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Author Topic: z drive motor locking up  (Read 3401 times)

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z drive motor locking up
« on: January 16, 2010, 03:17:44 PM »
Today when I went to use the machine the z up locks up when moving at full rate. I can set the rate as high as 90% but as soon as it trys to move at 100% it locks up and you can see the drive actually trying to go in the oposite direction. It does this when manually moving the spindle or running a program. As soon as it trys to move to the rapid clearance height it locks up, the dro counter still moves in the right direction but then everythiing is thrown off.
I've tried a reboot, a mach 3 update and nothing has changed.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Randy

Offline ger21

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Re: z drive motor locking up
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2010, 03:20:35 PM »
Need lots more info, but as a guess, it's too cold, and/or it needs lubrication.
Gerry

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Re: z drive motor locking up
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2010, 03:27:09 PM »
It is cold but no colder than its ever been and its fully lubricated. It runs fine up to 90% rate and moves down no problem at all.
What other information would you like.

Offline ger21

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Re: z drive motor locking up
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2010, 03:39:48 PM »
Machine? Screw drive? If yes, screw pitch? motor? motor drive? voltage? speed?

If it'll go 90%, you may have just been lucky that it was working faster before. To be safe, you should really never run more than 15-25% less than the reliable maximum. If you're trying to run right at the max, sooner or later you'll run into problems.
Gerry

2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
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Re: z drive motor locking up
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2010, 04:49:47 PM »
Thanks Gerry, its a Vortech machine, screw drive, don't know the pitch or the motor off hand and I'm not at the shop currently. When I say 100% speed I'm referring to the 100% setting in Mach when you tab into the jog rate settings etc. When that is set at 90% or less the machine works fine. If you set it at 100% or if you are jogging the machine and use the shift key to jog it at full rate it will lock up.
I can't recall the exact settings for the speed in the confige but it isn't at 100% speed capacity, something down around 80 inches per minute if memory serves me correctly.
When it locks up it isn't stopping dead, sounds like almost like its getting pulsed to go in both directions at the same time. The machine has been running in its current configuration for a year and half with no issues at all until today.
Let me know what else you may need to know.
Thanks
Randy
Re: z drive motor locking up
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2010, 06:18:59 PM »
Sounds like DC servo motor driver settings. Go over your driver settings for that motor - start from scratch with resetting the gain and dampening. The driver should be OK since most of them have protection circuitry but the fuse for Z should have opened....unless it is over rated for the motor.

Shot in the dark but a shot anyhow.... I've had this happen with a G320 GeckoDrive and it turned out to be what was mentioned - settings. Worked fine - then did what you explain and I thought Mach settings or the G320 were at fault.

Bill C.