This procedure is for checking backlash, squaring & dialing the blade on a servo driven swivel

Tools Needed: Heavy Steel Stand approximately 24” tall Magnetic Base
.001” Dial Indicator

Checking Backlash, Squaring, & Dialing the Blade

1) Check the mechanical gear mesh of the Y axes. Install a dial indicator on one side of the end truck
assemblies on each side of the machine. Zero the indicator out and check the backlash with the “servo
drives on” (E-stop out). Try prying one direction between the pinion and the gear rack and note the
movement, then place the prybar on the other side and try prying in the opposite direction again and also
note. This difference should be less than .003”, if it’s more you must loosen 3 of the 4 mounting bolts of
the motor/gearbox assembly and lift the bottom of the assembly so the pinion goes back into mesh.

2) Once it is lifted, tighten the 3 bolts and try again until the backlash is less than .003”.

3) When it is ok move to the other side and do the same, when they are both finished remove the dial
indicators and place them in a safe location.

4) Home the machine so all axis are at the original zero positions.

5) Check the squareness of the machine by using the laser and putting a dot on the floor else using a marker
taped to a blade and put the same mark on the floor. Adjust to within 1/64” or less by loosening the (2) Vwheels
and the (2) Flat wheels on each end of the X axis. Put a dial indicator on one side of the end truck
assemblies (operator and away side), then give the machine an Emergency Stop to be able to move the
away side pinion in the direction that it needs to go to achieve the squareness tolerance. Once adjusted to
what you want, remove the E-stop, then move the Y axis back and forth a few times, stop then tighten the
wheel bolts. Check backlash again in the pinion/rack assembly and adjust if necessary. Do an NCK
RESET and home the machine again. Check the 4 positions again with new dots and measure the
squareness, if it’s still off adjust again till the tolerance is met

6) Move the Y axis till it is at Y48.00 and the X axis till the right side pillow block is aligned with the first
set of holes on the back side of the X axis. The holes are for access when removing the pillow blocks.
This is a convenient location to always reference too when dialing the machine.

7) Install the dial indicator on the steel stand in front of the blade, preferably on the right side of the blade.

8) Mark the blade with a visible dot for a reference and move the Z axis to a height where the stem of the
dial indicator is about 1” below the bottom of the flange of the spindle. Move the X axis so the dial
indicator can touch the dot and zero out the indicator. Once zeroed out, pull back the stem of the dial
indicator and move the X axis in the positive direction and rotate the blade so the dot is close to the
indicator.
Note: Try to always use the same number on the dial indicator for fewer mistakes, either the
.100” or the .200” number.

9) It’s always best once the positions have been worked out, to move the X axis and the blade to the farthest
position possible in the negative direction, then zero out the indicator on the dot, pull back on the stem
gently and move to the farthest positive position as previous, turn the blade till the dot is aligned with the
indicator and let the stem go to the blade gently and read the indicator. The value shows how far the blade
is out of parallelism with the movement of the X axis.

10) To align properly you must use the MPG pendant in the jog mode and turn the Rapid Traverse knob down
to 2% speed on the operator panel, rotate the B axis accordingly to within half the value that you were
out. Be aware that when the brake activates its possible there could be up to a .005” movement when the
air brake clamps and the motor brake releases. Use Parameter 34080 to adjust this offset. Write down the
original value then look at the position screen and add the value to the 34080 parameter and enter this in
that parameter, once you have typed it in you must press INPUT so it acknowledges it. Press NCK
RESET, home out the machine and try this over again till the indications are within .003” max., closest to
zero is preferred.
Note: This adjustment effects how straight the blade cuts.
To get to this offset press:
Press MENU SELECT
Press STARTUP
Press MACHINE DATA
Press AXIS MD
Toggle the Axis that you are working with between AXIS + and AXIS –
Press Search then enter 34080 and Press OK on the side of the screen

11) Adjust the A axis home offset by using a dial indicator. Move the Z axis up and down while turning the
blade to the same point. Note the distance it is off and use the pendant in the F1 speed to adjust it half the
distance it is off. Look at the value in the machine position screen to find the value it is off and use
Parameter 34080 to add or subtract too, to make the A axis home in at a true 0 degrees. Do an NCK
RESET, home out the machine and test again to ensure it repeats. Tolerance is .001” from top to bottom.

12) Once #11 is set within .001” then adjust the spindle sweep, by turning the A axis to 90 degrees in the
MDA mode. Check the blade from side to side when standing in front of the machine. If it is off, adjust
by using the 4 jacking bolts around the spindle (tolerance is .003”). Once set then use the jam nut on each
bolt to lock it solid. Tighten the 4 spindle bolts and check the sweep again, adjust the sweep if necessary.

13) Once the spindle is swept then move the axes around so you will be checking the A axis in a front to back
motion. Again, the A axis must be at the 90 degree position. Use 32450 to adjust this value closer to zero.
Once changed then do an NCK RESET and check the home position and 90 degree position to ensure
they are within the tolerance!

14) Once the B Axis home is set and repeatable, turn the B axis to 90 degrees and indicate this to see if it has
gone to far or not far enough. Note the value on how it’s off. Send it back to B0. Indicate again to see if
the backlash needs to be adjusted by using parameter 32450. When setting this value, you are trying to get
it back to where it was originally at B0 after being homed. You are trying to get it as close to this value
and not 0 unless it was 0 when it homed out!

15) Once this is set, send the B axis to -90 degrees then indicate. If the value is close great but if it is off then
note also. This could show that the squareness of the machine is off. To be sure home the machine out
again then check the B0, B90 and B-90 positions to see if anything has changed. If B0 and B90 are close
then change the gear ratio a small amount with Parameter 31060 (If Parameter 31050 = 1 then it needs to
be changed to 10000 to be able to change the gear ratio of Parameter 31060). Do an NCK RESET, home it out and check once again if it has made a difference. The B0 and B90 will be off once you change the
gear ratio so you must set both of the positions again. Tolerance for each side of the B axis is within .008”
maximum. The B90 position is more critical when the blade is being used when cutting parallel to the Y
axis.

16) Test cut with the machine when finally finished!