Bridgeport Heidenhain CNC Mill
Programming & Operating Instructions

Chapter 2
Manual Operations

Powering Up the System

When the machine has had the power shut off,  it is necessary to perform the following steps to allow the controller to run its diagnostic tests and to locate the limits of the axes. Note: it is important to shut down the system overnight to avoid burning the phosphors on the CRT screen.

1. Turn on the power switch located on the power panel located on the right hand side of the mill.   A memory test is automatically performed and the CRT display appears.
   
2. Rotate the brightness and contrast knobs on each side of the controller monitor to their midpoint positions.
3. If the display is in German (i.e., SPEICHER-TEST), then the battery back-up has failed. Before continuing with the power on procedures, you will need to reload the controller's parameters. Click here for step-by-step instructions for accomplishing this task by uploading the parameters automatically.
4. Press the Cancel Entry key on the console. The CE button is located in the lower left hand corner of the numeric keypad.
   
5. Press the yellow POWER ENABLE button located at the upper left hand corner of the console.
   
6. Set the feed override dial at 100% and press the green CYCLE START button four (4) times to overcome the "PASS OVER REFERENCE MARK" for each axis highlighted.
   
7. The machine is now ready for use as an ordinary milling machine in both the manual mode and the handwheel mode

Spindle Motion

The spindle is controlled by two switches in series which must be simultaneously actuated. Both switches are located on the front of the mill above and to the left of the spindle. 

The procedure to turn on the spindle is as follows:

1. Press and hold the green "SPINDLE ENABLE" button.
   
2. The handle-actuated spindle on/off switch, which has two positions (high range and low range) that must correspond to the high range/low range setting of the speed range selector handle on the right side of the head. Mixing the positions up results in the spindle going in reverse.
   
3. Once the motor has started, release both the spindle enable button and the switch handle button.  The on/off switch has a spring-loaded start position and will automatically rotate to the run position

Joy Stick Mode

1. Press the MANUAL mode   key or the HAND WHEEL mode   key on the console. The joy sticks are now active for jogging the axes.
   
2. Press down on the joy stick's tip and move the joy stick in the desired direction.

Manual Data Input Positioning Mode

This mode of operation is used primarily to move an axis (for example, to the origin) or to retract the quill.

1. Press the Manual Data Input (MDI) key on the console.
2. To retract the quill, key in M25 and press the EOB key.
   
3. To move an axis (for example to the X-origin), key in G90 G07 X0 (or other single-axis command) F5555 and press the EOB key.
   
4. To move an axis at feedrate key in G07 (single axis) or G01 (multi-axis) G90 Y0 (or other axis data) F2-- (=20.0 ipm) or other feedrate.
   
5. Press the green CYCLE START button.

Handwheel Mode

Press the HANDWHEEL   key on the console to move the axis that is highlighted on the CRT. Change highlighted axis by pressing the desired axis key and the ENT (enter) key.

In this mode the CRT will display "INTERPOLATION FACTOR:n" where "n" is a numeral that can range from 2 to 10. This number concerns how far the axis will travel per turn of the handwheel. The approximate relationships are:

Establishing the X-Y-Z Origin at the Desired Location

1. Position the spindle axis over the desired origin location.
2. Zero out the X and Y axis counters by pressing X 0 and Y 0
3. Retract the quill using the Z-axis joy stick. If the Z-axis counter does not read zero, then press Z 0  .