9
Testing the Performance of the Plateloader
1. Start
Front Panel
2. Click
Options
|
Advanced Menu Items
- to turn on Advanced Menu Items
3. Click
Options
|
Administrator Mode
– to turn on Administrator mode
4. Click
Plate Loader | Diagnostics | Test Axis
5. Set
Axis
to X,
Speed factor
to 1.3,
Amplitude
(mm) to 10,
Oscillations
to 10,
Places to test
to 5, and
Starting at
to 0.0. Click
Test.
6. If the Plate Loader misses steps, inform Douglas Instruments of the problem. Then
reduce the
Speed factor
to 1.2 and repeat step 4 (again, try five times). If this fails,
continue reducing the speed.
7. Follow a similar procedure for the Y, Z and V axes. If the Plate Loader misses steps,
reduce the speed.
8. Click
Options
|
Administrator Mode
– to turn off Administrator mode
9. Click
Options
|
Advanced Menu Items
- to turn off Advanced Menu Items
Realigning the Plateloader
1. Follow steps 1-3 above to turn on Administrator mode
2. Click
Plate Loader | Clear Tip Offsets
- this clears any adjustment made to the tip
position.
3. Install the ‘mounted needle’ into the Z-arm (you should find this in the red plastic box)
4. Click
Plate Loader | Diagnostics | Align Table and Arm …
5. First run the ‘Find Index Positions’ option. – This will jiggle the table many times while it
finds the optimum offsets for the home position.
6. Now do ‘Align Pointer with Table Dowel’ you can adjust the table left/right. forward/back
to get the needle in the centre of the dowel in the table This is a stainless pin near the 4
screws in the table, it should be obvious when it goes there as it should not be out by
more than about 1.5 mm. If it is out by a lot, the Plateloader may have had a heave knock
during shipping and the z-box may have shifted.
7. Do not adjust the arm up and down at this point (you may use the ‘Lower’ / ‘Raise’
buttons, but don’t try to make the needle touch the dowel using the arrow buttons)
8. When the needle is centered, and with the arm in the ‘lowered’ position, click ‘Save’. Add
a comment to the end of the message displayed if you wish.
9. Your table should now be aligned properly.
