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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    4

    Techno Isel Lubricants

    Hey CNC'ers

    This is my first post here, looks like a great community. I tried to search the threads and forums for this info, and couldn't get what I'm hoping for.

    I'm working at a school, and trying to get a machine that was shipped in from another school and dropped off covered in dust working. No manual or model number The table looks almost identical to this one.

    http://www.techno-isel.com/Tic/gantry3.gif

    Stepper motors are not behaving, and I suspect it might be lubrication causing them to work too hard and miss steps. I've looked at a manual I found online (which I have no way of confirming is for this machine) and called a lube supplier with brand names and numbers, but the part numbers are old and brand names and products have all changed, and even if we get it sorted out I would have to buy at least ten tubes of grease at a time from these guys, and it looks like the manual is recommending more than one kind. I want to get this thing working and it has become my baby, I'll be personally purchasing the lube, so if it's too expensive I guess I will be packing it in, as I am not back at the school next year. It is being used as a wood router, so I would say low speed and dusty are the conditions. Has anyone with one of these tables maintained it with commonly available lubricants?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Posts
    17

    Re: Techno Isel Lubricants

    I recently acquired a Techno Isel router that is similar to that. I didn't know what its maintenance history was, so I disassembled everything, cleaned it, and put it back together. I found that several of the linear bearings were full of a mixture of dust and oil, so the BBs weren't rolling, they were instead sliding on the rail. I pulled all of the BBs out, soaked them in rubbing alcohol to loosen the dirt, cleaned the bearing races out, then put them back in the bearing. It was a tedious process, but now I know that all the bearings are free. Upon reassembly, I used a light machine oil (3-in-one is available at most hardware stores) on everything. This turned out to be a mistake on the Z axis. The oil was so thin it would run down the linear rail and ballscrew, then drip out the bottom. I recently took the Z axis apart again to lube it with white lithium grease. It's just a bit more solid, so it won't run off. I ended up with the white lithium on all three ballscrews, but opted to for sure keep the light machine oil on the linear rails that are under the table. I think any chips that may touch those rails would stick to the white lithium, but are likely to fall off with just the oil coating them. The rails in the gantry are more protected, so you could probably go either way.

    If you take the stepper motors off, you should be able to turn all of the ballscrews by hand just by holding the 1/4" shaft at the end of the screw. They should turn that easily.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    4

    Re: Techno Isel Lubricants

    Thanks mx270. That's exactly the type of advice I was hoping for

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    247

    Re: Techno Isel Lubricants

    CNC4breakfast~

    Here's a post from my thread earlier this year. Hope it helps.

    http://www.cnczone.com/forums/techno...ml#post1440946

    ~john

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    4

    Re: Techno Isel Lubricants

    Thanks John. would any reputable name brand general purpose/multiple use lithium grease and hydraulic/jack oil do, or is there some specific qualities you looked for?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    247

    Re: Techno Isel Lubricants

    CNC4breakfast~

    is there some specific qualities you looked for?
    I carefully checked the msds sheets for the products I chose. The maintenance documents I
    downloaded from Techno-ISEL seemed very specific about what grease and oil to use. It was
    informative to do a little research first.

    I liked these two because they were mostly pure mineral oil. I wasn't sure what would happen
    if I used synthetic (even tho' I use it in my car).

    This is what I used:
    Lithium Grease: Coastal/All purpose grease (52575) | Lubricant/Grease | AutoZone.com
    Hydraulic Oil: Coastal/Hydraulic and jack oil (21601) | Hydraulic Jack Oil | AutoZone.com

    Here is a link to the maintenance doc I used. Machine Maintenance Manual
    The oils are discussed on page 8.

    ~john

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    247

    Re: Techno Isel Lubricants

    CNC4breakfast~

    Here's a correct link to the maintenance manual. Sorry, I think there's a typo in the previous post.

    http://www.techno-isel.com/LMS/Downl...l-June2010.pdf

    ~john

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    247

    Re: Techno Isel Lubricants

    CNC4breakfast, mx270a~

    Just read mx270a's post all the way through.

    The oil was so thin it would run down the linear rail and ballscrew, then drip out the bottom.
    I was going to use 3-in-1 oil as well but decided against it due to its viscosity. Plus, I had no idea what
    "Severely Hydrotreated Heavy Naphthenic Oil" was. So I decided to stay with mineral oil. Works great on bike chains, etc.

    If you take the stepper motors off, you should be able to turn all of the ballscrews by hand just by holding the 1/4" shaft at the end of the screw. They should turn that easily.
    mx270a is exactly right. You don't think they will, but they do. It's reassuring.

    ~john

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    4

    Re: Techno Isel Lubricants

    You guys have saved me a lot of slogging and hard work trying to source this stuff. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. I'm in London Ontario so we don't have Autozone, but I will definitely be calling around to see if anyone in town stocks these Coastal products. If not I will do my best to match up the specs and hope for the best. In your experience is it reasonable to suspect that lubricaqion may be the problem behind lost steps on a stepper machine?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Posts
    17

    Re: Techno Isel Lubricants

    Lost steps would indicate that the motors aren't big enough to move the machine at the speed you're trying to go. Could be too much friction on the moving parts, which need lube. Could be that the gantry weights enough that acceleration becomes an issue.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Posts
    214

    Re: Techno Isel Lubricants

    Lost steps can be from a lot of causes... Even weird ones, like resonance frequencies.
    The major suspects are, however, going too fast, hitting something, and ball nuts full of debris. Basically, anything that would require added torque from the motor that it doesn't have.

    Consider posting a video for us to check out and we'll give you some suggestions.

    Also, for what it's worth, we sell a lube kit for the machines.

    Regards,
    Eric
    Eric Feldman - Design Engineer, Programmer
    Armor CNC - http://www.armorcnc.com Support hours: 7am thru 10pm EST, 7 days a week

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