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2000 Series Centerless Grinder Operating Manual

 

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Introduction

The 2000 Series Centerless Grinder control is a 1-6 axis CNC system with 2 axes for Infeed, 2 axes for grind wheel dressing and 2 axes for regulating wheel dressing.

2k_Centerless_Screen_overview.png

The system includes In-Feed, Thru-Feed and Profile Dressing pages. With the controls familiar windows interface, intuitive graphics, and user friendly layout, the system is easy to learn. Allowing you to have the machine operational almost immediately.

This manual gives the process for basic operation of the 2000 Series Centerless Grinder control. 

 

Screen Navigation

Easily navigate the 5 pages of the screen using the tab menu at the bottom of the screen.  The control will seamlessly switch operating modes following the active page and update the Axis Position group to only show the relevant axes for that operation.

2k_Centerless_Screen_nav.png

  1. Status
    • Status - Displays any current messages (Home All Pressed, Cycle Start Pressed, etc.)
    • State - Displays the current state of the machine (Run, Feed Hold, etc)
    • Cycle Time - Displays how long the GCode has been running
    • Date - Date and time of the timezone of the control
  2. Operation
    • In-Feed Grinding Cycle
    • Thru-Feed Grinding Cycle
    • Grind Wheel - Setup and Dressing
    • Regulating Wheel - Setup and Dressing
    • Service - Diagnostics and Support
  3. Operation Display
    • Axis Position Display
    • Cycle Status
    • Feedrate Display
    • Grind Wheel Display
    • Regulating Wheel Display
  4. Grinder Dashboard
    • Configurable Dashboard with Widgets for machine auxiliaries (Hydraulics, Mist Collectors etc.)
  5. Side Bar Dashboard
    • Configurable Dashboard with Widgets for productivity

In-Feed Page

The In-Feed Grinding cycle begins at the Load Position and rapids to the start of the Coarse grind and continues through Medium and Fine with optional Feedrates and pauses until it reaches the Finish Position and pauses to spark-out.  Then rapids to the Retract Position and completes the cycle at the Load Position. 

2k_Centerless_Screen_In-Feed.png

Cycle Start button is used to start the In-Feed cycle.

In-Feed Cycle Parameters

  • Position Parameters

    Position_Parameters.png

    • Retract Position: The position the slide will move to at the end of the cycle to drop or eject the part.  When the Retract Position is not needed set the make it equal the Load Position.
    • Load Position: This is the first and last slide position in the cycle.
    • Finish Position: This is the final grind position and the position that Fine, Medium and Coarse grind amounts are referenced from.  The Finish Position can be set to a diameter or 0 depending on the setup.
  • Cycle Parameters

    W5H2k_Centerless_Screen_In-Feed_Cycle_Parameters.png

    • Coarse Grind
      • Coarse DistanceGrind Amount: The amount to be removed at the Coarse Feedrate
      • Coarse Feedrate: The Feedrate used during Coarse grind
      • [T1]: Optional Delay at the end of the Coarse grind
    • Medium Grind
      • Medium DistanceGrind Amount: The amount to be removed at the Medium Feedrate
      • Medium Feedrate: The Feedrate used during Medium grind
      • [T2]: Optional Delay at the end of the Medium grind
    • Fine Grind
      • Fine DistanceGrind Amount: The amount to be removed at the Fine Feedrate
      • Fine Feedrate: The Feedrate used during Fine grind
      • [T3]: Optional Delay at the end of the Fine grind, sometimes referred to as Sparkout Time
    • Retract Delay
      • [T4]: Optional Delay at the Retract position to allow the part to drop between the Regulating Wheel and Grinding Wheel
    • Load Delay
      • [T5]: Optional Delay at the end of the cycle.  This is normally used along with Cycle Repeat to allow time to load the next part.

At any point Cycle Stop or Retract buttons will cause the slide to Rapid to the Retract Position.

Thru-Feed Page

Thru-Feed Grinding will rapid the slide to the Grind Position and stay there. 

2k_Centerless_Screen_Thru-Feed.png

Cycle Start button is used to start the Thru-Feed cycle.

Thru-Feed Cycle Parameters
  • Position Parameters
    • Retract Position: The position the slide will move to when Cycle Stop or Retract are used.
    • Finish Position: This is the position the slide will move to when the cycle is ran.
Thru-Feed Comp

When the slide is at the Grind Position and Comp offset is applied the slide will move back to the Grind Position.  When the slide is at any other position than the Grind Position the slide will apply the offset without any movement.

