Control Techniques UNIDRIVE Alarm and Status Indications

Control Techniques Unidrives
Control Techniques Unidrives

When there is a critical condition detected in your Control Techniques UNIDRIVE, the drive will continue to operate, but the lower display’s status indication will be replaced by an alarm indication. When an HF trip takes place, the Drive Healthy relay will open and serial communications will not function. It is important to give attention to alarm indications, because if an issue is not corrected, the drive could trip.

Refer to the guide below to help identify what kind of error your UNIDRIVE may be experiencing. A comparison chart with status indications is also provided to help identify what happens at each stage of operation.
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Updated on March 5, 2020 by Brian Hughes

Booting the Siemens PCU 20 and PCU 50

When booting the Siemens PCU that you have installed, it should be a relatively simple process, but there can be some problems that come up, so we wanted to go through a few to help anyone who is having issues. When the power supply is switched on, the PCU boots automatically. The system software is installed in the factory and is ready to run. The basic display appears on the screen if the MMC has booted successfully

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Updated on May 20, 2019 by Brian Hughes

Reloading Siemens Sinumerik Start-up Archive Files

Reloading Siemens Sinumerik Start-up Archive Files for the NC and PLC

1. Using OP, (Operator Panel) select hardkey Machine  then Menu select
Observe:  The main operating areas horizontal softkey menu appears.   Machine, Parameter, Program, Services, Diagnosis and Start-up.
2. Using OP, select softkey Services
Observe:  Current operating area is displayed at top left of display.
3. Using OP, select the hardkey  (etc…/extension of the softkey menu key).
Observe:  Horizontal softkey menu contains a key labeled Series start-up
NOTE: If softkey Series start-up does not appear then the password access rights need to be  set. See the procedure Setting Password Access rights Page 3.
4.     Using OP, select horizontal softkey Series start-up.
Observe:  Display shows ‘Create series startup archive’ window.
NOTE: If Display shows Read startup archive window, skip step 5
5. Using OP, select vertical softkey Read start-up archive
Observe:  A new window will appear, labeled Read Series Start-up Archive.
6. Using OP cursor keys highlight the appropriate NC or PLC archive file.
Note:  The backup files are created by the builder and / or end user and the specific name may vary.   Suggestion: Select a file which refers to the NC or PLC and has the most recent date
7. Using OP, press the vertical softkey Start.
Observe:  The window will shift to the Job Log display.  a. Answer the query ‘Do you wish to perform a series start-up?’  By pressing the               vertical softkey Yes.  b. A series of prompts will appear, telling you the status of the upload of the various    series start-up files from the NC archive.  c. The message ‘NC Reset – Please wait’ will now appear as many as 6 times. This is   normal.  d. The control will shift back to the Read Series Start-up Archive display.
8. If necessary, repeat steps 6 and 7, selecting the appropriate archive file, to load both the NC and the PLC.

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Updated on July 1, 2019 by Ryan Dickinson

Assigning a 140 NOE Module Ethernet Address Parameter

140NOE77101
140NOE77101

If you have just received the Schneider 140 NOE 771 xx module but have not yet programmed it with an Ethernet configurable extension, you will need to assign an IP address to your module. In this guide you’ll receive information about assigning a 140 NOE Module Ethernet Address Parameter.
Using the BOOTP Lite software utility you can assign IP address parameters. One thing to note, however, is that with the modules 140 NOE 771 01, -11, and NWM 100 00 you can assign the IP address using web pages.

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Updated on March 5, 2020 by Brian Hughes

Upgrading From FANUC C Series Servo Amplifier to α Series

If you experience a system failure due to a Fanuc C series servo amplifier, (A06B-6066-H002, H003 etc.) you may feel like your only option is to replace it with the same exact unit. However Fanuc also offers the α series servo amplifiers which features improvements over the C series. In most cases you can replace your C series servo amplifier with the α series servo amplifier that has the identical final four numbers of the C series model number. The chart below outlines this:

The advantages of replacing your C series amplifier with an α series amplifier are:

  • A built in power supply
  • A second interface, type B, as well as the more conventional type A interface
  • Updated power device, intelligent power module, to reduce power loss and increasing reliability

α series amplifiers are also designed with the same dimensions as the C series so that you can install them into your current system easier.

Go to our website to check out our selection of C series and α series FANUC amplifiers.

Updated on March 5, 2020 by Brian Hughes