y axis stall - error 303

[gibson123]

Well, I'm getting about 20% into a 4 hour raster cut and I am getting a "y axis stall error 303". It happened 3 times in a row. I'm cutting mdf, and has worked fine in the past. Brand new machine, I have made 4-7 cuts in the past w/ no problem.

I do blow out the mdf dust after each cut. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[DocWheeler]

Using the Search feature I found several relevant posts like this one (http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?15702-has-anyone-carved-the-pom-box-yet/page3&highlight=error+303).
When searching for either more than one word or a short word, enclose it in double-quotes.

[Digitalwoodshop]

How many Cut Motor hours? Could be worn Y Gear Box bearings if you have about 500 hours.... See Post from yesterday on the same topic with bearing part numbers posted by me.

Edit....

Hhhhhhmmmmm.... Only 7 posts......

OK... Switch gears....

Lets look at 2 hours of built up MDF dust in the Y Gear Cogs..... Dirty Machine.... Do you have Dust collection?

Could even be dust in the Z cogs and the head NOT Backing UP Enough due to dust then driving Down the correct number of counts.... Causing the bit to HOG out too much..... Was there a dug out area in the last seconds of the cut.... The machine may not always count the retracted pulses.... so if the sawdust prevents it from backing up then the next forward movement will go TOO Far.....

Loose bit in Bit holder.... Bit Sliding down.....? You are using a QC?


AL

[gibson123]

Thanks AL and Ken for the advice. After some trouble shooting I found the Y-Axis motor is bad, getting a replacement from Carvewright.

[Digitalwoodshop]

WOW.... good find... Not something we have heard of before at such a early hour unit....

AL

[dingdong]

Make sure your tension is ok on the t belt on the right side of machine it can be tightened

[mr-nichols]

Same story basically, reasonably new machine, ( 33 hours)
10% into a 2 hour cutting project and I get an "error 303 y axis stall"... my question isn't about what it "could be".
More of ... what are the specific parameters for an error 303. After twelve years as a robotics programmer, I find it a bit embarrassing not to be able to locate and error code database explaining relevant conditions for, nor, explicit explanation of ...what defines an "error 303" code. an overload on a specific drive?, a motion control issue (software?)
I have cleaned, blown, adjusted.........power cycled.......
Still, to no avail. It will measure a board, so I know it does function in Y. goes through the typical prompts, IE: keep on rollers?, center project on board?.... when it gets to "load tool".... press OK and it stalls.
Y axis stall, error 303..........

what next?
what is error 303?

[lhanner]

I am having the same problems, and LHR is taking my money to the bank. I purchased my machine in may of 2007. I have 52 hrs on the cut motor, 13 hrs on scanning, and 200 hrs on run time. I have purchased twice project of the month, 1 carvers club. I have spent a well over $3500.00 on this money pit. last week I was getting Z-axis stall error 313. I was in the middle of carving Amazing Grace on Tuesday when I started getting the error. I spent 3 hrs on the phone with 3 different techs, when they said the problem was the Head Termination Electronics Board Assembly ,FFC Cable - 14 Pin ,Spindle Flex Assembly , Board Sensor Cable. I replaced them yesterday started the Amazing Grace carving and 20 min. it to the carve I got the same error z-Axis stall 313. Powered off the machine check, and rechecked all connections. Powered up hit #7 and got 303 error Y-Axis stall. Powered off and recheck all connections again. Powered on hit #7 again it started honing and ask me to place a board to measure measured the board just fine. Started the carve again got, and got the same errors. I am at wits end. by the way I just put the complete set on bearings , Z-motor, and MWM A Controller Electronics Board Enclosure Assembly ($303.00) all this with in the last 3 months.

Anyone got idea of whats going on with this damn thing.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Both could be a bad power supply..... Intermittant = It happens when you least expected..... And Servo Motors do go bad....

How about chip Removal.... Do either of you have a dust collection system? Where are the chips going? Into the Belts?

AL

[lhanner]

Thanks AL. Yes I have a dedicated DC 1350 CFM 4" pipe with a 6" 4" corrugated hose just for connection. When it carves a I get maybe tablespoon of dust thats not collected. After reading your reply I fired it up selected #7 and it measured the board. I went to carve a different pattern and it stooped before the bit touched the board error Z-axis 313. Tried it again and got error 303 Y-axis stalled.

[Digitalwoodshop]

The first part I would replace is the FSC Cable..... If you already replaced it then replace it again.

Especially if when it was installed it was a little off in length and when the head went over to the Bit Plate it tugged the wire or FSC Cable too tight. By nature of the FSC Cable a break in the wires does strange things as it can be touching one minute and the next being bent and opens.

AL

[lhanner]

I replaced it 3 times. the last time I did not thread it through the ribbon thing holder. It has no bends in it at all. I did not replace the cover as I have terminated the close cover wires year ago. I can get read out by moving both side to side and up and down on the truck. I removed the bottom cover and went through all the connections and there was very very little dust. I have placed a digital read out voltage meter it the receptacle that measure high and low voltage I am running my other shop equipment with no problems, 3 dust collectors,2 table saw, drill press, Baby drum sander, spindle sander, 3 routers, 2 planners and 3 random orbit sanders, Now I am not running all these at the same time although 3 to 4 of them are running at the same time. 2 of my DC run all the time.

Thank for all you feed back. I have a customer very, very angry and will more than likely lose that account.

