Chiron toolchanger service?

Hey all,

I've been trying to get the tool changer on my Chiron fz08 w to work right. Most of the tool changer cylinders don't work. Either they don't go down all the way or they don't move at all. I think they're worn out or clogged with gunk, and so far the only way I've seen to fix them is to buy new ones from Chiron (they're pretty expensive). Is there a rebuild kit I can buy or any other way to fix these?

FZ08 tool change is so fast they are prone to screw up sometimes. Seriously doubt there is a "rebuild kit"....most likely everything for these has to come from Chiron. So best bet it to try and de-gunk one and see if that fixes it... and if so, de-gunk them all. I briefly owned a late '90's FZ08W back in 2002 but sold it via another dealer to a user in China !

Always wanted the smaller (due to no rotating tool pallet) FZ08S model but in decades of looking have never found one that wasn't either priced thru the roof or highly suspect as to condition. Curious that the W versions are way more common....S models are pretty rare in the used marketplace.

Your's is using HSK tooling, yes ? Mine would change tools so fast you would need a high speed motion camera to see it happen.

That sounds like a fun project... A few of the toolholders are still up, so I could try doing that and taking the bad ones off and see if I can't clean them out enough. I've been reading around and it looks like this is a common thing with these machines.

Marv Sheen said:

That sounds like a fun project... A few of the toolholders are still up, so I could try doing that and taking the bad ones off and see if I can't clean them out enough. I've been reading around and it looks like this is a common thing with these machines.

Click to expand...

Yeah they are "too fast" in a way....everything has to be "perfect" in the tool "basket" that surrounds the spindle for continuious use without a tool change flub up. What year is yours ?

and yeah, it uses HSK tooling. The changers that are in good shape do it faster than I can see! The others just get stuck and then the machine alarms out.

99, so it's probably a lot like the one you had. Other than the tool changes being a little iffy on certain holders, it's a good little machine!

??? Isn't Carbide Bob a Chiron man?

Hey Marv, welcome to the crazy land where we talk shit and guess how to fix things.
(Take any post from a nutter named Carbidebob as a rookie here and ... ,,... I post a lot, often I Know Nothing - YouTube )

Your problem might be in the solenoids that control the cylinders as these seem to go bad first.
Since they are all the same you can swap them (and coils) between arms and see if the problem moves.
To some extent you can take these valves apart and clean/rebuild them.

The other garage hack is to fill the oil injection section of the air system with WD-40, turn it up to high on the oilier and write a loop program that exercises the tool change for 8 hours or so.
This flushes out the system a bit. These machines do not like to sit unused as the lube oil "gums" up the works if allowed to dry.
I've used lacquer thinner in the air/oil system but there are parts in the valves that do not like this.

Maybe try to swap some valves on the block and or coils with them if separate and look for a change.
Each cylinder on mine also have flow control valves that can get plugged on both open and close, screw into tight first, record the setting (number of turns), then open up full to flush, reset to original.
Bob

I'm gonna try that! Any fix is better than replacing them.. Thanks!