Cutting head started cutting at 14-15 mm above the sheet - Amada LC-2415 Alpha III

[SS37]

We just had the short z-sensor cable replaced, and the machine worked fine for 1 day. The next day, the head did not detect the sheet metal but stopped at 14-15 mm above the sheet and start cutting.

We are using HS-2000 sensor. Head calibration worked fine (with Trace OFF). See Video here:

https://youtu.be/p-_nVzMZH2Y

Problem was when we ran program (Trace Off not lit) that the head refused to come down and detect the sheet before starting to cut. See Video here:

https://youtu.be/5BFi9CGT-sY

Local technicians tried replacing the cone, the nozzle, the internal sensor cable, the short sensor cable, and the HS-2000 board. They even restored the entire machine parameters from SRAM backup. Nothing seemed to solve the problem.

Any idea, please?

 

[jjl1210]

Change the M102 line to a different material thickness turn the shutter key off and do a dry run and see if it acts the same way.

 

[LASERNINJA]

This is just a guess. I ran into something similar a few weeks back.

There is a cable that plugs into the the control JA6. Its has a grey plug and comes from the sensor board. Make sure its plugged in.

 

[SS37]

Thank you for all the advice... will try them out in the evening and report the results.

The local technician mentioned that he used to adjust touch level of HS-2003 (FO machine) by changing K48.1 value from 0 to 1... and then adjust manually (but he doubted that the HS-2000 will use the same K48.1 keep relay). Would doing this helps?

 

[hookie1985]

man we just went through all this last summer, IT was a miserable process. exact same thing was happening I will try and find the post and see what it ended up being though.

 

[hookie1985]

Ok ours we ended up hooking up the external z cable to the outside of the cone and it got us by till the tech came back. Anyways thats all i got. Good luck

 

[LASERNINJA]

Ah yes Mr. Hookie,

I remember that. That was a good time. Maybe a record for number of post. This problem is similar. But in the video it looks like the sensor is not even looking for the material. Remember how your machine would "look for" the metal 3.5" above the deck. This one doesn't do that at all. To me, that means that there isn't communication between the sensor board and the control. I suppose it could be a parameter or keep relay ( i don't know K48.1) or like your machine, the mechanic screwed up. I think he/she didn't put the cable back when he replaced the sensor board or something like that.

 

[hookie1985]

yea, i remember it was the first time I Angered the LAserNinja

 

[SS37]

Yes... I read that thread many many times... very informative.

jjl1210:
When material thickness was set at 1.2 mm, the head started cutting at 11-12 mm above the material (the Z value on the screen was fluctuating all the time but within this range)... when I changed the thickness to 0.5 mm, the head lowered itself accordingly to around 10-11 mm.

LASERNINJA:
I also checked the JA6 cable, it was intact. But I pulled it out and checked with ohm-meter anyway. It was OK.


The technicians came again today and checked the DIP switch setting on the HS-2000 board, the setting was correct... they still could not solve the problem, though.

 

[evans1089]

Has the head been knocked at all?

 

[LaserEngine]

Sure its nothing to do with a faulty connection?
If the she connector on the cone has been repaired by soldering a new one there and not covered the cable side up properly i would say this error could occur.
Or is the pin in the connector faulty, or has the cover broke on the she connector on the cone ?

Just some things that poped up in my head by previous experience.

 

[SS37]

Amada technicians recently came with spareparts... replacing the cone + nozzle + external cable + internal cable + HS-2000 board.

Still did not solve the problem.

What they did not replace were the JA6 and the ribbon cables. But they did check both cables for connection faults (did not find any).

I double checked the JA6 cable myself, but not the ribbon cable.

 

[sparky4808]

If you open diagnostic 906 (I think) should be "trace data". on my FO3015NT it will read -32xxx when there is nothing touching the nozzle. if you touch the nozzle with your finger it should go +32xxx. it should also bounce around if you just hover 1-2mm around the bottom if the tip. If it is not reading like I said, then there is something wrong with the z tracking system. have you tried running a new long z wire externally to see if that fixes it?

Ive also had the little copper ring that sits in the plug get worn down enough where it wasn't making contact with the nozzle. I don't know if your machine uses it or not but just another idea.
Im curious to see how this plays out, good luck.

 

[SS37]

Found the Trace Data... the number was 2x... and did not change when the nozzle was touched. See here:

https://youtu.be/R2hS3UsxY08

 

[LaserSpyder]

this is simple stuff but make sure ur air line isn't making contact with cone we have issues when ours does, iv taped air line where it makes contact and taped back metal casing on air line back away from cone but im still wondering why ur operation stop button is on?

 

[SS37]

@LaserSpyder
We pressed the operation stop button by mistake, sorry.


Update...
Yesterday Fanuc technician came in to check the serial comm. board that the JA6 cable was plugged into... not faulty.

To summarize what we had done to date:
Cone... checked
Ceramic Ring... checked
External Z Cable... checked
Internal Z Cable... checked
HS-2000 board... checked
JA6 Cable... checked
Ribbon Cable (from HS-2000 board)... checked
Fanuc Serial Communication Board (and ram)... checked
N1 Cable (from controller to back of machine)... checked
Machine Parameters... checked

Nozzle... not checked (no replacement part)

 

[SS37]

Still... the problem remains.


HS-98 Regulation sequence...OK
Z-Sensor Wire Break alarm... OK
Trace data... not OK (stuck at 28)
Cutting (with Trace Off)... OK
Cutting (no Trace Off)... not OK (failed to "look for" material and tracing not working)


Aaaaahhh... this is getting discouraging.

 

[SS37]

I need help in verifying whether this is normal.

1. I pulled the Trace Data onto the screen.
2. Trace data reading was 20-28 (fluctuating).
3. External Z-Sensor was pulled out... wire break alarm.
4. Put back Z-Sensor... alarm went away.
5. Removed nozzle... wire break alarm.
6. Put your finger (or metallic material) near the tip of the head (without touching)... wire break alarm went away.
7. Pull your finger away from the tip... wire break alarm came back.
8. Trace data remains unaffected throughout the process.


Does this mean that the sensor is working, but the data somehow did not get to the controller (so the trace data got stuck at 28)?

 

[sparky4808]

It sounds like there is something shorting to the cone. I am not familiar with your machine but the trace data on my FO NT will go 32,xxx when it is on material and -32,xxx when off. Like Laserspyder said, check to make sure there are no metal hose covers or wire touching anywhere on the cone.

You don't have water assist on by chance? (just a thought)
Are you using Amada brand ceramic plugs? I have had some hypertherm plugs that we got a lot cheaper cause a no calibration problem. (another thought)

Have you tried doing an HS sensor calibration when you have turn the "Trace Off" feature ON? try doing that and watch the trace data # and see what it does during the calibration.

 

[SS37]

@sparky4808
HS sensor calibration ran faultless both with "Trace Off" and without "Trace Off" (during which time the "Trace Data" remained stuck at 20-28).



We measured the output voltage across the "Sensor Out" pins of the HS-2000 board (the pins where the JA6 cable was plugged into) while manually jogged the Z-axis. During Z values of 3.3 mm to 0.8 mm, the output voltage varied between +/- 3.6VDC.

Then, we pulled out the JA6 cable from the HS-2000 board and measured again. This time the output voltage varied between +/- 12VDC.

Could anyone who has data on Fanuc 160i-L with HS-2000 sensor please help verify this voltage?


Thank you very much.