Hi everyone, new user and new machine owner here. I finally finished assembly and tried jogging the machine around and at 200 ipm or lower it runs fine but at 400 ipm it binds basically everywhere. The x-axis makes a loud slipping sound and stops and one of the x-axis gantry sides is either fast or one is slow but they constantly get out of square with each other (at 400 ipm). I can home the machine successfully as long as it’s at 200 ipm (or lower) but the breaking program fails. What I’ve done so far:
I re-aligned and re-tensioned the X and Y ballscrews, no change in performance.
I re-lubricated the ball screws, no change.
I re-checked that the machine is square, it was.
I re-checked the bearing tension on the x-axis carriage and they were fine (may need to go back and re-check this).
I re-adjusted the limit switch stops, no change.
I know there are many other threads about this and i’ve read most of them and done the steps they suggested with literally no change. Anything anyone can offer? I’ve called support 3 times and nobody answers, yesterday i got the “outside of business hours” message in the middle of the day. I’m trying no to get frustrated…
Fair question, I’m very confident it didn’t move when attaching the water table. I checked it obviously roughly after and it doesn’t seemed to have moved.
I haven’t had time to get out there and look at it in a few days but hoping to have time later today. I found a copy of the XR COMPREHENSIVE ADVANCED TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND TROUBLESHOOTING MANUAL and will be checking a bunch of things it calls out. I’ll report back for sure, thanks everyone!
So progress has been made. I removed the lead screw on the x-axis to validate the bearings were adjusted correctly and the whole x-axis seemed tight. I loosened the bearings and reset the tension on them. Once reassembled the x-axis will traverse in both directions at 400 ipm. SUCCESS!!
As for the y-axis, I first re-adjusted the tension on the lower v-roller, no change. After attempting to jog it back and forth at 400 ipm it seems that the Y1 side stops at the same point each time, causing the Y2 side to continue a small amount and then stop as well, causing the gantry to be out of square. From laying a straight edge up against the rail it seems it may be slightly out of alignment in the middle, not sure its enough to cause it to have issues but I will tackle re-aligning the rails tomorrow and report back.
RESOLVED ish!!! So this is weird. Went back out to work on the y-axis and the x-axis was binding up every inch it moved. I left it alone, went to work on y. I re-aligned the rails as they seemed a tiny bit out. They were and the y axis is able to traverse the whole table at 400 ipm now. I tried the x-axis again to try and ascertain where it was binding and it ran fine and smooth. I ran the break in program three times and it finished fine. My theory is that the x-axis has some issue with the motor is cold but once it warms up it’s fine. I shut it down and will go back out to the shop after dinner and try it again from cold.
Great to hear! I’ve had mine for a while and still have the occasional binding on the y…. I typically just traverse at the 2-300 ipm and if it does bind I just make it find home to realign. Would like to spend more time getting it perfect but having too much fun cutting stuff!
I have had the same issue with the X axis for over a year without resolve, I can not get my crossfire to operate reliably at 400IPM. I have been dealing with Langmuir support and they have not been able to come up with a solution as of yet. I was told they were going to send my ticket up the ladder but I have not heard or gotten a response for a couple weeks now. In addition to the other tickets I have submitted in the past for the same problem.
when my X axis running at 400IPM, all I have to do it barely touch the rotating ball nut housing with my finger and it stalls (if it doesn’t do it on its own). The X stepper motor seems to be operating at the very cusp of its albites, I have tried rotating the ball nut and assembly by hand but can not find any areas of binding or excess resistance. It seem like the stepper motor has just barely enough power to move the X axis at 400IPM. I don’t think they would design it with that low of a operating margin but I cant find any other reason it is happening. The amount of pressure needed to stall the X axis at 400IPM it less than you would use to lightly tap someone on the shoulder, very lightly. I have checked alignment, tension, lubrication, and checked just about everything multiple times and can not find anything that is not as it should be. I posted a longer description in the forums but have not had any possible fixes. Overall, this table has been very frustrating and unreliable to operate.
On the XR they had me loosen the two screws on the X motor/assembly that basically comes from the factory misaligned and causes tension. Assuming you tried this but fixed my X and it travels at 400. The Y is still struggling….
I have had some of the same issues. I stopped using grease and oil because what I though was part of the viscosity. I started using the lightest things I could think of. WD-40. After several passes my XR does not have the bidding issue and I have not adjusted anything else in the machine. To be honest I adjusted several things suggested from this form, but lighter lubrication is working for me at this point.
I had a similar issue with mine - I’m a new user as well. X and Y axis worked fine at 200, Y worked fine at 400. X worked fine in one direction at 400, but not both directions. Adjusted things many times and did the X motor assembly adjustment without success.
