3D Elk cutting (video) #13 - Hagerman, New Mexico

[sailfl]

Did you guys come up with a hand shake when you had the MBA meeting for the Rockies? Shouldn't it be MMBA?

I suppose we need T-Shirts and Hats!

[Greg J]

Test 1 - I checked the E-Stop loop by taking the ohm meter and performing a continuity check. When the three E-Stops on the gantry are not engaged, I get a closed loop (meter beeps). When any one of the three E-Stops IS engaged, I get a open loop (no beep on the meter).

Test 2 - With power to 4T2 and 2T1 of the contactor, I can depress the contactor in the middle of the relay and power everything. The fan works, the drivers have power, etc. A1 and A2 are utilized.

Test 3 - I've rechecked the wiring to the schematic and it looks good (not saying that if I check it again, I might find the problem )

Here are a couple of pictures.

Contactor 1.jpg

Contactor 2.jpg

[smreish]

Greg,
Just for giggles...check to make certain that your CN-22 contactor is the correct voltage. I assume you are using 110V coil? On occasion, factorymation/automation direct have been known to mislabel a relay or two.

Greg....I was studying your picture. I assume the back of the front panel block is the on/off block. With that said...Does L3 go to center blcok or to the start block.?

110V - US schematic for reference.110v-usa.pdf

[Greg J]

Sean,

First, thanks for your help. First beer at the MM conference is on me.

Question 1 - Yes, the CN-22 is the correct voltage. I had everything working in the kitchen project.

Question 2 - The back of the front panel does show the on/off block. The left block is the NO (on) block, the center is the light block, the right block is the NC block (off). L3 goes to the off or NC block. T3 (the other white wire) goes to the NO (on block)

Additional test - Continuity check between T2 and A2 is open when NOT pressing the on switch. When the on switch is press, the circuit is closed. I did this test to make sure the contactor coil was getting current when the on switch was pressed.

I also check continuity on the BOB, J6 between E-stop and GND. When E-stops are not engaged, the circuit is closed. When the E-stop is engaged (pressed) the circuit is open.

[Alan_c]

Originally Posted by ekdenton

Okay on the MBA but do we have to grow beards.....the itching the chaffing

Beards are optional, but if grown, they must be grey - its in the terms of use agreement right after painting the MechMate blue...

[domino11]

Originally Posted by Alan_c

Beards are optional, but if grown, they must be grey - its in the terms of use agreement right after painting the MechMate blue...

Oh good,
Dont think I could grow anything but grey these days!

[Greg J]

I always tell people, "it's not grey, it's silver".

[Kobus_Joubert]

Yes Silver in the hair, gold in the teeth and lead in the feet at our age.

[Greg J]

And titanium holding the internal joints together.

[sailfl]

Greg,

Beside your contactor is a Magnecraft unit. What are you using it for and can you provided some additional information.

Thanks

[ekdenton]

Greg, something doesn't look quite right on the contactor wiring. Hard to orient because it it upside down to how I did mine but check the following wire I think it is on the wrong side of the light contactor. I think the neutral or N wire should go to the side of the light that doesn't go to the NO or on button. I checked mine and the diagram is how I am wired at the contactors

[ekdenton]

oops the bottom wire on the on button or NO contactor I forgot to label, it goes to L3 on the contactor

[smreish]

ED....I that's what I was trying to figure out...I think that might be it.
Greg?

[ekdenton]

and check the white wire on the top of the NC, I think it should go to the top of the NO if that wire goes to T3 on the contactor. Hard to see where the wires are going to the contactor in the photo

[ekdenton]

I see one other thing to check. on the light contactor there is a white wire on top and a black wire on the bottom, but at the contactor relay there are two white wires. Check to see but one contactor relay wire should go to one side of the light and the other contactor relay wire should go to the other side of the light. So being that the colors don't seem to jive in the photo maybe check those also.

[Greg J]

Thanks again guys.

I will check when I get home this evening.

It sure is nice to have an extra set of eye's to troubleshoot.

[Doug_Ford]

Greg,

You do have it plugged into the wall right? And is there power at the outlet?

[Greg J]

Thanks Guys,

I finally got it!!! I had the off (NC) switch wired wrong.

