine was delivered and wen i origianally turned it on i had
1)transformer over temp
2)Sum check error
3)hydrolic low pressure
4)e stop
5)tool change door proxy error
6)magazine proxy error
7)battery alarm
And a few more......hahaha
So lets show how we all help....
1)alarm,,,this one i ran into with our 515, its a stupid little 4x4 fan that fried ...dont ask me y it gives a transformer alarm?? The book doesnt say how to fix ether?!!! So thank god for a little experiance from work for this one!!!
2) sum check-everyone with low batteriea gets this, on my machine i power down, open cabinet, with a little flat head i throw 2nd from top dip switch(no dissasembly required),turn machine back on and off till its gone(so far only had to do it once, not 10 times), once alarm is gone, turn machine back off, put the dip switch back, turn machine on again and home out. I still get the battery alarm and machine wont come to life untill i clear it with reset, then its fine
3)hydrolic low pressure- in my case there was NONE!!! It was because i wired it out if phase and pump spun backwards!! Hahaha
This is what i learned (277,277,280) NOT (277,280,277) lol. Sry, im not an electrition. So R0=277/S0=277/T0=280.....if you still have isue switch R0 & S0, keep high leg on T0
4)E-STOP=check all e-stops! Mine was the carasels e-stop pushed in
5)tool changer door proxy error= its stuck open because my dumbass still didnt put air to the machine! Lol
6)magazine proxy error=put machine in hand mode and push the magazine jog button, it will find its happy home then!!
7)battery alarm= HIT RESET TO CLEAR AND BRING HYDROLICS TO LIFE, ether they need to charge or be replaced? My machine sat for 4 months without being connected in a warehouse so im looking into sum new ones,,,,,,would you guys believe me if i said it never lost the parameters?!! But all the mazatrol prog. Were all f'd up and had to be earesed.
I hope this also helps guys in the future like reading this forum did for me, all those issues were fixed in 20min because i knew what to do from all the research i did on here!! I will be starting a new thread because my y axis drive has a red led lit (red led bar ,bottom block of led bar) were x and z dont and i need to know if its an issue i need to look into tho.....no alarms so its no rush. Unless you can tell me yours does too? Lol.

I finally solved the problem. It was the Z axis proximity switch. It was not positioning at 2nd home which is tool change position. Sorry it took so long to get back on here and report my findings.