Maintenance for X-Axis Ball Screws
One of the most important maintenance jobs for mechanical components installed on all Alloy Wheel Repair CNC lathes is to keep both X-axis ball screw and Z-axis ball screw clean and lubricated in order to keep them running in trouble-free environment for many years to come. Needless to say, the quality of alloy wheel finishes requires reliable performance from linear motions of both X-axis and Z-axis ball screws.
Lehigh MR-2540
Alloy Wheel Repair Diamond Cutting CNC lathe
We will provide the instructions as to how to provide maintenance to X-axis ball screw on Lehigh Alloy Wheel Repair CNC lathe. Please refer to above photo for the picture of the tool post which is installed on the cross slide on which X-axis ball screw is installed. The X-axis movement is referred to the motion of the tool post in cross feed direction driven by X-axis servo motor installed on the back side of the cross slide. However, both X-axis ball screw and X-axis servo motor are covered by cross slide (or so called the table on the top). One must remove the sheet metal covers in the front and on the back side in order to have the access to the X-axis ball screw in the following simple steps. All electrical power must be OFF first.
1. Alloy Wheel Repair CNC Lathe Maintenance – Front Access:
One can easily locate and remove the sheet metal cover at the front of the cross slide.
Front view of Alloy Wheel Repair CNC lathe –MR-2540
Side View for the tool post and the cross slide table.
The sheet metal cover to be removed for access in front.
After removing the front cover, you may see lots of metal chips as shown above.
In order to see the X-axis ball screw at front, the tool post shall be moved back all the way by using 8 mm Allen Wrench as shown in the picture on left side.
Use 8mm allen wrench to move tool post away
Remove the front metal cover on the top.
View after having removed metal chips.
Examine the lubrication system in this area.
A. Alloy Wheel Repair CNC Lathe Maintenance of x-axis – Rear Access:
To get access for X-axis ball screw and X-axis servo motor on the back side of the Alloy Wheel Repair diamond cutting CNC Lathe, one needs to remove the sheet metal cover for X-axis servo motor first.
The sheet metal cover on the top of X-axis ball screw and X-axis servo motor.
After having removed this sheet metal cover on the top, you can locate the housing for X-axis ball screw as well as X-axis servo motor. The first thing to do is to clean all the small chips and dusts in this area. Then, the timing belt should be removed as well in order to allow X-axis ball screw to be moved further away towards back.
Initial View after removing the cover
The sheet metal cover to be removed for access in front.Another view after having cleaned this area
In order to loosen and remove the timing belt, it is necessary to loosen the locking bolts from the large mounting plate of the X-axis servo motor. After having removed time belt, four (4) locking bolts underneath the pulley of X-axis ball screw shall be removed as well so that the flange plate is no longer connected to the casting base.
Loosen (4) locking bolts on the large mounting plate of the X-axis servo motor in order to remove and / or replace the timing belt.
Loosen and remove (4) locking bolts underside of the ball screw pulley in order to allow the X-axis ball screw with entire cross slide to be moved further towards backside.
To further inspect the X-axis ball screw from its back side, one must remove the sheet metal cover plate from back side where the X-axis servo motor is located. After removing this sheet metal cover, you will have the complete access for cleaning all the chips and dusts away from X-axis ball screw in this area.
Remove this sheet metal cover plate first.
Inspect the ball screw on the back side
After having removed all the small chips and dusts in this area, you will have the opportunity to verify if the lubrication oil has been provided to the X-axis ball screw from its connection with the X-axis ball nut mounting housing. To have the complete view and inspection, the cross slide must be moved back all the way until you can see the brass fitting of the oil hose connector as shown in the picture below at right side.
Small chips are removed from this area.
Inspect the connection for the lubrication oil hose at the housing of X-axis Ball Nut.
Once again, in order to keep alloy wheel repair diamond cutting CNC lathe working correctly, both X-axis and Z-axis ball screws must be properly lubricated and kept clean all the time. Otherwise, not only its working life will be substantially reduced, but also the quality of the wheel finishes will be unsatisfactory as well. For good machine shop practice, it requires full inspection every three month.
