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Basic Operation of Dialog 4 Controller

mouldmaker-13

Plastic
Joined
May 2, 2020
Hello all. I have a Deckel FP5 NC which I have been working on with the help of a very knowledgeable Electronics guy by the name of Michael on this forum. I am very indebted to him for the hours he worked with me getting things worked out.
Initially the machine had various electronic faults and required quite a bit of investigation as to why it was not operating.
Any way long story short, the control is now working well, all axis jog correctly and machine homes well.
One thing that I cannot get operating is the spindle. I am not sure of the sequence for initiating that. Does this need to be done through a data input, or small pgm?
My other problem is that I need someone that would not mind helping me with some basic instructions for operating the Dialog 4 controller, eg basic pgm input, etc
Once I can get past the basics, It should be ok as I am familiar with CNC mills.

Much appreciated for any help you can offer.
 
There are two versions of FP5 i believe. Early versions use the "normal" gear shifting setup, where the spindle is driven by discrete gar ratios that are shifted by small electric motors
on the side of the gearbox.

Since your machine is a Dialog4 i am going to assume that yours is fitted with the gear shifting setup.....
Here is how it should work if everything is in order and working.....
However if your machine is fitted with a spindle drive where the motor frequency is changed to change speed , then disregard the following post !

With the control powered up, that is the green indicator button on the lower left side of the operators panel is illuminated. The CRT is on and the servo drives are on. (should hear the servo drive cooling fan running in the large green cabinet)

Must be in mode 1 through 7 on the right hand selector rotary switch to activate the spindle from the operators panel. (manual)
Note: mode 1 is for hand wheel operation and the servos will not be active in this mode.

Select the desired spindle speed via the right hand rotary switch....(The dial with all the discrete spindle speeds shown)
Press the froward or reverse spindle push button, those are the two green buttons just below the speed selector rotary switch.

The spindle will shift by jogging while cycling the spindle motor brake (you can hear it cycle) this will happen for about 4 cycles jogging in one direction then reverse and repeat.....
If the gearbox is not successfully shifted in 3 full jogging cycles the control will fault (E stop) and require a power off to reset..

The CRT should display the selected spindle speed at the top right of the screen. If the speed is not displayed then you are not in a mode that will accept manual spindle start. (change mode 1-7)
The format will show: S 3150. Once the spindle is started (motor running) the readout will change to: S+3150 (forward) or: S-3150 (reverse)

If the gearbox is already in the correct and selected gear no shifting will occur, but rather the spindle will start immediately in either forward (right green button) or reverse (left green button)
To stop the spindle press the red stop button just below the right/left green start buttons....

Some notes:
The spindle once started will not stop if the feed is engaged and moving even though the stop button is pressed.
You must halt any feed motion before stopping the spindle rotation....

Spindle can't be started if either tool holder gripper (horizontal/vertical) is released (Hydraulic pump and valve activated via tool change pendant)

Cheers Ross
 
Hi Ross.

Really appreciate your response.
So a few questions to clarify.
I get to the stage, where servos are up and running and I can hear fans running in big cabinet and CRT screen is functioning correctly.
You say at that stage select speed on dial and then make sure selector is set in modes between 2 and 7.
When you say to press either the forward or reverse green buttons, what is the best way? You mention 4 cycles in forward and then the same in in reverse. Does this mean I repeat pressing the jog forward button 4 times and then the same in reverse or will the nachine do these 4 cycles automatically once green button is pressed once?
Secondly, you say thay if the spindle cant be started if the tool has been released. Does this mean that the machine spindle will only start if there is a tool clamped in the spindle?

Regards
Henry.
 
OK so you need to be in modes 1 through 7 in order to make the spindle start from the operators panel (non program)

Modes 8 through 16 all pertain to automatic operation and programming.

Spindle will start in mode 1 ,but the servos will be off....

You select the desired spindle RPM with the right hand rotary switch.

You press either the forward button ( green button just below the rotary spindle speed selector switch) or the reverse button...just depends on which way you want the spindle to rotate
You only press it once.....if needed the spindle will jog and shift....it will jog until the gears are correctly meshed to produce the speed you selected.
This jog is automatic, controlled by the electronics....if the gear is already in the correct position for the selected speed the spindle should start immediately (No jogging needed)
If the machine tries to shift and is unable to find the gear , after some cycles it will go to E-stop. This can happen if the relays for the motor have dirty contacts...

The spindle will run with or without a tool clamped...it just won't run if you have initiated a tool change and not completed it (Pressure on the gipper hydraulics)....This won't be an issue unless you have started to change a tool, and not finished the release/grip cycle.

Oh and the spindle will not start if you have the speed selector set to "0" ...that is neutral, used fro indicating and the like.

Cheers Ross
 
Thx Ross.
I will try that as soon as I get back to machine again and ley you know how I get on.
BTW. If my machine has these gear shifting motors, where will they be?
I see there are 2 small devices up on the side of the ram. If I am standing in front of the machine looking it it they are up on the right hand side and are visible if I remove the top side panel.
 
Actually i don't know....Never seen an FP5 in person.
On an FP4NC the shift motors are under a fiberglass cover on the operators side at the rear of the "Y" ram....

Suspect yours are in a similar location under the sheet metal that covers the side of the ram....

Send along some photos of the machine side. front,rear ....interested to see it. If possible with the cover off as well....just curious.
Cheers Ross
 
Hi Ross.
Thanks for your input. For the most part, your instruction worked a treat. There was one small obsticle however.
On my machine, there was at some time in the past, a spindle kill switch fitted.
This just looked like a door interlock with a removable key that was screwed onto the side of the machibe near the main head.
Initially I tried out your sequence with no luck, I kept on getting a FP11 Error message, but no jogging of spindle.
Then I removed all the side covers to see if there was maybe something going on that could be stopping the spindle initiating.
When I looked closely around the gear shift motors, I saw that there had been a modification where previously someone had cut into this circuit and then had taken those wires to this interlock.
When I was working on this machine previously with Michael, I remember that we saw this and could not figure out what it was supposed to be for.
Now I know, it stops the spindle. So if the key is out, then the spindle starts, if key in, no spindle motion.
Thanks again.
I will try to post some pictures of my FP5NC as soon as I can figure out how to upload them to the site.
 
Wow...that is a new one.
Guess one should not underestimate the ability of people to complicate things.
Seems a bit backward if safety was the target...I mean removing a key lets the system run.....and you need teh key to stop it....

Anyhow glad you got it sorted.
Cheers Ross
 








 
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