[mr-nichols]

Sorry about bein' a bit late to get back into this ....
My sister got married yesterday so I was not able to get back to this "conversation".
sounds to me , after reading this, and several other threads on this forum....... That the carvewright doesn't seem to be a very reliable tool after all. At least for some of us. Not wanting to waste time whining about the recession, and living on half of what I used to....... Simply replacing things, is not exactly the news some of us want to hear. Certainly if we are thinking of trying to make a buck or two with our 2K investment.
Now, back to business.
I don't have dust collection as of yet, but I am sure going to here directly. any "best collection device designs" readily available?
I am hoping it is as easy as a bit-o-sawdust in the works somewhere that I haven't looked yet. The "Y" belt seems a bit tight, so I'm going to check the Y trucks and the belt tension.
I hope that this will fix things, because I can't afford to be buying parts right now.
I'll get back to this after I check things out a bit more.
Again, how long is the warranty on this thing? (lol)
NN

[mr-nichols]

OK, so I have checked the "y" belt no gunk/ no chunks of sawdust.
pulled covers,checked the encoders....same story.
power on, homes OK, measures board, asks for tool..... (enter).... moves in Y an inch or two....."Y axis error 303" , doesn't always stall in the same place
you can move the Y truck all the way out (in Y+) and it still homes OK.
I guess I may have to call tech support and see if this can be resolved without shipping it back.

[unclfink]

Yikes I have the same 303 on my machine with 10hr59min cut time can't wait to call tech support, still hope some one in San Diego area might be able to share a machine so I can complete a carving for a memorial for a friend.

[Digitalwoodshop]

I would remove the cover on the right side or the other side from the keypad. Remove the spring loaded screw for the Y belt tension. Remove the screw holding the cover for the cut motor wires as that also holds the Y Belt Return.

Once the belt is removed, work the head back and fourth looking for a frozen bearing or chunks of dust on the rails and rollers.

Look closely at the U shaped area that the big plastic gear and the gear box sits in... If the Y Motor is NOT installed correctly and is pushed TOO FAR toward the center, the plastic gear rubs on the black machine metal of the U shaped area...

Next... Remove the clear plastic cover from the gear box and do an inspection of the meshing of the gears. It is possible to have the gear box not properly mounted on the motor. The holes in the gear box are slotted to allow adjustment of the meshing of the gears.

If you had 500 hours, I would expect you would find bad Y Gear Box Bearings..... And the shaft and big gear would wobble causing this problem....

I would inspect the Y motor too.... Encoder looking close at the solder connections of the encoder.

AL

[mr-nichols]

OK, I'll quickly run down the list of "done so far",.... encoders OK, no dust, no solder problems... Belt check, (Y, and Z) tension ok, no dust, no gunk. sensors are functioning on all axis. ( getting a readout on all three axis). Y motor gears are clean and clearances look good.
just for grins.... I tried a scan.... inserted probe, touched off "scan area" corners, set height above flat planer surface to 1/8" . scanned (open air space) ok for about 20 seconds...
error 303 y axis stall.
I think that must be the wiring ribbon as you said (FSC). seems to be random as far as y position when it stalls, so I am doubting a motor problem. the "FSC" has those folds in it that seem be an impending wire breakage issue by design.
I'm not sure how to check the power supply so I think the fsc ribbon is a good place to start.
Now I get to find out which warranty my machine is, (is not) under.
What does "FSC" Stand for anyway?

[Digitalwoodshop]

When replacing the FSC Cable the trick is to have enough slack so when the head goes to the bit flag that it does not pull the cable tight and snap wires...

Be sure to install the plastic cable holder on the Z end. I did not once and the cable drooped and snagged and ripped the cable out under power. Shorted and killed the Z Motor.

AL

[RabidRed]

I am having the y axis stall with my truck freezing on the rail. If I put pressure on it I can move it and can get it un frozen with a bit of moving back and forth. I have lubed everything and cleaned as best I can all the parts. I go back and restart the project and after a while the y axis stall appears and the the machine wants me to hit "stop". I turn everything off and go thru the same things again. Any thoughts?

[Digitalwoodshop]

How many cut motor hours? Could be worn bearings in the Y Gear Box has worn the shaft thin on the big plastic gear....

Around 500 to 700 hours the bearings can go bad....

AL

[RabidRed]

Should I order another gear box??

[earlyrider]

Also check the Y truck bearings. If you don't have many hours on the machine, and if you're not using a dust collector, these would tend to get contaminated before the Y motor gearbox bearings wear out. A while ago, Al suggested to make a spot with a marker on each Y truck bearing, and move the truck to see if the bearing is rolling; same with the Z. That eliminates or illuminates one more potential problem.
Ron

[RabidRed]

3890038901389023890338904
This is the way my gear looks in the gear box. The gear is loose in the housing. What do I need to replace?
Y truck moves freely on the Y rail.

[RabidRed]

Ordered a new gear. Will see what happens when I install it.

[mr-nichols]

I'm back.... I haven't had much time till today to call tech and get into my Stall issues.
We went though the Y stall paperwork from one end to the other. Power supply checked out ok, 24/5 v. no dirt any where, encoders OK. The last thing was to re check the y belt tension. I thought to myself...well, just maybe this will be it.
Loaded the project, measured the board (further than it usually gets... maybe this will work..) started to cut... (Oh baby I'm getting excited.......) got into it for about thirty seconds.... noticed that the feed seemed erratic on one pass....(hmm).... motor sounded to be over revving just a little ( could be my imagination?? ....)
........" Y axis stall error E05-0303"...... Dang it all anyway!
too late to get back to tech today. I'll have to wait until Monday to deal with this some more.
At the least , I did get it to run long enough to see the rpm/feed rate fluctuation.
anybody have any "grand schemes", or other things I could check over the weekend till I can get back to the tech boys on Monday?