Problem
The Z-Axis brake does not disengage or show unexpected behavior.
Debugging Steps
Perform a test to confirm if the solenoid is working:
Move the z-axis to the very bottom of the travel
Power off the machine
Unplug the z-brake cable
Disengage the brake manually (push the plunger back) while holding the weight of the z-stage
Lower the z-stage to the hard stop
Unscrew the brake solenoid SRVOPS-51 - Getting issue details... STATUS
Take off the solenoid and the plunger, note the direction of the plunger tip
Reconnect the solenoid cable to the machine
Make sure the solenoid plunger is inserted into the solenoid
check if the spring is in place and working correctly
check if the brake solenoid can be moved without friction
Power on the machine and watch the solenoid
the solenoid should be pulled in when the machine is enabled
the solenoid should “jump out” when the machine is disabled (i.e. E-Stop pressed)
- If the Solenoid does not behave as expected (plunger is not retracted or does not jump out):
Check the brake cable assembly and driver board
- If the Solenoid does behave as expected (plunger is retracted or does jump out):
Check the z-drive assembly including the motor
Hanno Mueller Are steps 1 - 5 needed? Can we just test the soleniod by unscrewing the brake and pressing the E-stop and seeing if the plunger jumps out?
Gabi Vergara If you just unscrew the brake, the Z-stage could crash down, isn’t it?
And if you leave the brake connected, the cable will be twisted and could be damaged as well as the solenoid or connector.