FAQ

Symptoms:

1. The machine moves with a slow, crawling motion.
2. The machine unexpectedly loses power or control during movement.
3. The motion of the machine is shaky or unstable.
4. The software displays a “following error too large” warning.

Possible Causes:

1. Crawling motion may be caused by debris or oil on the guide rails, damaged or stretched timing belts, worn wedge belts, intermittent friction between moving parts, or issues with the Z-axis balance cylinder.
2. Loss of power or control during movement is often due to loose or slipping transmission components, blockages in air bearings, or excessive resistance causing feedback errors. Some causes of crawling can also lead to this issue.
3. Shaking or vibration can result from overly aggressive motion settings—especially acceleration—or from faults in the motor driver or periodic motor issues.
4. The “following error too large” warning can be triggered by any of the above issues, insufficient motor current settings, or if the machine reaches its travel limits without properly detecting limit switches, causing overload.

Recommended Solutions:

1. Inspect and clean the guide rails to remove any debris or oil. Replace any damaged or worn timing belts and wedge belts. Eliminate any mechanical interference and check the Z-axis balance cylinder for smooth operation.
2. Examine transmission components for looseness or slippage, including belts and pulleys. Check air bearings for blockages and clean or replace as needed.
3. Review and adjust motion parameters to ensure speed and acceleration are within recommended limits. Avoid running the machine at maximum design speeds during measurements. Verify motor driver and power supply health, repairing or replacing faulty components as necessary.
4. Confirm that the machine’s axes have not reached their travel limits and that limit switches and sensors are functioning correctly. After these checks, verify the motor current settings to prevent stalls. Following these steps will resolve most motion-related issues.

Symptoms:

1. Unusual noises during motion, such as clicking (“clatter”) or humming sounds.
2. Software alerts indicating “Abnormal motion status.”

Cause Analysis:

1. Clicking noises often result from interference or friction between moving parts and guide rails or fixed components. Damaged bearings can cause periodic noise, while friction between air bearings and guide rails produces sharp, piercing sounds.
2. Humming sounds usually stem from excessive working pressure causing air bearing whistle or from overly high electrical differential gain (D-value) causing system high-frequency oscillations.
3. Dirty or obstructed guide rails can cause irregular motion conditions.
4. Operating in unsuitable ambient temperatures may also generate abnormal noises during machine operation.

Recommended Solutions:

1. For clicking sounds, immediately stop automatic operation. Move each axis individually to identify the noise source. Inspect guide rails for debris or powder from air bearings. If noise comes from casing or fixed parts rubbing, securely reinstall covers. Replace damaged bearings as needed. If white powder is found on guide rails, remove and inspect air bearings, replacing if necessary.
2. For humming noises, quickly determine if it is air bearing whistle or motor noise. Adjust working pressure and air bearing status or optimize electrical parameters, focusing on differential gain (D-value) settings.
3. If software reports abnormal motion status, check guide rails for foreign matter. Cleaning with anhydrous ethanol or aviation-grade solvent usually resolves this. For UCC controllers, try toggling joystick buttons or verify UCC server parameter files and probe assembly settings.
4. Accidental probe triggering during detection movement can also cause abnormal motion alerts.
5. Extreme ambient temperatures affect air bearing clearance due to thermal expansion, potentially causing friction and sharp noises at low temperatures or air shocks and humming at high temperatures. To distinguish motor noise from air shock, press the emergency stop: if humming stops, it’s motor-related; if it continues, it’s caused by air bearing clearance or pressure issues.