Stepper motor gone bad

[Greybarn]

I seem to have a stepper motor that has gone bad. The carriage was jerking on X moves, so disconnected both stepper motors. When I run those unhooked from the carriage, one of them has a grinding noise in one quadrant of the rotation. Is it possible the stepper motor has gone bad? Can I take it apart and fix it? Where do I get a new one?
26867

[MogulTx]

I would do one more thing: Swap the motors from one connector to the other and see if the problem follows the motor. If not, then it may be a wire issue where the wire flexes as the Y carriage moves and changes position of the wire loom...

From the photo it looks like you have a PRT system... the motors are probably available from ShopBot. If you look very closely at the label on the outward end of your stepper, you will see a number : A6497 9412KTG. If you also look inside your control box on your machine, SB may want the info on the control box, and there will be a number inside there that will prove helpful. ( Unless ShopBot has interacted with you a significant amount, and then they may have your data on file.) Using that info, SB should be able to tell you if they have those motors available. ( I do not know any reason they would not- I just know they discontinued some of the older forms of control boxes and don't want to step out and tell you "Absolutely they will have this and be able to ship it in XX hours" - when that is not my company to operate... you know?) ... you probably only need to replace the one. SB should have a recommendation on that, as well. Best of luck...

[bleeth]

If it is the stepper you have to get them from SB. They use a proprietary version for PRT Standards so you can't get them from Oriental Motor direct.
But I agree with Tex-more likely a different issue. Could easily be a loose wire in a Wago. Check all connections very well.
They do go bad but rarely. You can't repair. Once you open it up you're a goner.

[willmorgan]

Yes, it is possible to have them go bad. I have had two go bad and Shopbot tells me there is a less than 1% failure rate. These were two new ones I had gotten from them. I will say they the customer service from them is second to none. When you buy a new one it comes with a two year warranty.

[Greybarn]

I did check all the connections but will do so again. The odd part is I could move the carriage back and forth using the control pad and everything worked fine. But if I did an aircut, then that motor sounds bad. When I disconnected both X motors from the carriage, and ran the aircut again (so nothing was moving), I could hear where that stepper had a grinding noise (like a bad bearing) in one quadrant of the revolution.
Thanks for the help.

[carlcnc]

I have worked on hundred or more machines,
I vote it is either a wire connection issue, or the stepper drive has fried a mosfet,
most likely a wire
Carl

[kyeakel]

I had a somewhat similar issue, and found that the gecko drive for that motor had loose screws where it plugs on to the main board in the controller. I have a PRT as well.
Kipp

[Greybarn]

Ok. I will check the Gecko drive too! Thanks for all the feedback.

[Greybarn]

This turned out to be a bad Gecko drive....

[jerry_stanek]

I think Gecko will fix or replace it free

[Greybarn]

Oh. Thats good to know. I will check that out.
Thanks!