Fanuc PowerMate H

[JoeM1]

Gentlemen,
I am bringing a Fanuc PowerMate H back from the dead.
The original motherboard fried, and we lost every parameter within the PowerMate.

The big problem I am having right now is getting the JD1A1 port to communicate. (I/O Link). I have switched the motherboard in the PowerMate several times. Once by a 3rd party rebuilder, and another time by Fanuc.
I have changed the cable, and I have downloaded many iterations of software backup, including the OEM, to no avail.

Does anybody have any ideas?
Thanks in Advance
Joe

 

[OkiePC]

1-800-IQROBOT
http://www.robot-forum.com/robotforum/

And Welcome to the forum!

I wish I knew enough to actually help you, and some others on this forum may see it later and be able to contribute more. I have had good luck with Fanuc support and the robot forum in the past.

 

[Steve Bailey]

A connection to JD1A1 implies that the Power Mate H is the I/O Link master. What is the slave device on the other end of the cable? If it is Model A I/O, have you verified that the I/O Link slave module is still good? You only mentioned replacing The Power Mate H mother board and the I/O Link cable.

Parameter 3001 #3 configures the I/O. Zero means use model A I/O. 1 means use internal I/O or built-in I/O card.

I got the information about the parameter from the Power Mate H start-up guide, publication number GFK-1383A. That same manual references the following additional manuals.
GFZ-62682EN Power Mate H Descriptions manual
GFZ-62683EN Power Mate H Connections manual
GFZ-62684EN Power Mate H Operator's manual
GFZ-62685EN Power Mate H Maintenance manual

It also refers to several manuals for the Alpha and Beta servo amps and motors.

 

[JoeM1]

It is actually a very strange setup. There is a IO link Master module in a GE 90-30 PLC. This goes to JD1B on PowerMate #1, which then loops through the JD1A and JD1B ports on 2 additional PowerMates. PowerMate #2 is the one that has the connection from JD1A1 to the AIF01A module. It is this link that is not working. I will look at the manuals mentioned. All ideas are welcome and Thank You guys.

 

[RussB]

It's been a long time but I don't believe that I/O Link in that sort of setup will support more than one master. If the 90-30 has an I/O Link Master IC693BEM321 then the other drops are slaves to the 90-30.
Also IIRC when 'daisy-chaining' JD1A is 'IN' and JD1B is 'OUT' so the last PowerMate slave will not have anything in JD1B.

Here is the 90-30 I/O link Master manual it will help too:
http://support.ge-ip.com/support/index?page=docchannel&id=S:DO466&actp=search

 

[Steve Bailey]

Have you verified that the AIF01A module is still good? You could do so by connecting the 90-30 I/O Link master module to it. You might have to modify the 90-30 hardware configuration to get it to talk.
To Russ' point, I couldn't find anything that says you can't use ports JD1A1 and ports JD1A/JD1B simultaneously. I/O Link can only support on master and multiple slaves, but your system sounds like there are two I/O Link networks, one between the 90-30 and the three Power Mates in which the 90-30 is master, the second between this Power Mate and its Model A I/O rack with the Power Mate as master.

 

[JoeM1]

Steve,
Yes this is a correct assessment.
I just did the test as indicated, and the Model A will link to the 90-30 Link master.
But it will not link to any of the three PowerMate's JD1A1 port. The OEM design was that it should link to PowerMate #2's JD1A1. And it evidently did prior to the failure. There may still be something haywire with that module, but I am suspicious that there is something else in play here. But I am not sure what, given all the replacement components and software that we have tried over the past few weeks. Please keep all ideas coming my way, they are all appreciated.

 

[JoeM1]

Steve, I also wanted to mention that I did try the 3001#3 suggestion to no avail. So please keep all suggestions rolling in, they are all appreciated.

 

[Steve Bailey]

There may be an additional parameter that needs to be set to enable the JD1A1 port. If I remember correctly, Model A I/O is an option for the Power Mate H. You had to specify which options you wanted when you ordered the unit and the Power Mate arrived with the correct parameters to match the options. The parameters that turn on the individual options are not always defined in the manuals. To find the parameter that enables Model A I/O may require a call to Fanuc Tech support.

 

[JoeM1]

Thank You
This is what I suspected. I just sent Fanuc a email on this very matter. As always, keep the suggestions rolling, I appreciate them all.

 

[RussB]

This is where you may need to go for support:
http://cnc.fanucamerica.com/Home.aspx
Or:
http://cnc.fanucamerica.com/services-support/technical-help-line.aspx

Phone: 888-FANUC-US (888-326-8287)
Press 2 for FANUC America CNC Sales, Products and Support.
Then, Press 2 again to be directly connected to Service.