Originally Posted by 76nemo

dronai,

In a scenario like this, your best place to start is with the machine operator. Before you even read error codes or pull prints, see just what you can get out of the machine operator if one exists. If you have someone onboard that knows all of the sequences, ALWAYS start with them, ALWAYS!!!

Originally Posted by dronai

Why not Maybe you can help me ID all communication wiring. The PLC's have what looks like (Large Purple jacketed) Data lines. small orange colored fiber optic wires ? and small purple wires that look like their ethernet ? The same larger purple cables are running through all the VFD's




I found the only 120V panel that read Profi-Bus Optical Network
Panel 2 OLMZ 120V 1 phase I was thinking maybe it's the fiber optic network ?

Originally Posted by eric7379

the larger purple jacketed cables are the profibus. Inside the cable is shielding and then 2 wires- green and red. The small orange fiber optic lines are probably for simolink (i think i spelled it right).

In our application, simolink is bascically used for a "perfect" speed reference signal. The are several different machine components and everything is independently driven (no line shaft). Everything has to run at exactly the same speed. The operators can adjust the gain on the operating panel to control tensions within the process.



Maybe to time all the merges on the conveyor. They use shaft encoders in sink with the photo eyes for tracking.

You might also have green colored cables going to all of the drives. Those cables are the encoder cables.



I'll have to check that out. I just took a picture inside one of the vfd enclosures. I'll post it tomorrow.



In our application, all of the drives operate off of a main dc buss of 700 vdc, supplied by a siemens afe (active front end). All of the drives, including the afe, are water cooled. Sounds crazy, but it does work. Haven't had any water leaks....yet!

Originally Posted by 76nemo

dronai,

In a scenario like this, your best place to start is with the machine operator. Before you even read error codes or pull prints, see just what you can get out of the machine operator if one exists. If you have someone onboard that knows all of the sequences, ALWAYS start with them, ALWAYS!!!

Originally Posted by nolabama

I have an operator, lets call him duma$$, That drives me nuts. Hes really new. When we were having power quality issues, I had him open the drawbridge under genny power to keep the VFDs from faulting. He asks "do I have to close it with the generator?". Wait it gets better..trouble call, bridge stuck open, he had shut the genny off when it was open....so the above advice is crucial to you learning the machines, the sequence of operation is most important for my troubleshooting

Originally Posted by dronai

Did you find out what was causing your power quality issues ?

Originally Posted by Big John

Jesus, you're lucky.

-John