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Hi everyone...I am having a problem with my versalaser. Turned my machine on and the table won't lower down and return to z. It just sits there making an awful noise. Tried turning off and restarting with the same result. Anyone have any ideas what I can do to fix this problem? TIA
Don't know if you table uses screws, chains, cables or what, but, check for anything blocking the table from moving, or if something may be caught in the screw/cable etc mechanism. I've had plain paper towels bind up my table.
Also, try to locate the table's 'movement source', the stepper and belts (typical) that operate the lowering mechanism.
If you can't move it, or you CAN but it's very difficult, see if there's an obvious reason why; something caught in the belt, etc.
If you can, make sure the power is off, and using the main belt, try to lower the table. If so, and it moves fairly easily, turn the machine back on, and see what happens. If it moves to the limit switch and stops and makes noises again, it's a good bet the limit switch is bad. If it doesn't move and just starts making noise, it may be the table's controller or the connection to the stepper motor is faulty,
I've seen more than one stepper motor just seize up, worn out from inside I suppose. Steppers when off are reasonably easy to turn....
If you have a screw-type of mechanism to raise and lower the bed, is your bed totally lever or is one or more corner different from the others? I had a situation where one corner's screw drive system was not level to the other three corners and it made an awful banging sound. I had to release the belt drive that drove all four corner screws and re-level/equalize the height of all four drive screws. The offender was only out of sync by a half turn or so.
Thanks for your responses. Checked lead screws and belts but everything seemed fine. Nothing was stuck in between anywhere. My husband decided to make a 400km trip to take the machine to be fixed by a service technician. Stayed overnight in a motel and when he picked it up the following morning he was told there was a lot of debris on the lead screws and they needed greasing. He said he spent hours cleaning them off, regreased them, also checked if there was anything that needed replacing (but there wasn't) calibrated the machine and said it was now working again.
My husband had no reason to doubt him so he drove back home the following day (another 400kms) I turned the machine on the next day but guess what...still not working!!!! The table was stuck at the top position. By pressing the down button on the controls off and on it finally moved to the down position....but not all the way...it again gets stuck about 1cm before it touches the limit switch. Have taken the side covers off to observe what is happening but can't see anything obvious. Z-axis motor seems to work...home sensors work (once the table finally gets to that position) Table seems to move up and down in between but once it gets close to the top or bottom it somehow seems to get stuck. Rang the technician but he was no help...he didn't want to talk to us because it was Saturday. Feeling quite disillusioned and not sure what to do now...
Mary Anne
Have your husband check this link and see if he can solve the problem himself. These machines aren't all that complicated so self-repair is the norm.
http://www.engraversnetwork.com/file...s-override.pdf
I once had my machine home to z from the computer control screen and candles it halfway through the process. Tried to manually move my table up and down after and it would only go up. Turned it off and one, still not working. Had to re auto home it before it would work.
This doesn't match your problem 100% bit I figured I would share in case it could help.
Aside from perhaps a loose connection in the Z motor circuit I would just say it sounds like the motor is bad.
I had have the same problem the wire that connects the down button to the display pad was loose. I tightened that and now the down works fine. don't know it thats your problem but might check that connection
Thanks for trying to help Mike but that must be a different model to mine. I have a VL200.
Hi Bill...if the motor was bad, would it not move the table at all? I mean....it moves the table up and down in middle of the lead screws but when it gets to the top or the bottom it seems to get stuck there. Somehow it finds resistance and just stops. Starting to think it may be in the lead screws...that perhaps there is still some some debris there that is stopping the motor...although visually the lead screws look fine and have plenty of grease.
Would the motor have some sort of safety stop if it finds resistance? Once it has traveled through the centre of the lead screws and it gets to the bottom (or top) I can manage to coax it along about 1-2mm at a time to get it to where the sensor switch is. Once it gets to the sensor switch it stops and won't go further so I know they are still working. The table is then stuck and I have to coax it back out of that position.
Thanks Bert will check that...have included a photo of my laser and approx where the table gets stuck
Thanks Matthew...looking at all suggestions :)
Yes the motor can be bad and still move, internals to a stepper motor are windings, magnets and bearings. IF you can, move the table up and down by hand without power on and without an issue. So did you try that? Also did you check for loose connections a splice at some point in the harness is needed. Also wires can be loose on the terminals connected to the motor driver board. I have been an electrician since 1962 and fixed a lot of problems. Yes a motor can have bad bearings binding or perhaps a magnet came loose and is dragging inside causing it to have low power.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mary Anne de Jong
I guess Kev told you more or less the same thing back in the beginning.
You can try to get the belt off the Z motor and then try to move the table up/down with the buttons on the machine. If the Z motor works it is not its fault and may be there is definitely something stuck in ballscrews.