Mega Mill 2040

At my new job here in Little Rock, AR, we have a VMC that supposedly worked when it left its former home and also supposedly worked until a few months before I showed up. The story is that it stopped functioning at all when the engineers connected a computer to it, before I got here.

You may have read about this exact machine here: http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/cnc-machining/seeking-advice-megamill-vmc-2040-a-265436/

Yes, it is the same machine. We ended up with it when the facility in Canada had its bankrupty auction, here:

Mega Mill CNC w/computer and tooling VMC-2 voltage:575

I'm not exactly a journeyman CNC operator - although that's what I went to school for, I've been operating manual machines professionally. I am certainly not an electrician or electrical engineer, and I feel like I might be in over my head if I try to tear this thing apart.

So far, the problems are in startup. There's an air leak that I've traced to the stud puller, and that's easy enough to fix. It trips the main power-in breaker if I open up the air line, so I'm just stuck at this point.

If I leave the air off, I get an error code on the screen in red letters "EMG EMERGENCY". I can only find one e-stop, and it's on the control panel.

Does anyone have a good contact for an expert who can troubleshoot the machine here in Little Rock?

I cannot say I know the control, but there must (read:should) be a setting or parameter to ignore the low air pressure alarm. IIRC on a Haas it is parameter 76.
Did you get a manual with the machine?

No, no manual. Probably half the problem!

Hi that machine says 575 voltage you have 575 in the USA?

doug925 said:

I cannot say I know the control, but there must (read:should) be a setting or parameter to ignore the low air pressure alarm.

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Only if the machine tool builder included it in the ladder program. I'm 99.99% confident that they did not. It is a Mitsubishi control so the user can force the PLC input(falsely tell the PLC that the air is on) if needed. Since it seems the OP does not have manuals nor much CNC experience, I'd advise that he not try getting in that deep.

Documentation is going to be key to getting this fixed and running in the long term. A wiring diagram, ladder diagram and backups of all the machine data should be high on your list of things to get. Without those, even a very experienced CNC tech will spend lots of time ($) figuring out things that would just take a few minutes with the right documents.

twr said:

Hi that machine says 575 voltage you have 575 in the USA?

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Not sure why the auction lists 575, but go ahead and indulge yourself in the rampant misspellings in the rest of the auction's listings. Take it with a grain of salt.

FYI, the machine is clearly labeled for 208V-3Ø on the outside of the main electrical panel.

Veteran Bicycle said:

FYI, the machine is clearly labeled for 208V-3Ø on the outside of the main electrical panel.

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That's typical of any Taiwanese / Japanese / Asian built machine, because that's the standard supply voltage there. In markets outside of Asia, it needs a step down transformer.

You need to check that your machine is getting that +/- 10%, at it's isolator.

I'm told 575Volt isn't uncommon in Canada. I'd think you would need a new transformer if your at 480V in Arkansas. Old transformer would be out side of its taps.

Regards Phil.

machtool said:

That's typical of any Taiwanese / Japanese / Asian built machine, because that's the standard supply voltage there. In markets outside of Asia, it needs a step down transformer.

You need to check that your machine is getting that +/- 10%, at it's isolator.

I'm told 575Volt isn't uncommon in Canada. I'd think you would need a new transformer if your at 480V in Arkansas. Old transformer would be out side of its taps.

Regards Phil.

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Refer to the Power Supply Unit here. It's not 575v.



I replaced the air lines inside the machine that run from the air lubricator in a panel on the back of the machine through flexible conduit and a cable track up to the spindle. The two lines I replaced served the stud puller and and an air blaster to clear chips; it terminated in an NPT fitting which a loc-line was screwed into.

So, no more air pressure error. This is what I used:

6.5mm Inside Diam, 1mm Outside Diam, 1.75mm 4869324 - MSC

I asked about 575 only because I thought that 480 was the highest in the USA not because I thought the machine was 575. My shop is 600 volt and a few step down transformers to run my lathe and mill. Glad your getting their with the machine!

Veteran Bicycle said:

Refer to the Power Supply Unit here. It's not 575v.

View attachment 200806

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Have you actually checked its getting 200V 3 phase?