Hi guys,

I'm a newbie on this forum :wave: . Name's Kris and I run a sign shop out here in Malaysia. I have a Gerber Sabre 408 that runs like clockwork on most days. On two prior ocassions I got an axis failure error message (first x and then y) which I traced to a driver board failure. Those phoenix connectors on that board are woefully under rated I think for the loads they see and the currents they have to deliver to the axis motors. In both instances the connectors and part of the board were charred, clear evidence of overloading and board failure.

This time around though I'm getting a z-axis failure. And it only comes on AFTER outputting a job to the router. Switching the router on then 'orienting' the system is fine. Even when that is done and the z-refs are set she's fine. Then I output the job, the keyboard lights up I hit the start button, the router moves into position along x and y, then when it moves up along z up to the limit switch, it stops, the router beeps from the controller, there's an amp light that comes on there and the keyboard displays z -axis failure.

I tried switching the boards around in the controller (swapping X for Z) but it still displayed the same z-axis failure message when I output. Could the encoder/drive motor for the z-axis be faulty? Or is it the limit switch on that axis?

Any advise from anyone here on how to troubleshoot this and narrow down my list of possible failures before I start ordering parts :drowning:?

Thanks in advance guys!

cheers,
Kris