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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    123

    Cleaning Rotary Encoders in GCC Spirit.

    Hello all,

    its been a while since i have been on the forum - busy with two jobs and laser cutting!


    My GCC spirit has started misbehaving - producing serrated cuts.
    i recall reading ( i think from our good friend and invaluable contributor Rodney ) that the encoders can be cleaned. did a forum search and found something to this effect.

    i would like to do this anyway, even if its not the major cause of this issue.


    Does anyone have experience of this operation? - the encoders are rotary type attached to the opposite side of the motor spindle from the drive pinion. worried to dive in take them off in case it loses its position or something - ( im thinking like a timing belt on an engine! )

    maybe i got this wrong and some other version of the machine had linear encoders which could be cleaned?


    any input much appreciated.


    Regards
    KPB / Stuart

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Posts
    24221
    De-natured alcohol and lint free cloth, Opticians sell or give away both.
    Just be careful with the glass disc, although usually it is tempered glass.
    There should be no adjustment necessary, the only thing you may find if you use the marker to home, is that the zero/home point may have changed slightly.
    Al.
    CNC, Mechatronics Integration and Custom Machine Design

    “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”
    Albert E.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    2985
    On cheaper machines the encoder disc is probably plastic, like the US Digital products. Are these still ok with denatured alcohol?

    Matt

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Posts
    24221
    It should be OK as De-NA is fairly non-invasive.
    If in doubt, get a small spray bottle of opticians cleaner.
    Al.
    CNC, Mechatronics Integration and Custom Machine Design

    “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”
    Albert E.

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