Need Help!- Ballscrew Cover Replacement on TM-1

[heavensoutlaw]

I have a basic TM-1, in which I need to replace the ballscrew cover (front). Do I just take out the assembly by loosening the four screws in the front and slide a new one on? Any input would be greatly appreciated, because our company would rather spend $60 for the part, than over $300 to have someone else turn a few screws.

[CJH]

Pay to have a tech come in and do the replacement. We had it done 2 years ago. The whole ball screw assembly needs to be taken out. the process takes about 3.5 hours for the tech to do. Plus while they are in, the guy can look the machine over for any other issues.

CJH

[timmydabull]

just so happens i have been having front ballscrew cover problems as well,been setting off the y axis servo to large alarm and binding up when moving to y0 several time over the last few days.

last night at 1 am the ballscrew cover come unglued so to speak and i had to cut a portion off(small end) just to unjam the axis and get the machine to finish operations.

as i am now looking for replacement too any info you come across will be helpful.

thank you

[CJH]

Timmy,

If you have the TM-1P wich is enclosed it may be a bit more difficult to acccess the ball screw. But my answer would be the same to you, and have a tech come to do it. I'm not familiar with the way the ballscrew covers on on the enclosed TM's. Are they like the minis and VF's which have sliding caps the cover the ways as well?

[timmydabull]

Just to update,i had another error on the y axis today because of the ballscrew cover jamming and decided to see how hard it would be to fix since i couldnt afford the downtime,and everytime it jams depending where it is in the cycle it ruins a $450 part majority of the time had this happen 2 times in the last few days.

took a whopping 30 minutes to dissasemble and reasemble.

remove the brace from the front of the ballscrew.

turn the ballscrew until you can get a allen key on the pinchbolt on the nut holding the ballscrew bearing,remove said nut.

remove the bearing assy.

ballscrew cover slides out the front.

i reworked the ballscre cover and reinstalled it,one thing i notice is the amount of chips that find its way into that area,the bearing was completley clogged with chips to the point it would not move.

cleaned everything well and regreased the bearing.

i took some duct tape and closed off the area that allows chips to enter so to minimize chip invasion.

has worked well so far.

[heavensoutlaw]

Thanks to the both of you for the input, sorry it took so long to reply...I'm new to this and still figuring out how to use this site.

I had actually used some tin snips and just cut off the end that was binding (as you did).

Tim, great info for taking apart and replacing...thanks again!

[timmydabull]

Heavensoutlaw,
make sure the end sits parralell to the plastic sleeve it faces against,if you have any trouble with the ballscrew cover here is a replacement from mcmaster carr for $90

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/115/3718/=2umxve

part number
93735K51

[JoBwan]

Originally Posted by timmydabull Heavensoutlaw, make sure the end sits parralell to the plastic sleeve it faces against,if you have any trouble with the ballscrew cover here is a replacement from mcmaster carr for $90 http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/115/3718/=2umxve part number 93735K51

timmy.
Great info!

[timmydabull]

to further clarify McMaster gets there ballscrew covers from Centry Cover

there website can be located here

http://www.centryco.com/products/centry.php

hope this will help anyone looking for ballscrew cover replacement.