Slipped Y check Y belt error

[mfdchief]

First carve after getting the machine back from LHR for the CT and maintenance upgrades and first time using since the conference. Loaded a piece of MDF 10x16X 3/4 and tried to cut a 6X9 carve region to create a sled for some 1/4 Corian. Machine fired up and ran but my size didnt' turn out right (operator error) so I tried another and this time after measuring the board and the bit touching the bit plate, I got the "Slipped" check Y belt followed by a Y/Z Homing fault. I am running the latest version of Designer along with a fresh firmware update. Any ideas guys?
By the way Floyd if you read this your Dust Insert is great!!

Mark

[fwharris]

First carve after getting the machine back from LHR for the CT and maintenance upgrades and first time using since the conference. Loaded a piece of MDF 10x16X 3/4 and tried to cut a 6X9 carve region to create a sled for some 1/4 Corian. Machine fired up and ran but my size didnt' turn out right (operator error) so I tried another and this time after measuring the board and the bit touching the bit plate, I got the "Slipped" check Y belt followed by a Y/Z Homing fault. I am running the latest version of Designer along with a fresh firmware update. Any ideas guys?
By the way Floyd if you read this your Dust Insert is great!!

Mark

Mark,

Yes I am reading this and THANKS! Especially if your carving MDF! :D

It sounds like you will need to tighten you the Y belt tension.

[mfdchief]

Thanks Floyd, it was nice meeting you at the conference. I guess I should have taken better notes during the machine maintenance session, is there a PDF somewhere on how to tighten the Y belt? Thanks.

Mark

[fwharris]

Mark,

Same here! Here is a link to the maintenance documents on the CW site http://www.carvewright.com/2010CWweb/support/maintenance.php

Any of the Y procedures have the belt adjustment steps. It was also included in the materials handed out for the machine session

(http://forum.carvewright.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=54421&d=1341337833&thumb=1)http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?20972-CW-Machine-Maintenance-amp-Repair&p=180474#post180474

on page 12

[Digitalwoodshop]

The Y Belt should never need to be tightened as it will not stretch until thousands of hours.... BUT... A few times in the life of my 4 machines I have tightened the Y Belt.... Only to have the Y give me more problems later.... What I failed to understand in the early years is that my Y Gear Box Bearings were wearing out and the Big Plastic Gear in the Y Gear Box was leaning toward the center of the machine and making the Belt LOOSE....

So what the source of the Y Stall is more than likely the 2 little bearings are shot... and most likely the shaft of the big plastic gear is tapered thin and needs to be replaced. Lucky LHR sells the Big Gear and Shaft for about $8.00.... And the two METRIC bearings are for sale too locally or on the Internet.

Look at the same post in Troubleshooting from yesterday with Pictures and Part Numbers.

This is a very Common Problem.... That is why I recommend replacement of the 2 bearings every 250 cut hours with the Cut Motor Brushes.

AL

[easybuilt]

I agree with Al and the Y motor bearings wear out first.
Al I did not realize I could buy the gear and shaft from CW, Thanks for the info!

[Digitalwoodshop]

I agree with Al and the Y motor bearings wear out first.
Al I did not realize I could buy the gear and shaft from CW, Thanks for the info!

It took me replacing 3 Y Gear Boxes with old Z Pack Gear Boxes back when the 14 pin upgrade included a Z Motor... I even thought the Ball Bearings were a Babbitt Bearing... My bearing was so dusty.... It took someone posting here... HEY AL.... They got Bearings.... And I grabbed the Gear Box sitting on the shelf next to my computer and looked.... Hence the Picture with the 2 bearings....


SO I was a little "Slow" to get up to speed on replacing the bearings.... I bought 8 of the shafts as I have at least that many gear boxes laying around... The only difference between the Z Gear Box and the Y is the Tapped Hole on top of the Z for the Spring bolt. That is why in some of my pictures you see a Threaded Hole on top of the Y Gearbox.


