Tyler-- the problem that you’re describing seems to be referenced here:
http://support.epiloglaser.com/article/8205/11964/cleaning-xaxis-linear-encoder
I don’t know if that procedure has ever been done. As far as the homing problem, it’s my [wild-ass] guess that either the X or Y axis (or both) are skipping steps. It’s also possible that the home position was somehow set to something funky, and we can’t set it back.
Greg and I talked last night about how we think the Zing needs a teardown and full maintenance overhaul. This would likely involve scheduled downtime to troubleshoot current problems and a full assessment of the state of the optics and moving parts. Epilog publishes guidelines for user-serviceable maintenance above and beyond the basics. If we want the cutter to be around for the long haul, we should take action to maintain it properly.
Let’s talk about this at the board meeting. I’m also going to introduce the idea of “one use - one clean” policy, a “pack out your off-cuts” policy, and possibly a user log/sign-in that shows the date, time and who used the cutter, AND the date and time for who cleaned the cutter.
From the Epilog Knowledgebase:
“Regular system maintenance is crucial to the longevity and performance of your machine. By performing just a few simple tasks on a regular basis you can add years to the life of your laser. For more maintenance tips, be sure to check out Epilog’s whitepaper System Maintenance: Keeping a clean and productive laser system.”
http://support.epiloglaser.com/article/8205/11940/cleaning-epilog-optics
http://support.epiloglaser.com/article/8205/11964/cleaning-xaxis-linear-encoder
Ed Note: I’m personally interested in learning more about how to correctly service and maintain this cutter, but given my current lack of availability, and my current track record with the 3D printers, and the inordinate length of time it’s taken me to get them back up and running, I’m probably not the guy to tap for this right now.
Also, given what I’ve learned from that experience, this should not be in the domain of one single person-- a dedicated, technically confident team should approach this with a clear plan and schedule in mind. That said, do we want to pay someone to come and do this overhaul? (my vote is an emphatic “no”, but if no one will step forward to tackle this, we may need to).
Thanks for reading!
Chris