Frozen axis

A frozen axis is one that will not move by way of the controller, and cannot be manually moved by the user when the machine is powered down.

Scenario

• Axis will not move via interface and cannot be moved manually.
• Receives "M-x Position error, no power to controller. Re-enable controller?", error
• Can jog other axes
• Customer is probably cutting wood or another material where a lot of debris is generated.

Problem

The ball nut is possibly jammed-up with debris. This is especially likely if the machine is used to cut wood or other material that easily becomes airborne after being cut.

Solution

• Obtain a can of WD-40 that still has the red straw.
• Hit "E-Stop" and POWER DOWN machine Lock out power
• Thread the red straw from WD-40 can into groove of ball screw and into the ball nut and blow it out with copious amounts of WD-40. This will be messy, avoid being underneath the nut during this process. Take all necessary precautions to prevent eye and lung exposure to oils.
• After putting a lot of WD-40 into the ball nut, attempt to spin it by hand, being careful around the belt and pulley. This will force the debris out of the nut.
• Once the machine is moving again remove all the WD-40 with a rag and lubricate the machine. DO NOT leave the WD-40 residue on the ball screw. Also note that over lubricating the machine in a dusty environment frequently leads to this problem, as the dust gets stuck to the excessive debris.