Burned out motor - how to stop this happening again

[Anonymous]

Im new to Fusion 360. I've finally got my model right, the tool paths and exported the GCode. So far so good.

I left the machine (3018) running but it stopped half way with the smell of smoke. I turned it off and (photo attached) have a red light on the Z cable connection on the control board (arduino).

So my questions are:

- do you put any 'lube' on the control spindles? (or more basically what routine maintenance is done on the machine)?  I put a generic oil on (3-in-1) and made sure everything was aligned using a micometer.

- how do I stop this happening again?

- what went wrong?

- what's the best tool paths to minimise XYZ movement? It had to go 'up and down' (Z axis) quite a lot when it was mostly machining 'empty space'?

- Possibly the most 'important' question but as the machine is small, I try to maximise the Z axis. As such I give 1mm clearance to get the tool over the block but does it keep pushing against the Z axis if it runs out of room?  i.e. does the machine push the tool against stoppers every time it does a vertical movement (if it required an extra mm)?

I appreciate the machine is 'cheap' but I'm learning and don't want to buy a $$$ machine just yet (and my wife wont let me :- ).   

Fortunately I have a spare machine as I was sent 2 by mistake and paid 'half price' for the second one.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Im new to Fusion 360. I've finally got my model right, the tool paths and exported the GCode. So far so good.

I left the machine (3018) running but it stopped half way with the smell of smoke. I turned it off and (photo attached) have a red light on the Z cable connection on the control board (arduino).

So my questions are:

- do you put any 'lube' on the control spindles? (or more basically what routine maintenance is done on the machine)?  I put a generic oil on (3-in-1) and made sure everything was aligned using a micometer.

- how do I stop this happening again?

- what went wrong?

- what's the best tool paths to minimise XYZ movement? It had to go 'up and down' (Z axis) quite a lot when it was mostly machining 'empty space'?

- Possibly the most 'important' question but as the machine is small, I try to maximise the Z axis. As such I give 1mm clearance to get the tool over the block but does it keep pushing against the Z axis if it runs out of room?  i.e. does the machine push the tool against stoppers every time it does a vertical movement (if it required an extra mm)?

I appreciate the machine is 'cheap' but I'm learning and don't want to buy a $$$ machine just yet (and my wife wont let me :- ).   

Fortunately I have a spare machine as I was sent 2 by mistake and paid 'half price' for the second one.

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I am curious, what year and model is your wife, perhaps trade in is in order, or chose between wife and machine 😀.

On serious note, with home brew equipment and your out loud thinking it is hard to tell what may be the problem.

If Fusion has anything to do with it at all, you need to upload the file so people can take a look at what you have going on.

Pushing motor RPM's to limit, pounding on limit switches, dirty warm gear causing resistance or stalling,.......... it's anyone's guess.