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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking Machines > Tormach Personal CNC Mill > Y axis gets itself stuck moving in one direction
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
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    Y axis gets itself stuck moving in one direction

    When I jog the y axis it only moves in one direction. Also, when I am running a program, at any point in the program, it will lose control and the y axis will just move in one direction until it hits the stop (and destroys my part).

    I will be stuck for a while and then “out of the blue” it will start working again. The problem will come back when I am cutting a part, (destroying that part)!

    And then it all goes away and starts working normal again...

    And then it happens again....:tired:


    Any one have any suggestions?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Posts
    1072
    Smokey, that is a symptom of a stepper motor with one of its two coils only having intermittent electrical contact. I would look at all the wire connections from the output of your Y driver board out to the motor itself. If the motor runs properly some of the time, that would tend to rule out a burnt-out driver circuit itself.

    At least to me, that is the most likely cause because it has happened to me on more than one occasion (not with my Tormach, but I've been working with stepper motors at home and at work for almost 30 years...)

    Randy

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
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    0
    Man, I sure hope so, I will trace the wires again. I guess I need to give a little tug on them to make sure they are in all the way.

    This is killing me! I cant run my first real job, I am dormant. What a crazy problem. I have already got a coupler for it, then finding out that was not it. I traced wires once but I will do it again.

    I tried changing ribbon leads on motors but same symptom occurred. I assumed if it was the controller it would work when I switched and the other drive would not work. That did not happen. Y axis behaved the same with changed out ribbon from x axis.

    When I keep jogging it over and over again, it seems to break loose and start working again. Then when I am working on a project it will go out again and move in one direction until it hits stop and the process is repeated....

    This is crazy!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    2512
    Technical Email: [email protected]

    Phone: (608) 849-8381

    Fax: (209) 885-4534

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    66
    Gibs too tight? Adequate lubrication?

    If you have tried swapping drives to no effect, you can also try swapping motors x to y.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Posts
    325
    Did you just swap ribbon cables going from the controller to the drive or did you swap motor cables between drives also. Could possibly be a problem with the drive. A step and direction signal is required for motion in a specific direction. The direction signal is a "1" or a "0" (depending on direction) so if the input is shorted or open (imtermittently) all the step pulses will send the axis in one direction only.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
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    I only swapped ribbon cables. I talked to Tormach and they suggested swapping both the controller and the power wires. I will try this to see if it is the driver.

    If it is indeed the driver I could temporarily use the A driver for Y while my new one is coming... My problem is confirming the problem. Too much down time..

    I hope this works...

  8. #8
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    Sep 2011
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    Lube looks good, I will keep the option open for Gibs being too tight, it should not be but you never know...

    Quote Originally Posted by SteveKoerner View Post
    Gibs too tight? Adequate lubrication?

    If you have tried swapping drives to no effect, you can also try swapping motors x to y.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    2512
    It should take you thirty minutes to check if it's the controller, the driver, the motor or the wiring (it's called fault finding by substitution). Then call Tormach.

    If you must have minimum down time you should have bought a spares kit:

    Spares Kits | Tormach LLC | We provide personal small CNC machines, CNC tooling, and many more CNC items

    Phil

  10. #10
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    Sep 2011
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    0
    Thanks...

  11. #11
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    Sep 2011
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    Tried out machine and as before, there are no symptoms to start. All axis's work fine, including the Y axis where the trouble is. I had to finally start a job and it worked fine to start. 10 minutes into it, the cutting path went wacko and then hit the Y limit as before.

    At that time I reset it and there were no signs of a problem, that is because the y axis worked back and forth fine like nothing ever happened. At that point I decided to go back to my starting point (0,0,0). When I did that my x was fine at 0, my z was fine at 0, my "Y" axis was over 2 inches off of the zero mark! That was not remotely close to where it should have been.

    Still all 3 axis' worked like nothing ever happen. I jogged over and over again on all 3 axis's until I got the y axis to start acting up again by moving in only 1 direction no matter what way I commanded it. When that happened I switched they y driver to the x driver by switching ribbon and power cables, it started working again in both axis's. What was perplexing is that the x axis now switch with y worked fine also. That could be because it started working again as the y has went in and out in the past itself.

