Tool Changer - Lower Clamp / Tool Presence Sensor

[metzenovich]

My Colombo ATC spindle has the drawbar clamp, gets activated with Chuck Clamp M10/M11. But it also has a lower clamp that has a tool presence sensor in it and interfaces with / wraps around the ISO30 tool holder (see the attached picture).

I have bonded the lower clamp retract air solenoid to the same relay as the drawbar clamp solenoid (and the cone air clean solenoid), which is working fine.

However, after Chuck Clamp M10/M11 is sent low and the air is released so the drawbar clamp closes on the tool a separate air solenoid has to turned on for a few seconds to close this lower clamp.

How can I trigger this solenoid for X seconds (probably 3) to close that lower clamp after the power is turned off for the drawbar clamp (with Chuck Clamp M10/M11)?

Is there support for this in Masso? Is there some relay timer product or circuit I can use? My search efforts have come up empty so far.

Thanks

 

[breezy]

Metzenovich,

Quick thought, M62/63 with G4 could do what you want, just need to add it to the post processor in the tool change routine.

Regards,

Arie.

 

[metzenovich]

Thanks. That should work for tool changes that take place in G-Code, but won't for tool changes that happen in the Masso interface or MDI, increasing the chance of human error and the bottom clamp getting left retracted.

It would be nice if there was a way to define what happens for M10 and M11. There are so many different types of hardware that just having one input/output for how M10/M11 work in the tool change routine is limiting.

For instance, my spindle has 2 drawbar sensors: one showing when the drawbar is all the way open, and one showing when it's all the way closed. The current tool change routine and M10/M11 handling only have one input, so I can only use one of those sensors. It takes 3 or 4 seconds from the time one goes off to the time the other goes on (as the spring pulls the drawbar clamp closed; the spindle is 20 years old so it doesn't happen right away).

I wish there was one file (or page in the interface) where you could define the logic and timing of what happens for M10, and another for M11. That would allow me to take advantage of both drawbar sensors, which would significantly reduce the odds of a problem during a tool change resulting in potential damage. It would also allow me to add logic to close the bottom clamp and to detect that the tool presence sensor has triggered, again reducing the odds of a botched tool change doing hardware damage.

 

[deanr181]

Hi Metzenovich,

Did you every get a reply to this as I have the same question.

I have an ATC with:

• Tool Release (drawbar) uses 12V solenoid
  
• Tool Clamp uses 12V solenoid
  
• Air Seal uses 12V solenoid (can activate with Spindle signal)
  
• Dust Removal uses 12V solenoid (Masso has an output but not sure how to set it up)
  

I also have a tool clamp sensor and a tool release sensor. NPN

I am at a total loss of how to connect any of these to the the Masso controller. The draw bar need to retract and the release sensor needs to then sense the tool is released and then continue to select the next tool.

The new tool then needs to be clamped and the clamp sensor to sense the tool is clamped before moving on.

There are no inputs listed for these sensors or any instruction on how to set up the ATC with theses functions.

Hope you manged to work it out and can share with us.

Thanks

Dean

 

[metzenovich]

I don't have it working yet, but I'm making progress. I haven't had much time to work on it lately.

For the Tool Release / Tool Clamp solenoids I think I'm going to use a 5 way 2 position solenoid (good video on how those work:

). I think the way it works is that it will always apply air to the Tool Clamp solenoid unless it gets a signal then it charges the Tool Release solenoid. I'll know more once I hook it up and test.

You just have to take it one step at a time:

1. Figure out how to safely control the solenoids using Masso TTL outputs by triggering them with the space bar in F1. Pay close attention to the power and wiring info here:
   

   TTL Outputs

   www.masso.com.au
2. Figure out how to get your tool release (drawbar) sensor working in Masso (as monitored in F1). You can do the tool clamp sensor as well, and you can monitor that it works in F1, but it won't be used for anything at the moment.
   @masso-support It would be helpful if there was an optional tool clamp sensor as Tool Changer Input 6 where you could check the box to indicate you had one, and then the tool change sequence would wait for that signal to go high before continuing the tool change, or throw an error. This would be optional step 12a in the Mill Linear Tool Change sequence. The process will work without it, but you could have a failed tool load that goes undetected and damages something as it drags the half-loaded tool across the table.
   
3. Figure out how to get it all working together (either as a manual tool change, or with the automatic tool changer sequence)
   

Good luck! Taken all together it's overwhelming, so just break it down and take the wins where you can get them.

 

[deanr181]

Hi Metzenovich,

Thanks for the reply and sorry for taking so long to get back to you.

I spent most of the weekend studying how Masso works and what is needed to operate the ATC spindle and believe i have worked it out, but yet to test.

As the spindle clamp only needs a 5 second burst of air, I dont think a 5 way 2 position solenoid will do the trick as when the solenoid returns, you will have constant air onto the clamp which is not how it needs to operate.

What i am doing is still have two separate solenoids, 1 for Unclamp and 1 for clamp (5 seconds or air). A normal relay board and a separate Timer Relay. The unlcamp will work through a relay and will use the unclamp M62/M63 P# command in Masso, using the NO contact of the relay. When the Unclamp Signal stops, the solenoid will close and when the relay contact goes to the NC side of the relay, this will trigger the Timer Relay to fire the Clamp solenoid for the set time (5 seconds). In theory this should work and on the controller and relays / timer is works, just need to connect everything up to see if it works properly.

This is the timer relay i am using. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DC12V-3...724480?hash=item592f2f64c0:g:clYAAOSw69BeV6F~

I live in Australia but had to buy this from China, however, you may be able to find one locally.

Hope this helps. I am still a fair way off testing but will send a post after testing whether good or bad.

Regards

Dean