Hardinge Side mount tool changer problem

Got a hardinge VMC with the side mount swing arm tool changer. I'll spare the details on how I got in this mess, but basically, a tool change got interrupted during cycle, due to an unrelated alarm.

Normally, there's a tool change recover button that I could press, and it would just complete the tool change, and I'd be on my way. But, it wouldn't do it because of the alarm I had, and the only way to clear that alarm was to shut the machine down, and start it up again.

So now, I'm in a bit of a catch 22. The tool change recovery button won't function until the machine gets homed out. But the machine won't home out because of the "tool change interrupted" alarm. How do I get out of this?

Control is a Siemens 810D

barbter said:

Dave
Can only speak for Fanuc... but power off and make sure it's off for 30 minutes plus so the cappys are drained.
Go up top and release the brake, and wind (with spanner) by hand the arm through its sequence back to the right position.

Click to expand...

This all happened last night, and now that it's been off all night, still got the same thing. I should have mentioned, I already manually got the tool changer arm parked back in its home position. The control still thinks it needs to complete a tool change, as that "tool change interrupted" alarm is still active this morning. It just won't go away.

barbter said:

So has your side rack toolchanger got a window with proximity leds in there?
And are they lit?
The arm can be in the straight position, but the cam can be not quite in the right position...

Also, have you a toolchange home switch (like a lathe turret home switch) on this machine?

Click to expand...

Yes, it does have that window, and the led's are lit. We finally got this fixed and running again. There's a long list of tool change recovery procedures that you have to go thru when the "tool change recovery" button doesn't get it resolved. But we went through all the procedures so many times, with none of them working, that when it finally did work, we aren't sure what procedure got it going. LOL! Kinda stinks, because if it happens again, all I can do is run through these procedures again, but kinda doing it blindly. I will say, one of the things that needed to be done was to erase all the tool data in the tool register, and re-tell the machine when it's at pot #1.

Resurrecting an old thread.

Would you by any chance have a bit more info on how you were able to resolve this? I'm in a similar situation. (although I also have the z out of position) It's a new to me machine that was stopped, and had the z motor removed.

Could you tell me the correct LEDs for the tool arm home? Is it the center prox LED, or should more than one be on?
Any hints on how to find the recovery process?

Thanks,

matt

IDK anything about a side mount, but per your Z axis location issue:


If it is a Fanuc control, you likely need to adjust your param 1850 in Z to dial in your location.
What this does is move your Z zero location compared to your HOME pulse on your Z axis motor encoder.

For Siemens, since I don't know my way around their control, have had bad luck when I tried, and have full intentions of not ever learning it, what I doo in this case is to just adjust the collar on the Z ballscrew.

This is very easy, just block the head, loosen the bolts on 1/2 of the coupler to the motor, index the motor prox however far you need to, and re-tighten.
Check, and repeat as necessary.


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