Multicam 3000 - servicing bearings

[aKruse]

I run a Multicam 3000 CNC router for a small sign shop. Lately, the machine is making an ugly noise when it performs quick movements along the z axis (i.e. parking on the z axis, tool lifts, and plunging).

It sounds to me as if one of the bearings has gone bad. I purchased grease fittings, and thoroughly lubricated the machine in hopes that the noise would go away, but it has not. Can anyone help point me in the right direction on how to trouble shoot this problem?

[Max]

are you sure it's the bearing making the noise?
try spraying a little wd40 on the screw and cleaning it off. it may be gunked up and binding.

[Square One]

Ours started making a relatively high pitched whining sound last week, and also gave us an error code on the controller. I went through troubleshooting starting with lubricating everything, even though that was done less than 40 hrs ago, but just wanted to start with the easy ones first, called our tech and we ran through a few things, and discovered that the drive motor output shaft on the right side of the gantry was broken. Ordered new part, installed the next day, back up and running.

[P dogg]

I have an older version of that machine but I think it's still the same setup on the Z-axis, besides the bearings that ride on the two rails, there is the nut that the screw rides in that needs to lubricated like Max said, WD40 should work fine in the short term for trouble shooting but I use a synthetic lube which lasts much longer. If you spray the ball screw and it still squeaks then make sure that when you fill the bearing cars with grease that you keep filling until you see the grease coming out the sides, wipe off excess if needed but this way you will be sure that you have them properly lubed. If they still squeak after that, you may have bad bearings so you will need to remove the bearing cars and remove the old bearings and re-pack them with new ones.
Hope this helps.

[aKruse]

Bearing cars! That's the term I've been looking for.

I used plenty of WD40 on the ball screw and nut, but that didn't really seem to fix the problem. I also put more than enough lube into the bearing cars, but the noise is still present. My next step is to remove the bearing cars, and inspect the bearings.

Is this an easy process? It looks fairly straightforward, but I'd like to know what I'm getting into before I proceed. Any advice on performing this service would greatly be appreciated.

[P dogg]

I haven't actually done that part myself yet though I have a technician scheduled to come do it for me in a few weeks so I can tell when I'm done but I'm sure there is someone in this forum who knows how?

[xjdubber]

To remove the bearing cars you need to have a piece of rail that you can insert into the bearing as you remove, otherwise you have to the chance of the bearing balls to fall out as you are removing it. When the machine is on and you grab the gantry can you push it back and forth a little?