When is the last time you have had a troubleshoot a C axis alarm?
Generally speaking, this means you have an internal fault with your spindle inverter or VFD.
However, this alarm can also occur if your orientation sensor is bad or if your spindle encoder is bad. Rarely do you get this Alarm from a problem with your spindle control controller card.
How do you troubleshoot this? Very easily. Back in the olden days FADAL had what they called a battery box. It simulated an input signal and ran the spindle inverter with no feedback from the spindle encoder or the orientation sensor. However, honestly, the battery box is not necessary.
Use codes M3.1 S1000. and M3 M49 S1000. to figure out what’s wrong.
Here’s what you do: if you think you have an orientation sensor problem, issue a M3.1 S1000. command and it bypasses that sensor. If the spindle runs normally now, replace your orientation sensor.
If you issue the M3.1 and your spindle will not run, then try an M49 command. This will bypass the feedback from your spindle encoder. If your spindle will now run, you have bad feedback from your spindle encoder and very likely need to replace it. Before you do, make sure your cable is connected tightly and clean to the encoder as well as your spindle drive.
If your spindle will not run with either one of these codes and you continue to get a C axis fault, then you can check your fault Line voltage at pin 19 to pin 1 on a Baldor Drive and if you see 15 V or more, there is no fault on your inverter. If the voltage is zero your inverter has an internal fault and you’ll need to replace it.
If you need one, we have them in stock. INV-0098. If you need a new sensor for the orientation, we have those as well as the spindle encoder in stock.
We are always here to help you troubleshoot your machine if you need anything.