// GILDEMEISTER · ERROR CODE PLC 345
PLC 345 on CTX 210 V3.
Tool turret diagnosis.
// SHORT ANSWER
PLC 345 "Tool carrier overcurrent" on a CTX 210 V3 usually does not mean the tool turret is finished — it means the indexing is binding mechanically, an encoder signal is wrong, or the drive control loop is drifting. Before you remove the turret: check the friction when cold and when warm.
// RESPONSE
UNDER 24 H
ON BUSINESS DAYS
IN PERSON
FROM A TECHNICIAN
// THE 3 MOST COMMON CAUSES
What is usually behind it.
Mechanical contamination or hardened grease in the turret
PLC 345 is triggered when the turret drive draws more current than expected — with hardened grease or ingressed chip sludge the turret binds, the servo draws current, the protection circuit cuts out. Cleaning and re-greasing to the original spec clear the code in many cases.
Encoder or Hall sensor of the indexing drive defective
When the control is not sure about the index position, it keeps applying current to the drive for too long. That is often a sensor defect, not a drive defect. Diagnosis: check the encoder signal with an oscilloscope, check the Hall sensors for clean commutation.
Tool turret drive (Sauter, Duplomatic) itself at the end of its life
Once the mechanical and sensor paths are ruled out, the drive itself — bearings, winding, commutator brushes on brushed motors — can be worn. We see that in the workshop after stripping it down. A repair is usually cheaper than a complete replacement.
// FIRST CHECKS
What you can
check yourself.
Before you remove or ship anything — these five steps are safe and give us the most important clues on the phone.
- 01 ·Note whether PLC 345 only appears when the machine is cold or also in warm operation. Cold problems = hardened grease is very likely. Warm problems = more likely drive wear.
- 02 ·Watch whether the turret is unusually loud, jerky or binding while indexing. Visible mechanical problems = probably cleaning and a grease change.
- 03 ·Go through the control log for other PLC faults in the weeks before PLC 345 first appeared — early signs such as longer indexing times or current warnings give clues.
- 04 ·Check for visible contamination on the outside of the turret. Chips that have migrated into the turret are a common hidden trigger. Careful: do NOT blow chips deeper inside with compressed air.
- 05 ·Do not strip the turret down on your own. Sauter and Duplomatic drives have specific disassembly sequences — taking them apart wrongly causes consequential damage. We come on site or take the drive into our workshop.
// FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What we are often
asked about this.
// 01
Which tool turrets on CTX lathes do you repair?
Sauter and Duplomatic in all common configurations — both the classic brushed drives and the more recent servo drives. Special configurations from the CTX V3 generation as well.
// 02
Does the turret always have to be removed?
No. For pure contamination or a grease change we often work on site. If a drive defect is suspected, or if the indexing mechanics need a deeper check, the drive comes into the workshop.
// 03
How long does a repaired tool turret drive unit typically keep running?
With a clean overhaul including bearing replacement, encoder service and original grease, typically another 5-8 years, depending on the load. We give no blanket warranty promise, but we document the scope of the repair in the function test report.
// 04
What does a PLC 345 diagnosis cost?
On request. We usually clarify by phone beforehand whether on-site service or a workshop send-in makes more sense — and discuss the effort with you in person.
// 05
Do PLC 345 faults also occur on other CTX models?
Yes, we see the code on CTX 210, CTX 310, CTX 410 and CTX 510 — on all of them with Sauter or Duplomatic tool turrets. The diagnostic steps are similar.
// 06
Do you also repair outside OWL and North Rhine-Westphalia?
Workshop repairs yes, throughout Germany by shipping. On-site service mainly in Ostwestfalen-Lippe and the wider North Rhine-Westphalia region.
// SYMPTOM · INQUIRY
DESCRIBE
THE SYMPTOM.
Machine, what happened before the fault, what the control shows — one line is enough. We reply within 24h on business days, personally from a technician.
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