I bought a Makino today...
- Thread starter Garwood
- Start date
Not bad for 30 something years old. Original spindle, screws, thrust bearings etc. Says a lot about the builder.
To big and complex for the hobby/garage person and thought to be too old and slow for a production shop.
Quality iron is so nice to work with.
It really is nice. Thanks again for talking me into it!
Question- M10 locks B and M11 unlocks it. I don't see any indication of locked/unlocked. There's no sound. I assume it's hydraulic. Is this correct?
What happens if I command a B move, but forget an M11? Or do I even need to command B unlocked before a move?
Just wondering if I'm using the lock correctly or assuming/overthinking things.
The B clamp is hydraulic. When you activate it you should hear a little noise IIRC. It's just a tiny bit of volume and the solenoid is under one of the X axis way covers. I think that a B command causes it to unclamp automatically, but it's been so long that I can't say for sure. Easy enough to check though. If you have it clamped and command a B move and it does the move, then it automatically unclamped. If it hangs on the B move then it needs to be unclamped before a B command. Confirmation of clamping is by a pressure switch. IIRC, on one of the MPC2 screens there is a box that is highlighted when clamped.
Finally getting some stuff running through the Makino. It's very accurate, handles 150IPM feedrates pretty good. Haven't pushed feedrates to see what it'll do yet.
pallet changer is awesome!!! Loading parts in the load station is so nice compared to reaching inside a machine.
I really like that I can run short tools for almost everything. The spindle goes to centerline and the tombstones seem to be a great match for the travels on this machine.
I think I'm going to change the spindle gearbox oil out from Velocite 3 to velocite 6. The spindle gearbox makes noise at higher RPM's and feedrates. Maybe it's just normal, but it sounds like gears clattering and I think thicker oil might help.
The hydraulic toolchanger has been slowed down a shitload from what the manuals say it should be at. The manuals give times for every movement in small fractions of a second and this thing is like 5+ seconds per movement (and there's a lot of them). I'm going to speed it up to a little better than snail speed and see how it does.
Oh, and this old Makino clamps the B axis automatically- Clamped is it's natural state. It unclamps when you select the B in manual mode. In MDI or in the program it will just hang at a B axis move unless I put an M11 before the move. Then it moves fine.
Question- Is there a way to idiot proof my programs so they run on the correct pallet? I just know M60 changes the pallet and I have to push the green "pallet ready" button on the load station before M60 happens. Can I tell it to grab the other pallet if it has the wrong one- How is this handled? Or am I just overthinking this?
pallet changer is awesome!!! Loading parts in the load station is so nice compared to reaching inside a machine.
I really like that I can run short tools for almost everything. The spindle goes to centerline and the tombstones seem to be a great match for the travels on this machine.
I think I'm going to change the spindle gearbox oil out from Velocite 3 to velocite 6. The spindle gearbox makes noise at higher RPM's and feedrates. Maybe it's just normal, but it sounds like gears clattering and I think thicker oil might help.
The hydraulic toolchanger has been slowed down a shitload from what the manuals say it should be at. The manuals give times for every movement in small fractions of a second and this thing is like 5+ seconds per movement (and there's a lot of them). I'm going to speed it up to a little better than snail speed and see how it does.
Oh, and this old Makino clamps the B axis automatically- Clamped is it's natural state. It unclamps when you select the B in manual mode. In MDI or in the program it will just hang at a B axis move unless I put an M11 before the move. Then it moves fine.
Question- Is there a way to idiot proof my programs so they run on the correct pallet? I just know M60 changes the pallet and I have to push the green "pallet ready" button on the load station before M60 happens. Can I tell it to grab the other pallet if it has the wrong one- How is this handled? Or am I just overthinking this?
Herding Cats
Hardplates
Check your M codes. On my Hitachi M60 does a pallet swap, M61 puts pallet 1 in the machine and M62 puts pallet 2 in the machine.
If it doesn't have a feature like this you could write a macro and a couple M codes to do the same. Pretty sure I have the macros saved somewhere.
Doesn't the MPC2 side of the control have a spot to register what program runs on what pallet? I thought it did. Also i think that similar to HC's suggestion there is M61 and M62 to load specific pallet.
Spruewell
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If it has probing, you could set a probe point on the pallet and use a macro to identify it. I’ve seen it on conveyor assembly systems. There would be a set of holes in the underside of the pallet that go over limit switches or proximity sensors at each station. Depending upon the pattern it sees, the station could perform different functions. In your case, you might use different diameter bores, or different depth holes. Could also be used to locate different pallets
No probe yet, but it's definitely on my list to implement for this machine. I'll keep that idea in mind for when I do.
I will take a look.
Herding Cats
Hardplates
I'm going to take a wild guess and say that M61 and M62 will work. M84 and M95 are likely part of the M61 and 62 macros. M192 and 193 are the pallet check codes on my machine and they are integrated into the m61 and 62 macros. They can be used on their own but I never saw the need to as calling M61 with pallet one in the machine doesn't cause an alarm. It simply does nothing and completes the M code.
Not a good day for old Makinos. Got some kind of intermittent spindle alarm. Troubleshooting that, the display died.
Gotta love old machines. This one's been sitting for much of 2 years so I should expect some of this.
Gotta love old machines. This one's been sitting for much of 2 years so I should expect some of this.
Since that machine had already been converted to a new (SVGA?) monitor it will be easy/cheap to fix. Meanwhile the big screen will do.
Herding Cats
Hardplates
Any one of those other M codes might do it, M63 64 65.... M80?
Are the macors stored as 9000 programs? might be able to take a look at them if you make them visible
mach ramsey mn
Active member
Check the m-code masking parameters to see what m-code fires what macro number.
Did you have the pallet ready signal on? (Push the pallet read button???)
Did you have the pallet ready signal on? (Push the pallet read button???)