I like detailing my mistakes, because if one person who thinks they don't have the confidence, or expertise to build a MechMate, decides to actually take the adventure and fabricate "the beast", then maybe, ... just maybe, ... engineering can change humanity for the better. OK, so I've had a couple of beers. This is cool stuff.

Sorry for the rambling.

The off (NC) switch was wired wrong. I tried wiring per Ed's suggestions, but only made the lights in the shop slightly dim. Talk about pucker factor.

The next step was to totally rewire the on/off switch. No big deal, but it's interesting that I checked the wiring ... oh, 5 times, and it looked good. Once I started to re-connect the wires, the light bulb over the head went off, and I saw the problem. You have to have a beer after a moment like that. Anyways, I finished the rewiring and everything worked great. the E-stops work. The motors turn. The pause/start buttons are getting to the computer. It was a good evening.

[ekdenton]

Originally Posted by Greg J

Thanks Guys,


The off (NC) switch was wired wrong. I tried wiring per Ed's suggestions, but only made the lights in the shop slightly dim. Talk about pucker factor.

Glad you got it fixed, sorry if the wiring drawing misled, I went out opened my box and took my wire ties off my contactor wiring and marked each wire where I have mine, and rechecked with the wiring plan. I will take a look again today and make sure I didn't do the drawing incorect.

[ekdenton]

Hi Greg,
I checked my drawing with how I have mine wired and with the plan again, and it all checks out. The wire coming from the contactor T3 can be wired to either to the on or off button contactors as long as it is on the same side as the above drawing(opposite the estop and L3). When I marked T3 and L3 on the drawing I didn't explain but that is the third or unused legs on the contactor if your using the three pole contactor. Again sorry for any confusion.

I ordered my dust collector yesterday. And I have an order for a tube amp that I will be using the MM to make the logo badge and faceplate for

yeahoo my first paying job with it.

[domino11]

ED,
Do you do a lot of work with tube amps? Guitars, tube and solid state amps are one of my hobbies. I deal with sonar frequency high power amps at work.

[Greg J]

Ed,

Thanks for the help. Don't worry about any confusion. No big deal.

A paying job. I hope to be saying the same thing in the near future.

[Greg J]

Trying to attach the racks using the 3M4955 VHB Tape. Maybe got a bad roll, but it is not going to work. Not very sticky and will not hold the rack.

I'm removing the thin clear plastic that protects the tape, but still not very sticky. Am I missing something in the application? Very strange.

Guess I'll get some silicone and attach like Ed.

[ekdenton]

Works good but needs to be clamped and let cure overnight.

I couldn't get the tape to work either.

[Greg J]

Wondering if we just didn't get the metal to metal tape?

Waiting on silicone. The racks are the last thing I have to do, was expecting to cut some wood today. Looks like tomorrow.

[J.R. Hatcher]

Did you rub down both surfaces with denatured alcohol and let them dry? From what I understand the longer it's held together (like overnight) the stronger the bond gets???

[smreish]

Odd, I use VHB the 4952 (hard to bond surface) version almost daily without fail. On occassion I have the humidity issue to deal with causing the paper tape to not come off so easily. I doubt that is an issue you have in the desert.

Was it really tacky before you put it on? Or just a little sticky?

Either you had a bad roll or your surfaces had residue.

JR.
Your correct, just like masking tape, it has a oxidizing activator in the glue surface that begins to cure after 24-72 hours.

I hope to see happy cutting pictures tomorrow.

Sean

[sailfl]

VHB 4952 is actually for plastics and paint according to the 3M site.

[Greg J]

I cleaned both racks and mating surface with Acetone.

The tape had less tack than blue painters tape.

Anyways, have racks clamped and will re-assemble motors tomorrow and play. I went with the 35 teeth pinions, so I need to be mindful of the speeds.

I already have a guy at work that wants a guitar made. Not a paying job yet, just for the fun of it.

Originally Posted by Greg J

Trying to attach the racks using the 3M4955 VHB Tape. Maybe got a bad roll, but it is not going to work. Not very sticky and will not hold the rack.

The correct metal-to-metal 3M VHB tape is #4611. There are some posts somewhere talking about the different versions of VHB. I used 4611 and it worked fine.