The Craftmans Shop > New from Old
The Sequel - Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe (Beaver TC 20)
awemawson:
John, I'm putting in code copied directly from the Beaver hardware manual, also from a set of Beaver programming course notes that I have. I'm doing it under MDI, and also running it from a small program of the same code loaded into the machine, all with the same result.
On the Generation 2 TC20 Lathes there is a 'Setting bit' that turns this feature on. I have the details for it. I can identify no such bit on this Generation 1 machine, but I'm sure that there must be some mechanism to enable or disable it, as the necessary spindle encoder was a optional extra.
I'm sure the key is going to be getting hold of a working copy of the Step5 software, though no doubt using and interpreting it will be a long and involved process !
cnc-it:
Yes I agree..with a name like Step 5 it sounds like only the tech who wrote the software knows how it works :smart: but well worth a try!
awemawson:
So having picked up a load of grass seed from the merchant early this morning, I was able to get on and fit the fan.
First I completed the assembly, incorporating a fused terminal block, then I re-set the field current back up to 3 amps. This involves intercepting the FXM-3's output and inserting an Avo. Pot duly tweaked. Then I replaced the original card mounting screws with the nylon pillars and wired it up.
All very straightforward. I can't now point my I/R thermometer at the Thyristor heat sink, but from the flow of air over it I'm sure that it's fine :scratch:
Last night in a flash of inspiration, I remembered that in the machine door pocket had been a floppy disk with three files on it - copies of the machine parameters and PLC program. Just suppose the PLC program was different . . . . could that have the key to the axial positioning issue? So I ploughed through page after page of data and sure enough I found a difference in one line . . . . . whoopee !
So having fitted the fan, once more I re-loaded the controller data just hoping . . . . no, no such luck . . .no difference . . .and no idea what the different data represents. Another oddity to tuck away and remember in the future.
cnc-it:
It's funny I was going to mention if there could be a difference in the PLC software or the parameter set...my Partsmaster parameters from new where changed at the college to add/remove options over the years but no records were saved..
awemawson:
--- Quote from: cnc-it on August 14, 2018, 07:11:18 PM ---Yes I agree..with a name like Step 5 it sounds like only the tech who wrote the software knows how it works :smart: but well worth a try!
--- End quote ---
STEP5 is actually a PLC programming language developed by Siemens but has been superseded by STEP7. I did persuade Siemens to let me download a trial version of STEP7 (1.8 GigaBytes!) which took 7.5 hours to unpack then produced nothing useful :bang: Anyway apparently STEP7 won't talk to this generation of controller !
(STEP5 runs under DOS or the earlier versions of Windows before NT)
I do actually have STEP5 but no authorisation code for it, and Siemens can't supply as it's obsolete !
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