Awesome! Shazam, you and everyone else has been super helpful!

According to the guys at Pierson, their shop air driven vacuum pump can handle both coolant and minor debris passing through it.

Just to be clear... you are using this...

Shazam, are you using the air powered vacuum unit like I linked above?

At this point, I'm leaning towards building my own but does anybody have any experience with Pierson's products? http://www.piersonworkholding.com/vacuum-chuck.php I'm planning to use their air powered vacuum kit plus their gasket material.

That was actually the route I was thinking about, making our own. It looks like it would be pretty easy. The gasket material, is it standard or do separate suppliers make proprietary gasket material? Civicegg, do you guys buy the gasket material in large rolls? The other question is the pump. I've seen both the electric pump and also the cheaper one that you hook up to an airline. Is there an advantage to either? Our shop air is reliable. Besides our machines go down too if our air goes down.

Thanks, Guys. I'm expecting the part to bow back but I want to make sure I can draw it flat because there is a local check that runs the perimeter which needs maintained. if the part is bowed and twisted while machining it throws the dimension off.

I have zero experience with vacuum chucks. I was hoping to start a discussion about the ups and downs of various methods. An issue I'm concerned about is how much ability does a vacuum plate have to pull a plate down flat once it reaches a certain thickness compared to size. I have a 3/16" thick plate that is 8.5" x 7.5" wide. I can have anywhere from .006 to .012 bow or twist in the stock. Will I have any problems pulling it down flat? I see the various models that are available. Any favorite brands? I was even thinking about the benefit of making a custom vacuum plate that is job specific.

This bit of info did the trick...

Perfect! Thanks, JParis! Worked like a dream.

Guys, is there a variable number attached to the I/O? I'm scouring manuals now but to no avail. Basically I'm trying to mistake-proof a program to set to the card (channel 4) before running a series of DPRNT commands and then even set it back to original once completed.

Thanks! I will do that.

The machine is a Doosan Puma 2100SY. The spindle, sub-spindle, and live head all use M3 and M4, However, in addition; P11, P12 and P13 is used to apply the distinction. For whatever reason, the program will not recognize a spindle reversal. The temp solution is to use a single live head but hopefully we'll find the trick to getting the reversal we're looking for.

Hey Guys and Gals, can anyone help me with a little problem? We are trying to activate a side tapping cycle with a G88 on a Puma Lathe. With a dual head the tapping runs left handed regardless of M3 or M4. Is there a simple solution to this?

I've been trying to find info on annealing 17-4. This thread is as close as I could find. When starting the annealing process, you can toss them into a pre-heated oven correct?

Thanks again for the Help!!

