Motor Problems, help!

[Brian1]

Cut a small part today and my x axis motor is really giving me some problems now. It has acted up in the past but has really been a non-issue until now. The motor is basically stalling in one direction and is intermittent. At first I thought the spring tension was too tight or something was binding so I shimmed it away from the rack and tried to run it. That didn't do anything, it still stalled out and didn't work intermittently. The pulse monitor led was blinking for the x output. I switched the wire with the z-axis motor and the x axis started working fine but now the z axis was doing the same thing as the x did before the switch. This should rule out the motor and the cable, is the bladerunner II controller bad? No software or setting changes were made.

Video 1 is with the motor shimmed away from the rack and video 2 is with the motor up against the rack. Every time it is still it should be moving as I am holding down the key to move it. The fast smooth spinning is in the direction that it works. Click the pictures for the video-

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/Brian4x4/th_xmotor.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/Brian4x4/?action=view&current=xmotor.mp4)

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/Brian4x4/th_xmotor2.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/Brian4x4/?action=view&current=xmotor2.mp4)

[jeepsr4ever]

Usually its a loose cable that causes this or the PC has an issue. What are the specs on your PC and is it a laptop? Laptops DO NOT work well with motion control software like this.

[Brian1]

Checked all the cables before starting it up this morning and everything was tight. Computer is a dedicated Pentium 4 desktop with WinXP SP#3.

It was doing the same thing this morning. I pressed the test button on the Bladerunner II and it started working just fine. Pressed the test button again to bring it out of test and it was still working so I will see how it goes today. Going to try and get some pieces cut.

So for now it seems to be working....

[jeepsr4ever]

These systems are virtually bulletproof and if you have an issue it is rare. This is a new PC is your motor tuning correct or at setup steps per 5300? Should be 1019.1 for X,Y and A and 1273.2 for Z on your machine.

[Brian1]

Motor tuning is correct, I have checked it twice today to be sure. Problem is still popping up between cutting parts. I have tried powercycling the controll boxes and running the test on the bladerunner but now it does not make a difference, the x motor is still intermittently unresponsive. I checked the cables again too and they were all tight.

I wonder if this could be the problem? - http://www.candcnc.com/G251-4_FMK.html as my bladerunner is a g251-4 that this retrofit addresses.

Do you know if this mod was done to the boxes you shipped out? This would have been around Nov. '09.

[jeepsr4ever]

That issue ist the same it meant there would be a loss of steps not unresponsiveness. Hmmm You could try giving Tom a direct call to see if he has had anything similar happen. I know some PC's like windows 7 or AMD processors (and 64 bit XP and Vista) can have these intermittant issues. Tom's # 903-364-2740

[Brian1]

Talked to Tom and should have it resolved. FYI, He had me check that all the 12 screws were tight that held the gecko card on inside the Bladerunner box and they were. Then he had me switch the gecko cards from the bad axis to another one so I did that and the problem followed. It is a bad gecko card so I will be sending it in to them for an exchange.

[Brian1]

Well the same motor is giving me problems AGAIN. Right in the middle of a big project too. The x motor is skipping around throwing the cuts off, it has wasted a few sq ft of 1/4" plate so far by cutting parts off. Here is what it is doing now, a little different than the first time in the videos above.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/Brian4x4/th_photobucket-2715-1312308213409.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/Brian4x4/?action=view&current=photobucket-2715-1312308213409.mp4)

Any ideas? I have gone through the same test procedure as Tom and I did before with no change. Hooking the motor to x/y/z/a makes no difference it still does it so that should isolate the motor. All conections have been checked for tightness. Where and how much does a new motor cost that fits this? I have a little more than 2 weeks to get this project finished for a magazine shoot.

[jeepsr4ever]

PM me your address I will get you a new motor asap

[jeepsr4ever]

Also make sure the setscrew is not hitting the Y axis mount. Look behind the gear to see if it is. Also make sure your gear is tight. I didnt have sound so I couldnt grasp what the problem was.

[Brian1]

I did check the set screw on the gear and the torch mount does glide across the whole length smoothly. I will check it again in the morning then call or pm you back. Thanks

[Brian1]

Problem solved!! (hopefully....)

The first time the motor/control did have a problem but this time was just a false alarm. Moral of the story: keep your gear rack well lubed! I sprayed some white lithium grease on the gear rack and it seemed to have fixed the problem. I cleaned the gear and v-rails really good first then sprayed the gears. It travels across much smoother now with no stalling or skipping around.