PCNC ATC Tab Disappears

Owned by Adam Brunner
Last updated: Jan 05, 2022
2 min read

Background

These ATCs use an ATC control board (powered through the 68 Vdv DC-BUS) and power drawbar control board (powered through a 12 Vdc daughter board via the DC-BUS). These two communicate by an RJ11 cable (DB3). Finally, the power drawbar control board has an additional RJ11 (DB1) that is connected to the VFD so they can commutate whether the spindle is running or not.

Table of Contents

Reseat the USB cable

Reason: The ATC USB is unplugged.

  1. Unplug and replug and/or replace the USB cable. When connecting the cable, the PathPilot Status tab will indicate if it can see the USB interface.

Restore power

Reason: The ATC control board or power drawbar control board has lost power.

Inspect to see if there is power to both the ATC control board and power drawbar control board

  • Inspect to see if there are lights on the ATC control board.

  • Measure 65 Vdc at DC-BUS (503+ and 504-) and then on the ATC control board.

  • Measure 12 Vdc from the daughter board at the DC-BUS (501- and 502+) and at the power drawbar control board.

DC-BUS - 501,502, 503 and 504

ATC board - 503 and 504 (Red box toward the top of the image)

Power drawbar board - 501 and 502 (labeled Power)

 

Replace the DB3 cable

Reason: The DB3 is disconnected or damaged.

  1. Inspect the DB3 cable. Verify that:

    • The wire is connected properly between the J5 connector on the ATC control board and DB3 connector on the Power Drawbar control board.

    • It’s not fraying or the cable hasn’t been nicked.

    • There’s no chips or debris stuck in the connector.

You can use a 4-wire telephone wire to replace this cable as long as the wires match the above picture.