New Syil SX3 CNC problems

[Syil_Australia]

MikeF



We have run our SX3 at 2000mm/min rapids quite successfully. On our X2 we have rapids set to 2,500mm/min.... obviously cutting speeds are lower.

It won't hurt the machine having your rapids set higher....

cheers and Happy New Year.

Frans

[gerryv]

Maybe I've missed it but aren't you 50 HZ in Oz? What happens if the transformer providing your DC power is designed for 60HZ. Maybe nothing but just a thought.
- Gerry

[bradodarb]

Mike,

When I did the upgrade, I removed the head from the Z-yoke plate and set it aside. I then homed the Z and began to loosen the spring post.

As it got near the end, the plate started to angle in at the top so I jogged the Z up until the bolt was dead straight. Of course there was a slight preload (maybe .5" travel) but nothing to worry about. I kept pressure down on the spring during the last few turns to prevent thread damage.

I really recommend the double spring and I am surprised that no one else has posted the same problem.


-Brad

[Mike F]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

Frans, It seems that I am in the ball park at around 1500mm/min but I might try and squeeze a little more out of it though on a machine this size, I doubt it makes a huge difference. I am probably more interested in everyone's acceleration setting though as this can make a big difference in cutting time on complex cutting jobs.

Brad, I think I really must dismantle the head to get at the spindle bearings. Richard of SyilAmerica pm'd me with a short procedure and said I would need to find somebody with a press to remove the bearings for re-packing. However, something else is niggling me - the recoil spring for the quill return. When the quill handle is removed, does the recoil spring disengage and if so, how on earth do you re-assemble it? I have copied Richard's reply below.

Mike

Mike,

I’m happy to hear you are having a good time. Not so happy to hear you are aving some issues.

The Chinese use a poor grade grease in the bearings. I’m not quite sure of its grade. If people have a little more pre-load on the spindle bearings, they tend to get warm and liquefy the grease. It runs dry and that’s where the noise is coming from. It usually presents itself after a few hundred hours of operation, but with people running high speed all the time it speeds up this time.

The good news is: It is very easy to pull the bearings and re-pack them. I would use a good synthetic grease to re-pack them. I use a marine grade so that is dissipates all the moisture. (I live in Oregon where it is very moist) You will need the final pulling and replacing of the bearings to be done on a press. If you don’t have one, shops usually charge $5-10 for this service. If you look at the original manual parts diagram you will have a good idea where to start. You are going to pull the quill handle and gear out and the idler bearing and gear from the top. Once those are off you disconnect the digital scale and the spindle cartridge will slide out. That is the part you need to press. Here are some tips:

1. Start the disassembly with the Z axis high so you have room to slide the spindle out.
2. DO NOT use any type of hammer on the spindle to remove the bearings.
3. Use a good synthetic wheel bearing grease to re-pack
4. When re-assembling the unit make sure everything in the head where the spindle resides is clean
5. For pre-loading the bearings, tighten the top nuts to about 20 ft/lbs (tight, but not too tight) and then back it off 1/8 of a turn.

What you will have is a machine much quieter than it was when it was stock.

Let me know if you need any more direction for getting this done. Total time to do this is about 30 minutes remove, 30 minutes re-install.

Richard

[neilw20]

The air spring is a RATTRAP ! Be careful.
I am making a tool to hold mine compressed.
How else do you get a rotated head down near the table?

[neilw20]

Originally Posted by Syil_Australia MikeF We have run our SX3 at 2000mm/min rapids quite successfully. On our X2 we have rapids set to 2,500mm/min.... obviously cutting speeds are lower. It won't hurt the machine having your rapids set higher.... cheers and Happy New Year. Frans

I had an external multi start screwed positoning table attached to the 4th axis.
24000mm/minut before it skipped steps.! Push it till it skips, then backoff 20%.

[Mike F]

Neilw20,

24000! Wow - do I assume this is a small positioning table? What is the fastest X axis speed you comfortably achieve and what about the acceleration settings? With slow acceleration, the X axis could well be out of travel before it gets anywhere near 24000mm/min, Y axis even worse.

I realise there are a number of variables limiting speed and acceleration but if I know there are some SX3 owners out there achieving considerably better performance than I am, then there is still work to be done on my machine.

Thanks for the heads up on the air spring - I thought I had read somewhere that these things can be dangerous - good idea to make up a tool to hold it compressed.

Thanks,

Mike

[neilw20]

Light weight table (1/4" AL) slides in across the X3 table full length in X.
Sounds fast, but it takes 1 second before it squashes your finger.
Guarding system definitely required. Not enough power to cut finger off, but it could get severely damaged.