Nice job Alan!

(Do you know about Cape Watchmakers' own parking bays?)

Thanks guys.

Hi Gerald, yes thankfully, parking anywhere else in that area of town is always problematic.

Beautifully done.

Machine doing crazy things.
 

Hi guys, need some help here. The machine has started doing some weird moves. See attached pic. That was supposed to be circular text on a round disk with a recessed centre. As you can see the text looks fine on the first one, but from there it just gets progressively worse until what is supposed to be the profile cut is completely wonky. I am not at the machine, my foreman sent this to me. Apparenly there is no slop or loose mechanical connections.
I suspect it could be the pc giving up the ghost or a software issue (mach 3)

Has anybody experienced any thing similar?

Usually something simple.

Mechanical.
Check all grub screws on pinions and reduction drives.

Electrical.
Check all wiring and connections to motors and circuit boards.
Dust in computer and control box.
Static, throw a bucket of water on the earth spike.
Parallel port cable.
Probably think of some more later.
Good luck.

Check the z axis eccentric vee bearings too.

Mechmate 11 is now sorted, the one thing that I asked my operator to check (as I wasn't at the machine at the time) was for movement on the pinions, of course he assured me it was perfect...well it wasn't. The two grub screws fixing the driven pulley to the pinion shaft of the belt reduction were completely loose :o. two minute repair, after spending 30 minutes checking all connections, blowing out the electrical cabinet, cleaning intake filters etc etc... :( (at least the machine got a good service)

That's a solution that I like to hear, simple and cheap.:D

It just goes to show once again what a robust design the MechMate is. I noticed some posts earlier in the week on an FB group questioning the design of the MM and the fact that nothing much has changed over the years - thats a good thing, constant changes mean constant new problems to solve. The MM design is stable and well proven, dont fix what aint broke (unless you broke it yourself :) )
Sure if you want to spend the cost on fancy expensive linear rails and recirculating ball nuts and screws go ahead but its really not necessary. My machine has been running virtually problem free since 2008 and whatever problems have come up have been simple and easy to fix. I know for a fact that expensive bought machines (whether from Europe or the East) will require a lot more expensive maintenance and call outs from an even more expensive technician and boy when something fails it costs big bucks. Some years back a NUM controller on an SCM machine at work failed, the repair (not replacement!) cost more than my entire MM cost me.:eek:

I agree. Based on what I'm reading about the latest DIY CNCs, I wouldn't change the mechanical design at all. Some electronics and software will always be in a state of constant change and that is to be expected. I probably don't run mine as hard as others do here but I'm very pleased with it so far. Glad to hear your problem was sorted as easy as it was. It makes one stop to think about checking the basics first.

Hi guys :-) ... same old story on the v-wheels against linear guides :-) I remenber and understood what Gerald pointed out once ... Linear guides are much more complicated to mount, if you don't get them perfecly aligned on 3 axis they are going to work badly, I think he told that you need a perfect base (rectified - grinded) to make them working properly or at least a lot of patience :-) ... well somthing like that :o

MM 11 has died!
 

MechMate #11 has died - a fiery and ignominious death. Fire destroyed half the factory including the MechMate - I may be able to salvage the side rails but everything else is twisted and warped or just plain gone :eek: :mad: Suspect it could have been a carelessly discarded cigarette butt. Definitely not electrical as we had no active supply to these premises for over 4 years now already so running on generators, when the factory is closed the gennies are off so no possible power.

Attachment 16521
Collapsed roof over the MechMate

Attachment 16522
Somewhere under there used to be No 11

Attachment 16523
Gantry has sagged from the heat

Attachment 16524
That was once the control panel, only thing recognizable are the transformers

Attachment 16525
The remains of a very expensive Yaskawa inverter

Attachment 16526
Y car

Attachment 16527
I thought stepper motors were built to handle the heat?

Attachment 16528
The only thing left of the computer and monitor cabinet

Attachment 16529
Dell GX280 - wonder if it will boot up?

Attachment 16530
Sagging gantry and cross beams, maybe the sides are still useable

Attachment 16531
The only proof that it was once a proud MechMate

So sad. Lots of heat. Looks like it burned for a while. Thanks for eliminating electrical as the cause.

That's terrible. Good luck with the new build.

So sad and painful, was the Mechmate insured?

Noooo.
A lot of wood make a lot of hot.

Sorry Mate !!
 

Ya, I join the "so sad" group Mate :eek:
Been a while since I sneak peek here....and, sorrow to see this post of yours
Your beast was one who has inspire me to build back then !
great gratitude for all your help back then, thks Mate, wish I could help now !!

Aside this Alan, truly Hopping you not too affected by all this chaos in your neck of the globe.....:eek::confused:

PS....as ANYONE heard or got new from or about Gerald & family ??...are they OK through the chaos !!

Be safe, wishing health & serenity, amicalement, Robert ;)