AL

[mfdchief]

Thanks for the heads up Al, ...so much for the upgrade inspection back at the factory. I would have thought it would have ran more than one 30 minute job before crapping out on me. I guess I should have just changed out the CT myself.......disappointing. Oh well, I will order out the parts and rip the machine apart and see if I have any leftover parts when I get it back together. Thanks for all the responses.

Mark

[mfdchief]

Well I got a PDF from LHR on how to diagnose my problem and I did find the Y belt tensioner screw loose or at least not very tight. I got about a quarter turn on it. I did remove the top cover all the way and unhooked the cut motor wires (my mistake apparently) When I put it back together and tested the machine, the bit plate now does not come out. My question is this, could the cut motor wires have been hooked up wrong? Does that affect the bit plate? If so would I have hurt anything by swithing them? I thought I would try that at least before I ordered bearings and other parts.

Mark

[fwharris]

Mark,

It does not matter on the cut motor wires, they are just a switch loop for the circuit. On the bit plate make sure you have the wires from the cut motor pushes as far back into the corner to insure the Z motor does not hit them when it moves over to engage the bit plate. Also if the wires have the black plastic wire cover you can remove it to get better clearance for the Z motor.

[wlkjr]

Has anyone put together a kit of parts for a maintenance time period? Would be nice to get all the parts as a kit instead of ordering them individually. Or either a pdf list of parts?

[fwharris]

Has anyone put together a kit of parts for a maintenance time period? Would be nice to get all the parts as a kit instead of ordering them individually. Or either a pdf list of parts?

Not sure if you have seen this or not. I was handed out at the conference. Probably not the listing you are looking for but it does give you and idea of what parts you might need at different times.

http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?20972-CW-Machine-Maintenance-amp-Repair&p=180474#post180474

[unitedcases]

I always keep cut motor brushes, bearings for the motors and truck bearings, x drive gears, ffc cables, y sprockets and rpm sensors handy. I order multiple at one time to save on shipping.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk 2.

[mfdchief]

Floyd,

Thanks for the quick reply. I will check the the location of the wires tonight. It was late and hot in the shop last night but if I remember right I dont think the bit plate even engaged at all, like there was no power to it. Would the wire location cause that too? Thanks to all for the responses.

Mark

[fwharris]

Floyd,

Thanks for the quick reply. I will check the the location of the wires tonight. It was late and hot in the shop last night but if I remember right I dont think the bit plate even engaged at all, like there was no power to it. Would the wire location cause that too? Thanks to all for the responses.

Mark

Nope no power to the bit plate!

The bit plate is engaged by the Y/Z truck when it moves to the far side of the machine. The Y/Z truck contacts the front lip of the bit plate and forces is to pop out. The bit plate is spring loaded to return to the normal position when the T/Z truck moves away. Any resistance to the Y movement of the Y/Z truck (dirty rails/bearing, cut motor wires etc) will interfere with the travel and when the machine sees enough resistance it will stop moving the truck.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Like HE said..... The Number ONE reason the Bit Plate does NOT come out is that the Wires from the Right Side Cover Switch to the Cut Motor in the back RIGHT corner are NOT tucked into the far corner... IF you FORGET after putting the Cover back on.... Well, I know from the many times it has happened to ME.... The Cooling Fins from the back of the Z Motor BUMP into the Wires and the Y truck does NOT reach the Bit Plate.....

That is another reason that I preach watching the Bit Plate process with EVERY BIT CHANGE..... Watching this process EVERY TIME tells you the HEALTH of your MACHINE....

Good Luck,

AL

[mfdchief]

Floyd, Al and others:

All fixed and up and running a job as I type this. Wires were indeed not "tucked in the corner" as recommended. Thanks once again to a great group of people willing to help us rookies in a time of dispair.

Mark

[fwharris]

Floyd, Al and others:

All fixed and up and running a job as I type this. Wires were indeed not "tucked in the corner" as recommended. Thanks once again to a great group of people willing to help us rookies in a time of dispair.

Mark

Mark,

Great to know your are back to making some dust. We are always glad to pass on what we have gone through.