Alright, here are the functional programs... Run this subprogram at cycle start... % O8301(TIMER/COUNTER INITIATE/RESET) IF[#780NE0]GOTO780 #780=#3011(DATE) #781=#3012(TIME) #800=-3.(COUNTER) #801=0 #802=0 #803=0 #804=0 #805=0 #806=0 #807=0 #808=0 #809=0 #810=0 #811=0 #812=0 #813=0 #814=0 #815=0 #816=0 #817=0 #818=0 #819=0 #820=0 #821=0 #822=0 #823=0 #824=0 #825=0 #826=0 #827=0 #828=0 #829=0 #830=0 #831=0 #832=0 #833=0 #834=0 #835=0 #836=0 #837=0 #838=0 #839=0 #840=0 #841=0 #842=0 #843=0 #844=0 #845=0 #846=0 #847=0 #848=0 #849=0 #850=0 #851=0 #852=0 #853=0 #854=0 #855=0 #856=0 #857=0 #858=0 #859=0 #860=0 #861=0 #862=0 #863=0 #864=0 #865=0 #866=0 #867=0 #868=0 #869=0 #870=0 #871=0 #872=0 #873=0 #874=0 #875=0 #876=0 #877=0 #878=0 #879=0 #880=0 #881=0 #882=0 #883=0 #884=0 #885=0 #886=0 #887=0 #888=0 #889=0 #890=0 #891=0 #892=0 #893=0 #894=0 #895=0 #896=0 #897=0 #898=0 #899=0 N780 #3001=0(RESET MILLISECOND TIMER) M99 % Run this subprogram when the cycle completes and before a pallet change or M30 or M99... % O8302(TIMER/COUNTER CAPTURE) IF[#532EQ0]GOTO532 IF[#1000EQ1]GOTO2 #1=[#3001/60000](P1 OP1 MILLISECONDS) #164=#3011(DATE) #165=#3012(TIME) #166=[#601+#602+#603+#604+#605+#606+#607+#608+#609] #167=[#1/#166](PER PIECE CYCLE TIME) #168=1111.1111(PALLET NUMBER) #782=[#782+#601+#602+#603+#604+#605+#606+#607+#608+#609] #783=[#166*#167+#783] #787=[#783/#782] #800=[#800+3.](COUNTER) IF[#800GT197.]GOTO532 #[#800+801]=#164 #[#800+802]=#165 #[#800+803]=[[#166*1000.]+#167] GOTO532 N2 #1=[#3001/60000](P1 OP1 MILLISECONDS) #172=#3011(DATE) #173=#3012(TIME) #174=[#651+#652+#653+#654+#655+#656+#657+#658+#659] #175=[#1/#174](PER PIECE CYCLE TIME) #176=2222.2222(PALLET NUMBER) #782=[#782+#651+#652+#653+#654+#655+#656+#657+#658+#659] #783=[#174*#175+#783] #787=[#783/#782] #800=[#800+3.](COUNTER) IF[#800GT197.]GOTO532 #[#800+801]=#172 #[#800+802]=#173 #[#800+803]=[[#174*1000.]+#175] N532M99 % Run the DPRNT when the job is done. It prints all the data and resets for the next job.... % O8303(DPRNT TIMER DATA) #1=#3011(DATE) #2=#3012(TIME) #3=0 POPEN DPRNT[MACHINE*NUMBER*#699[44]] DPRNT[PROGRAM*NUMBER*#798[44]] DPRNT[sTART*DATE*#780[80]] DPRNT[sTART*TIME*#781[80]] DPRNT[PRINT*DATE*#1[80]] DPRNT[PRINT*TIME*#2[80]] DPRNT[TOTAL*PARTS*#782[80]] DPRNT[AVERAGE*CYCLETIME*#787[42]] WHILE[#[#3+801]GT0]DO1 #4=[[#3/3]+1] DPRNT[RUN#4[80]*DATE*#[#3+801][80]] DPRNT[RUN#4[80]*TIME**#[#3+802][80]] DPRNT[RUN#4[80]*CYCLETIME***#[#3+803][80]] #3=#3+3 END1 PCLOS #780=0 #781=0 #782=0 #783=0 M30 %

Thanks, Foghorn. I had one of those awesome epiphanies when reading vortx comment. In addition, it looks like the total value of those numbers can't exceed 8, at least not on my 16i controls, correct? It gives a 'data overflow' error. I'm going to post my DPRNT program, as soon as it's done. A little note of Hazard. My programs above have a couple minor mistakes I fixed on Saturday. Not sure if anybody had the passion to actually read them or not.

Ohhhh.... I think I see it now. The [44] suddenly makes sense to me!!

Hi vortex, I was playing around with DPRNT the other day. I would use it but for whatever reason I could only get it to report two digits left of the decimal point. Regardless of what's in the variable say: 4321.1234 It would only give the value: 21.1234 Is this a parameter maybe??

