What does this Agie indicator light mean?

Hello folks,

I just finished moving my shop 1500 miles and in the mix is an old Agie EMT-1 (sinker), circa 1981, that I was using successfully for many years. Now it's got an issue. There is an indicator light on the face of the 30L/DDL power supply panel that remains on now and I don't know what it means. I've pored through the manuals on the machine and nowhere does it describe this light. All the other lights are described. With this light on, it will not operate; I can move axes around and program it's little brain but I cannot energize the quill. It's the light labeled "6" with the switch symbol over "000.00"

It's on a string of indicator lights called the "illuminated indicator panel"

I've checked the limit switches and they operate. They are normally closed switches and they open when depressed.

Any clue as to what this symbol means? Thanks for any help!

Cheers,
Rich

Hi Folks,

Wow! No one has a hint, clue, suggestion? I continue poring over schematics to no avail so far. I'd be happy to try to provide additional information in hopes someone can help ...

Cheers,
Rich

I'm no EDM pro or anything... But it looks like it's saying open contact to me.

TeachMePlease said:

I'm no EDM pro or anything... But it looks like it's saying open contact to me.

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Thanks - I would agree. Something is either open or not where it's supposed to be. This 1981 electrical cabinet with TTL logic and wire-wrapped backplane is a bear to troubleshoot. I'm trying to trace the wiring from that light. What that something is, is my puzzle.

Cheers,
Rich

These machines used to have a plastic safety shield so that the operator would not stick his hands in while cutting. On the top right side of the tank there should be a round opening if you place a magnet there is should complete the circuit.

EDMDave said:

These machines used to have a plastic safety shield so that the operator would not stick his hands in while cutting. On the top right side of the tank there should be a round opening if you place a magnet there is should complete the circuit.

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Thanks, but that's not the light in question. I already have a magnet in place to defeat the shield circuit. That's light #4, not #6.

#6 is the problem.

Cheers,
Rich

I'm going to guess that's a HOME switch. A switch that indicates a 0.000 location. Perhaps it's indicating you need to reset the home position -- is there a procedure for that?

David Ferguson said:

I'm going to guess that's a HOME switch. A switch that indicates a 0.000 location. Perhaps it's indicating you need to reset the home position -- is there a procedure for that?

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Thanks for the reply, David.

The only '"home" position there might be is at the highest vertical level of the ram which is where the ram automatically retracts to when the system reaches a pre-programmed depth. Being in that upper position actuates another limit switch tells me I'm at the far upper end of Z. That is light #5 ("limit") although I will admit that light acts up on me sometimes but it doesn't prevent me from doing anything. Light #6 is part of the "blocking" circuit that will prevent me from energizing. Typical operation does not start from that high vertical position as it takes a very long time to get from there to part zero. I typically program my depth and manually move to around .100 above the part and then hit the GO button so I'm way off that supposed "home" position.

However ... in the meantime from my last post in this thread I discovered a loose D connector plug at the back of the machine's little brain. Plugging the cable in turned out the light so my immediate problem is solved to the extent that I can operate the machine. I still would very much like to know what this light is for because I can say pretty confidently that the light is not there to tell me a plug is loose. There is some other logic behind it.

Thanks for y'all's support and hints.

Cheers,
Rich