The fix came by adjusting the tension of the X axis motor belt - it was significantly tighter than either Y motor belts. Has been flawless since this adjustment.
Hope it helps.
T
I’ve had a similar experience with my XR. Tried everything several times. Last weekend I thought I almost had it, it would bind in the first 4" but if I went past that slow the whole rest of the table was fine. I went out to cut yesterday and right back to binding. I have taken the belts off and pushed the gantry from end to end with no noticable tight spots, checked level with a laser, checked tension, etc. etc. etc. I am going to try the WD 40 and see if that helps I have my doubts but I am posting because in all these posts I am not seeing anything to indicate how critical any of the adjustments are or how to rule out any of the possible causes. I ask this because after the binding yesterday I checked tension on the ball screws and the y2, the one that bound, seemed to be a little tight but the manual says 3/8" with moderate pressure…
It would be assume if there were a tork spec. I mean if it moves 1/4" is it too tight, 1/2" too loose? Is it my moderate pressure or my girls moderate pressure. The only thing I can think of that has changed is tempature. Last weekend was in the 70’s this weekend in the 40’s, did that cause enough change in tension to cause binding? Does anyone use their XR in an area with drastic temp changes in an unheated shop and does that cause problems?
I haven’t called in to tech support for this issue yet, but I think that might have to be my next step. Also I had to change out my motion control board after it went bad. Could something be causing the issue that caused the board to go bad and its still happening?
So when you say it went back to binding, do you mean that you could feel it binding when you push the gantry by hand?
And at some point you had it so it wasn’t binding?
Thank you for replying. Yes it never really bound by hand, in fact I have never even been able to find a tight spot. I thought I had found my problem in that I had put the felt ring retainers into the holes that hold the ball nuts together but I fixed that issue and left the felt rings off due to comments by others that they had success with that, but it still was binding and twisting but only at 400, 200 and below it traveled fine so again I checked the tension on everything and y2 seemed like it might be a little loose but thats where I questioned how sensitive that is. I went out the following weekend, back in the 70’s and there was no binding, not even in the first 4"'s where it was previously binding. I am now completely GUESSING that the temperature is affecting either the tension or the viscosity of the lubricant. I haven’t tried the wd40 yet and I haven’t been back out to cut more. I was hoping for some input before I really break something. Any thoughts?
I think the gantry homes fine because there are times when everything works flawlessly the binding is occassional. When you say preload on the bearings are you talking about the ball screws, the ball nuts or something else? The screws on the ball nuts I tightened tight, if that is the problem and I need to loosen them some do I need to use lock tite or something so they do not fall out? When I had it together incorrectly with the felt washer retainer also under that screw, it sometimes worked great and I think, although I’m not certain because I’m not sure when those screws fell out, but when the screws fell out, one on y2 and one on x could be when the binding started.
Thank you so much for helping me troubleshoot this!
I was talking about the wheels/bearings that the gantry rides on. When you check the Gantry by hand, are you leaving the belts on the motors?
Its been along time since I assembled mine but I’m sure at one point you move the gantry by hand before the motors are put on or belts installed. I would think this would be the only way to feel a bind moving by hand.
As far as ball Screws they are kind of hit and miss. You want them just tight enough that they don’t whip to much when running at speed. I am not much help with out seeing it, I really need to see things to troubleshoot and some times that’s not even enough
I guess my best advice would be to rule out that the gantry is not binding due to a mechanical problem. and if not then check with tech support to see if there could be a issue with the drive side of it.
Maybe post a video of the lead screws while problem is occurring.
Maybe revisit the assembly instructions and check that it is homing squarely and any other things that might have got over looked.
Did the table measure sq when you assembled it? (diagonally?)
Thank you!
When checking by hand I took the belts off. I think your right, you would never feel a bind with the belts on. I feel like the wheels/bearings that the gantry rides on were already installed, I don’t remember assembling that part in any case. I did notice that in the home position one of those wheels spins freely, meaning its not touching but again everything works as it should sometimes…
I did take a video when it was binding but I’m not seeing anything wrong in the video. I think I will take your advice and go through the assembly again to see if I missed something or did something incorrectly but I’m not thinking it could be an assembly problem at this point. I really think its lubrication or tension somewhere.
Yes I did square the table diagonally and go it right on to the 1/16th. I also double checked square a couple of times to be sure it was still right on and held my thumb and finger on the tape to ensure I was off by an inch.
Thanks again for your help troubleshooting! It helps just to be able to bounce off someone that understands whats involved.