Here are the macros themselves, if anyone is interested... O8301(TIMER/COUNTER INITIATE/RESET) IF[#780NE0]GOTO780 #780=#3011(DATE) #781=#3012(TIME) #800=-3.(COUNTER) #801=0 #802=0 #803=0 #804=0 #805=0 #806=0 #807=0 #808=0 #809=0 #810=0 #811=0 #812=0 #813=0 #814=0 #815=0 #816=0 #817=0 #818=0 #819=0 #820=0 #821=0 #822=0 #823=0 #824=0 #825=0 #826=0 #827=0 #828=0 #829=0 #830=0 #831=0 #832=0 #833=0 #834=0 #835=0 #836=0 #837=0 #838=0 #839=0 #840=0 #841=0 #842=0 #843=0 #844=0 #845=0 #846=0 #847=0 #848=0 #849=0 #850=0 #851=0 #852=0 #853=0 #854=0 #855=0 #856=0 #857=0 #858=0 #859=0 #860=0 #861=0 #862=0 #863=0 #864=0 #865=0 #866=0 #867=0 #868=0 #869=0 #870=0 #871=0 #872=0 #873=0 #874=0 #875=0 #876=0 #877=0 #878=0 #879=0 #880=0 #881=0 #882=0 #883=0 #884=0 #885=0 #886=0 #887=0 #888=0 #889=0 #890=0 #891=0 #892=0 #893=0 #894=0 #895=0 #896=0 #897=0 #898=0 #899=0 N780 #3001=0(RESET MILLISECOND TIMER) M99 O8302(TIMER/COUNTER CAPTURE) IF[#532EQ0]GOTO532 IF[#1000EQ1]GOTO2 #1=[#3001/60000](P1 OP1 MILLISECONDS) #164=#3011(DATE) #165=#3012(TIME) #166=[#601+#602+#603+#604+#605+#606+#607+#608+#609] #167=[#1/#166](PER PIECE CYCLE TIME) #168=1111.1111(PALLET NUMBER) #782=[#782+#601+#602+#603+#604+#605+#606+#607+#608+#609] #783=[#166*#167+#783] #787=[#783/#782] #800=[#800+3.](COUNTER) IF[#800GT197]GOTO532 #[#800+800.]=#164 #[#800+801.]=#165 #[#800+802.]=[[#166*1000.]+#167] GOTO532 N2 #1=[#3001/60000](P1 OP1 MILLISECONDS) #172=#3011(DATE) #173=#3012(TIME) #174=[#651+#652+#653+#654+#655+#656+#657+#658+#659] #175=[#1/#174](PER PIECE CYCLE TIME) #176=2222.2222(PALLET NUMBER) #782=[#782+#651+#652+#653+#654+#655+#656+#657+#658+#659] #783=[#174*#175+#783] #787=[#783/#782] #800=[#800+3.](COUNTER) IF[#800GT197]GOTO532 #[#800+800.]=#172 #[#800+801.]=#173 #[#800+802.]=[[#174*1000.]+#175] N532M99 %

Hi Guys, it's been a long time. I hope this is the right spot. I couldn't find any related topics. I've developed a nice little Timer macro that generates cycle time info automatically. My problem is that I'd like to punch the variable values out at the end of a run but the values come out like this... What (if anything) can I do to get it to simply punch the value seen on the control? Thanks in advance!

Hi, I'm new to this so bear with. I work for a very large tool and die shop in western PA. We have two Overbeck cylindrical CNC grinders. The one has a Fanuc 180i-T controller. Is anyone familiar with this control? I'm familiar with Fanuc but this is the first Windows based Fanuc control I've seen. The basic interface is the same but with additional supplier type interfacing. I've had no success searching this or other Forums for info on Overbeck or this 180i-T control. I feel a little alone right now. Anyway, I'm experiencing an intermitant problem. The machine craps out between 30 minutes and 2 hrs of operation with the following alarm: NCBOOT32-Node0:CNC-1 System Alarm BEF2-09 950 PMC System Alarm PC004 CPU ERR 00001A1A:01001844 There is another alarm displayed on the Splindle amplifier Module: Alarm 24. The drive has a label telling me to reference manual no. B-65162. I am going to continue looking for this manual but in the mean time all and any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.