Help: Waterjet held hostage by OMAX

Pontifier · Jul 25, 2019

Hi, I run a small makerspace, and we have a used OMAX 2652 that we have been using for the last few years with only minor problems that we have been able to fix (We're a handy bunch). Recently though, a user had a problem with the machine, and I haven't been able to figure out what's wrong. We've been down for several months and OMAX won't give us any troubleshooting info unless we pay them $5000 for their service plan. That's more than all of our other yearly expenses combined so I'm hoping you can help me instead.

The problem is an unspecified fault that prevents the head from moving and no other info is given. Previously we discovered that this happens when there is not enough air pressure to trip the pressure sensor, but I've checked every limit switch and the pressure switch (they are all wired in series in a big loop) for continuity and function. As far as I can tell nothing there is triggering the fault.

Is there something else I should check?

The current version of the OMAX software we have is version 19, the latest that runs on windows 2000 that the machine came from. I suspect that later versions of the software will just tell me what the error is instead of just saying "fault" and refusing to work. For some reason I can't find a later version anywhere.

I've re-installed their software several times, flashed the firmware on the controller, and checked everything I can think of. I'm about to just build my own control box to bypass all this vendor lock in.

[email protected]

mTeryk · Jul 25, 2019

No help with your waterjet but is that $5000 a yearly or a one time fee. I worked at a place that bought a used Omax, we ponied up the $5000 and had a service rep travel out to setup and go through the entire machine and make service and upgrade recommendations. If you are making money with the machine the $5000 is a no-brainier. I seem to remember it bought us more than a year of service but could be remembering wrong. Suppose the math might work out different for a maker space.

Teryk

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

Pariel · Jul 25, 2019

Pontifier said:
The current version of the OMAX software we have is version 19, the latest that runs on windows 2000 that the machine came from. I suspect that later versions of the software will just tell me what the error is instead of just saying "fault" and refusing to work. For some reason I can't find a later version anywhere.

We have three Omax waterjets here, I'll ask around and see if anyone can shine some light on it.

I've re-installed their software several times, flashed the firmware on the controller, and checked everything I can think of. I'm about to just build my own control box to bypass all this vendor lock in.

This does seem like an area where just dropping LinuxCNC and a control board in would probably solve the problem you're having, albeit introducing new ones. And it would cost you a few hundred bucks, not thousands.

Ziggy2 · Jul 25, 2019

Pontifier said:
Hi, I run a small makerspace, and we have a used OMAX 2652 that we have been using for the last few years with only minor problems that we have been able to fix (We're a handy bunch). Recently though, a user had a problem with the machine, and I haven't been able to figure out what's wrong. We've been down for several months and OMAX won't give us any troubleshooting info unless we pay them $5000 for their service plan. That's more than all of our other yearly expenses combined so I'm hoping you can help me instead.

The problem is an unspecified fault that prevents the head from moving and no other info is given. Previously we discovered that this happens when there is not enough air pressure to trip the pressure sensor, but I've checked every limit switch and the pressure switch (they are all wired in series in a big loop) for continuity and function. As far as I can tell nothing there is triggering the fault.

Is there something else I should check?

The current version of the OMAX software we have is version 19, the latest that runs on windows 2000 that the machine came from. I suspect that later versions of the software will just tell me what the error is instead of just saying "fault" and refusing to work. For some reason I can't find a later version anywhere.

I've re-installed their software several times, flashed the firmware on the controller, and checked everything I can think of. I'm about to just build my own control box to bypass all this vendor lock in.

[email protected]

Have you tried jumpering the loop? It could be as simple as no 24VDC feeding the loop.

triumph406 · Jul 25, 2019

Pontifier said:
but I've checked every limit switch and the pressure switch (they are all wired in series in a big loop) for continuity and function. As far as I can tell nothing there is triggering the fault.

Is there something else I should check?

[/email]

Have you checked that there is voltage at each switch as you check along the loop? When you get to a point where you don't see volts that your problem. It's possible you may have checked across each switch, but may have a broken wire between switches

Pontifier · Jul 25, 2019

So, I think misremembered how the switches were wired. Hearing the troubleshooting ideas suggested makes be think they were all open, and any switch could close the loop... I'm going to go back and double check everything again...

Ziggy2 · Jul 25, 2019

Pontifier said:
So, I think misremembered how the switches were wired. Hearing the troubleshooting ideas suggested makes be think they were all open, and any switch could close the loop... I'm going to go back and double check everything again...

Usually good design practices would have all of the switches as normally closed when conditions are okay. That would put a 24VDC signal to the PLC input port.

If wired with N.O. when conditions are OK, if a wire breaks or other continuity failure, there is no way to detect the condition.

N.C. allows for all failure paths to generate the fault condition.

Pariel · Jul 25, 2019

I would be very surprised if those switches were wired NO. Probably NC. NO switches don't stop anything when they fail open.

Now if you're just wondering if they're wired in series or in parallel, that's a different story.

mhajicek · Jul 25, 2019

Pariel said:
I would be very surprised if those switches were wired NO. Probably NC. NO switches don't stop anything when they fail open.

Now if you're just wondering if they're wired in series or in parallel, that's a different story.

If they're N.O. they would have to be parallel unless on separate circuits; otherwise they would all have to be triggered simultaneously before the machine noticed.

If they're N.C. they would have to be in series unless on separate circuits.

Pontifier · Jul 26, 2019

Got it working... kind of.

I went back determined to find the problem. Each switch has 2 wires going to it, and they are all wired in parallel. The controller has a jumper inside set to "normally open".

I hooked the the controller up to an oscilloscope and found that the controler puts 1.8vdc on one of the pins. If any switch connects them, the voltage drops... I could see this on the scope when I hit the pause button (which is wired like the other limit switches).

Unfortunately, the controller still showed a fault, even when the voltage was high.

This is when I decided to start checking other parts of the board, starting with the 12v supply. When the probe hit the +12v rail, the power light on the board turned on (I hadn't noticed it before), and the fault went away.

TLDR
I think the control board is reporting a power supply problem as a fault, and I saved $5000

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