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Diagnose z-axis fail on Fabrikator Mini v2
BART B
Club Members Posts: 1 ✭
Hi, I recently started to have problems with z-axis movement in my Fabrikator Mini v2.
Just after I turn the printer on from "cold" the z-axis moves correctly, but when it warms up a bit the z-axis threaded rod just wobbles instead of making full turns (jitters/oscillates - it is hard to choose correct word to describe the behaviour).
It looks like that the rod doesn't want to rotate and just rotates a few degreed right and left and the z-axis platform stays in place.
I'm sue that the z-axis isn't jammed, because I disassembled it whole, leaving motor without any load and the motor doesn't rotate too.
This happens both while printing and "manual" positioning of hot end using "Manual Controls" in Repetier Host.
When z-axis movement is failing I'm still able to operate with x and y axis, so this is not a communication issue.
From my thinking two different parts can be failing - motor or z-axis driver on the PCB board.
Please help me found what is causing the z-axis to jitter.
Do you have any suggestions how I can diagnose if it's a motor or driver failure.
BR Bart
Comments
Hi BR Bart!
If you are still having this problem, then I may have a solution for you.
I was having what sounds like the exact same issue with my Z axis and it was an easy fix. After much fiddling (without success) with the Z axis hardware I decided to have a look at the system board inside the bottom of the printer case. What I found was that the heat sink that is on top of the 3 motor driver ICs Had become detached to the PCB on one end and was not making good contact to the Z axis motor driver and I assume that once the machine warms up that the z axis driver was going into a thermally protective shutdown. I repaired this by removing the heat sink completely, grinding down some of the thermally conductive adhesive from both ends of the heatsink (but on the PCB) and then reattaching the heat with some new thermally conductive adhesive. My printer then resumed proper functioning and is still going strong after seven months.
I hope that you find this helpful.
-craig