Air Drill issues

[r_jones]

So I received my air drill and in fine Shop bot fashion the manual is about useless. With that in mind I have some questions.

1. The unit drills and plunges when I switch on input 5 manually but doesn't do either when I run a file??
2. Shouldn't input 5 run the drill and 6 plunge or should 5 do both?

[Gary Campbell]

Ron...
I have put an air drill together using the instructions, they are not perfect, but are workable. Just in case you dont have the full set here is a link: http://www.shopbottools.com/files/SB...haAirDrill.pdf

1) the drill should plunge and drill with output 5 as you describe. What post Processor have you selected for your drilling? If using partworks it should be one that says "PRS Drill Head 1" or something similar. You must also select tool #31 when you toolpath. This should be done for you if you follow the directions on page 14 of the Linked PDF above.

2) As shipped, the OEM drills work correctly as you describe. Should you not have enough air to run the drill like that, Nat Wheatley has the part numbers for a retrofit kit I speced to allow anopther output to operate the drill motor.
Gary

[r_jones]

Gary,
Thanks for the additional info! Unfortunately I have received the "new" board from SB and it seems they don't have a diagram that reflects the new accessory board and my original PRS control board. So far no dice.

I am using the SB PRS drill processor with tool number 31 and nothing. The odd thing here is that the file will show output 5 is on but there's nothing, no plunging or drill movement.

Once I have this worked out I am very interested making the mod to reduce air consumption, one thing at a time I guess

[Gary Campbell]

Ron...
Can you post a copy of the file? If Output 5 works the drill, all of the electromechanical items are working. My guess is the problem is in the postP or something odd in the file. You can also email it to my address in my profile.
Gary

[r_jones]

You are the bomb sir!! I will shoot that over to you shortly!

[nat_wheatley]

Ron,

I just stumbled across this thread, not sure why I hadn't seen it earlier. Here's a link to the drill modification:

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/sho...ght=compressor

Let me know if you have any questions when you get to this stage.

Nat

[vassilm]

Hi.
There is something I do not understand about the Air Drill. Why is it that the plunging is supposed to be done with the Z-steper motor? Why not plunge with the pneumatic cylinder of the Air Drill itself? To make it clearer, my routine would be:
1. jog to position in XY with drill retracted and off
2. activate output 5 - drill is extended and on (no movement of the stepper motors, i.e. no MZ movement) - thus the hole is drilled
3. deactivate output 5 - drill is retracted and off
4. jog to next hole
5. repeat sequence...
What would be wrong with such an approach and why is it not the one used by Shopbot? My thinking is that it is much faster to move along Z by means of the pneumatic cylinder than having to wait for the motor to move up and down. And second, this way there is no problem with air consumption which was described previously in the forum:
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5434
Vassil

[wberminio]

Ron

I had just updated my SP control software to latest version.
My drill worked manually,but not when I ran file.
Called Shopbot
Check post proc. line 38.Mine needed an apostrophe before the statement.

[nat_wheatley]

Vassilm,

The main issue I see with the set up that you've outlined, is that there would be no way to regulate the plunge speed for your drilling. Different materials require different drilling speeds. I think the rate that the plunge cylinder travels would be much too fast for most applications.

I'm also not sure the drill motor would have time to come up to speed before meeting the material, particularly where the plunge cylinder would be drawing air at the same time that the drill motor was coming on.

Nat

[vassilm]

Hi Nat,
Thanks for the reply.
I think you can regulate the plunge speed by regulating the air pressure to the pneumatics of the drill.
If you use the stepper motor for plunging what speeds would you typically use for different materials (melamine faced chipboard, MDF, solid wood)?
One problem I used to have with my approach was that when turning the drill off it is still in the hole and thespring in the pneumatic cylinder was not strong enough to retract the drill. But I solved this by adding an extra stronger spring to the outside of the air drill.
Vassil