 

Compensation

Compensation or Comp is used to adjust the slide offsets to maintain the part diameter as the wheel breaks down and wears.  It can also be used to adjust the diamonds closer to the wheel while dressing.  Comp acts differently depending on the grinding mode. See the table below to see how Comp is applied.

Grinding Mode Adjust slide offsets? Moves to position after adjustment?
In-Feed Grinding Yes

No
Thru-Feed Grinding at Grind Position Yes Yes
Thru-Feed Grinding not at Grind Position Yes No

There are Comp buttons on the screen, and some machines have buttons on panels for applying Comp.  Coarse and Fine Comp buttons allow the operator to choose between two defined increment sizes.

Comp_buttons.png

Total Comp

Total Comp is for the operator to track how much compComp as been applied.  When the control starts upResting the Total Comp will alwaysonly bezero zero. the Total Comp indicator.

Configure Comp Amount

Coarse and Fine Comp amounts are configurable on the Service -> Grinder Settings page.

Coarse_and_Fine_Comp.png

Backlash Move

When Comp is being applied and the slide is moving away from the grinding wheel the control can make an extra move to take up any loss of motion from backlash in the slide.  To enable this option open the Interface Config dialog from the Service page and search for Backlash.  Modify the following parameters.

  • Backlash Move Enabled: This enables and disables the Backlash move
  • Backlash Move Distance: This is the distance the slide will move when applying Comp
 
Setup

These 3 positions (Finish Position, Load Position, Retract Position) must be calibrated and setup prior to running the cycle.

  1. Setup the distance between the Regulating wheel and 
  2. Using the Jog buttons or MPG, Jog the wheel so the circumference of the wheel is just touching the diamond in the X axis direction.
  3.  

 

Cycles pauses are in seconds and will be skipped if the delay is set to 0.

At any point Cycle Stop or Retract buttons will cause the slide to Rapid to the Retract Position.

 

 

Setup

Artboard-1.png

Main Overview

centerless_run_infeed.png

This manual is designed to give the operator a working understanding of how to operate your new CNC Centerless Grinder. The control is designed to simplify the operation of your Centerless Grinder high-end features. We have elected not to use g-codes to manipulate the servo axis. Instead, we use the combination of a simplified data entry routine with a graphic interface that the operator will find extremely easy to use.

Using a touch screen interface the operator simply touches the push button to start of stop a function or touch an edit field to change data, directly on the screen.

Each screen contains items that are used specifically for the function of the individual screen like starting and stopping motors, changing cycle modes, entering new feedrates and positions, etc.

There are other items that are used globally. This means that the same items are found on all of the screens. Primarily they are the machine state, cycle time, and date and time at the top of the screen, the axis position, cycle status, current feedrate, and wheel speed on the right side of the screen.

Operator Panel Overview

The following is a description of the Operator Panel and it's functional devices. The numbered balloons point to the object.

centerless_grinder_interface.png

  1. Computer HMI. Consists of screens designed to control the machine functions and feedback information on the machine state.
  2. Emergency Stop Button. Used to stop process and motors in the event of an emergency, by turning off all active output logic.
  3. Cycle Start Button. Used to initiate an automatic cycle and confirm actions.
  4. Feedhold Button. Used to pause an automatic cycle in place.
  5. Cycle Stop Button. Used to stop an automatic cycle in place.
  6. Reset Button. Used to clear or reset machine faults and enable system servo motors.
  7. Rapid Speed Control Buttons. Used to change the speed the machine moves during rapid moves.
  8. Feedrate Override Knob. Used to change the speed the machine moves during feed moves.
  9. Spindle Control Buttons. Used to start and stop the wheel and change the speed override value.
  10. Programmable Function Buttons. Used to customize the control.
  11. Jog Control Buttons. Used to manually jog servo axes while the machine is not in a cycle.
  12. Jog Speed Knob. Used to control the speed during manual jog moves.

Start-Up Sequence

  1. Apply power to the control
  2. Press the Reset button on the operator panel. The control will go through it's start-up sequence. Allow time for the computer to start up.
  3.  Start the Mach4 application from the shortcut on the desktop. Allow time for the system to initialize.
  4. Press Cycle Start when the control requests to enable and home the servo axes.

Temporary Shutdown and Restart Sequence

 

Overnight Shutdown and Restart Sequence

 

Infeed Setup Procedure

 

Dresser Setup Procedure

 

Dresser Path Creation and Edit

 

Program Setup Screen

 

 

Input Screen

 

Output Screen

 

Fault Screen

 

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