    Started up machine again zeroed it again, went to cut part again, then 8 minutes into it, the path went burzerk again and then hit the y stop. Went back to find home position again and x was 0, z was 0 but y was over 4 inches off...

    Seems like the driver to me, what do you all think???

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Posts
    2512
    Physically switch your x and y drivers then air cut your part several times.

    Alternatively replace your suspect driver with your A driver and then air cut your part several times.

    Phil

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    66
    My suggestion is to leave it in the reversed X-Y driver condition. If you never see the problem again, well, your problem is solved. If the same problem manifest at the X then you have a definitive diagnosis that it is the driver, If it manifest at Y then you know you can rule out the driver as the problem. If you don't do this, then you haven't proven anything.

  14. #14
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    Feb 2006
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    Quote Originally Posted by Smokey911 View Post
    Seems like the driver to me, what do you all think???
    From your description, Smokey, the problem has stayed with the Y axis even after switching drivers. I still suspect the output wiring between the driver board and the Y motor. There is at least one plug in the wiring between the board and motor. That is where I'd look first.

    Randy

  15. #15
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    Sep 2011
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    That is what I did not do, leave it in the reversed driver boxes, I will try that tonight...


    Quote Originally Posted by SteveKoerner View Post
    My suggestion is to leave it in the reversed X-Y driver condition. If you never see the problem again, well, your problem is solved. If the same problem manifest at the X then you have a definitive diagnosis that it is the driver, If it manifest at Y then you know you can rule out the driver as the problem. If you don't do this, then you haven't proven anything.

  16. #16
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    Sep 2011
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    I will also be trying to pinpoint that as well. That is what I was told by Tormach, they are betting that it is a wire, maybe the ribbon and to check them all again. he gave me an ideal and that was to run the program and at the same time move the wires back and forth and if I have a loose wire hopefully it will pick this time to act up. This will help me to pinpoint it. This is killing me...

    I will be laughing about this one day....

    Hopefully I will find the solution this evening...


    Quote Originally Posted by zephyr9900 View Post
    From your description, Smokey, the problem has stayed with the Y axis even after switching drivers. I still suspect the output wiring between the driver board and the Y motor. There is at least one plug in the wiring between the board and motor. That is where I'd look first.

    Randy

  17. #17
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    Sep 2011
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    Okay, went home physically took out wires to drivers, unscrewed and re-tightened all wires from scratch. spent a few hours doing that, put drivers back to correct axis's. Prayed and gave it a go.

    The problem did not present itself anymore. In fact I worked non stop for 3 hours without any erratic behavior.

    Looks like problem is solved... Thanks for all assistance... :banana:

  18. #18
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    Feb 2006
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    I'm glad to hear of your success, Smokey. :cheers:

    Randy

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    11

    Re: Y axis gets itself stuck moving in one direction

    I am facing identical problem with my Tormach PCNC 1100....
    in my case, X axis is locked and wont move at all now....it was intermittent at first, but, now its fully locked....

    I have spoke to Tormach and was told to check the gibs....i did that....
    and i have checked the controllers by swapping and those are all fine....
    I have tried almost all the above posted on this thread with no luck at all.

    I need some help to fix this problem....please help if you can....

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
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    740

    Re: Y axis gets itself stuck moving in one direction

    Quote Originally Posted by ali97 View Post
    I need some help to fix this problem....please help if you can....
    The (first) and best place to check is the manual. The troubleshooting section "Axes Drive Sub-System Checklist" Table 4.2 is fairly good.
    Although they list the LED status in the low probability area it's very easy to check and will show whether the drive has at least some power.
    Before switching the ribbon cables I would have exchanged just the drive output cables. If the Y then moves when you jog the X axis you can eliminate dodgy motor/power cables, power to the drive, connections and the motor itself (ok the motor itself is quite unlikely to fail).
    Good luck
    Step

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