CONTROLLED AUTOMATION, INC.

ANGLELINE

XPROBE POSITIONING

Either an AC or a DC servo motor/controller positions the xprobe. The xprobe will accelerate up to speed and then decelerate to a stop for an operation (punch, mark, stencil, etc.). The xprobe should accelerate and decelerate smoothly and stop at the final position without backing up (overshoot). The machine is set up to accelerate/decelerate lighter weight material faster and the heavier weight material slower. The top speed of the xprobe will also be faster for the lighter material than for the heavier material. Once the positioning constants for the xprobe are setup by Controlled Automation employees during the initial startup, they rarely need to be changed. If xprobe-positioning problems arise, they are usually gradual and mechanical related. When xprobe-positioning problems exist, length measurement accuracy suffers.

COMMON PROBLEMS

Infeed conveyor-machine base out of alignment, V-rolls out of alignment, bad bearings or cam rollers on xprobe, improper setting of or bad holddown assemblies, and bowed or warped material can all cause xprobe positioning problems.

Infeed conveyor-machine base misalignment and V-roll misalignment can cause the material to convey through the machine rough and uneven. The front end of the material may hit the V-rollers and/or the shear blades as it initially comes through the machine. Once the front end of the material is through the machine and the holddowns are on, the material may get in a bind and overload the motor for the xprobe causing it to fault.

Bad bearings and cam rollers on the xprobe cause the xprobe to ride incorrectly on the infeed conveyor. This will cause the xprobe to be mechanically loose and will probably result in inaccurate measurements. This can also overload the xprobe motor.

Improper setting of or bad holddown assemblies can cause problems for the material moving through the machine. If the holddown air pressure is too high, if the cam rollers are bad (not rolling), or if the roller is not riding on the material correctly, too much restriction will be placed on the movement of the material. This will overload the xprobe motor. If the holddown air pressure is too low, the material may not ride in the bottom of the V-rolls.

Bowed and warped material may hit the V-rolls, strippers, and/or shear blades as the front end goes through the machine. After the frone end of the material is past the shear, it can get in a bind in the machine. It may drag on a punch die or the lower shear blades overloading the xprobe motor. The holddown rollers may also slip off of the bowed material as it moves through the machine.

If the material binds solidly at some point, the main drive gear or rack can be damaged. The drive rack runs the entire length of infeed conveyor. Any bad spot in the rack or the material binding might break teeth on the main drive gear (on xprobe). These should be replaced as soon as possible.