Replacing an SPA2-2 unit

Replacing a digital SPA unit

The SPA configuration file is held in memory in the SPA unit but every time it is updated a copy is placed in the 'machine folder' within the UCCsuite installation on the host computer.

• Before changing a SPA it is advisable to check that there is a '.SPA' configuration file in the appropriate machine folder, within the UCCsuite installation on the host computer.
• If the old SPA is still working a '.SPA' configuration file can be uploaded from it. Start UCCassist-2, connect to the UCC / SPA, then in the 'Utilities' section start the 'SPA Diagnostics' utility, in the configuration page click on 'upload parameters from SPA'; a '.SPA' file will then be placed in the machine file.

When a new SPA is installed the '.SPA' file from the previous SPA unit should be downloaded.

• Start UCCassist-2, connect to the UCC / SPA, then in the 'Utilities' section start the 'SPA Diagnostics' utility, in the configuration page check the 'SPA configuration file path' points to the '.SPA' file location then click on 'download parameters to SPA'. This will update the new SPA with the information from the previous one and the controller can be used without the need for re-tuning.
• If the old .SPA file is not available then the machine commissioning sequence will have to be re-run up to the 'configure for metrology' step.

Differences when changing from SPA2 to SPA2-2 or SPAlite

Other differences to be aware of when changing between SPA types are:-

• The 4th axis card for the SPA2-2 is different from the one for the SPA2 and cannot be interchanged, i.e. the 4th axis card must be correct one for the SPA type (the motor connections are the same on both so there is no problems on changing between SPA2 and SPA2-2 on an installation).
• The axis motor connectors are in a different order on the SPA2 than they are on the SPA2-2 and SPAlite. Looking on the back panel and reading from left to right, the axes are 0, 1, 2 on the SPA2-2 and SPAlite units, but 2, 1, 0 on the SPA2.