A pneumatic cylinder slams at the end of stroke, banging loudly and shaking the machine. After a few months, the end cap cracks or the mounting bolts loosen. The cylinder itself is fine; it was…
A servo axis reverses and the load hesitates before moving, or the positioning error grows after direction changes. The servo was tuned, but the gearbox between motor and load has play. Gearboxes reduce speed and…
A servo axis develops a periodic fault, or the coupling sets screws loosen and the shaft slips. The motor and drive were matched, but the coupling between them was chosen by bore size. A coupling…
A suction cup drops the part before the robot gets there, or it never reaches the holding vacuum. The cup looks right, but the vacuum generator was sized by feel. Vacuum gripping is a pneumatic…
A linear guide starts making a grinding noise, and the carriage feels rough when pushed by hand. The rail looks clean, but the raceway is dry. Linear guides are precision rolling elements, and they fail…
A press or robot cycle starts while an operator is reaching in. The guard door was bypassed, or the light curtain was mounted too far away. Machine safety is not a sign on the door;…
A spring bottoms out, sets permanently, or breaks after a short life. It was bought from a catalog by outside diameter and free length, without checking load, travel, or solid height. Springs are simple parts,…
A hydraulic or pneumatic line whines, overheats, or the actuator moves slower than expected. The pump and valve were sized correctly, but the piping between them is too small. Fluid velocity in a pipe is…
A servo axis overshoots the target, buzzes at rest, or takes too long to settle. The motor and drive were sized for the load, but the tuning was left at default. Servo tuning sets how…
A welded frame comes out of the fixture twisted, and the machined faces no longer line up. The welds themselves are fine, but the part moved. Welding distortion comes from uneven heating and cooling, not…
Pneumatic cylinders stick or valves fail slowly, and the air supply looks fine. The compressor runs, the fittings are tight, but the actuators misbehave. The problem is usually at the inlet: dirty air, wrong pressure,…
A timing belt skips teeth under load, or it whines and wears the pulley flanks. The belt was chosen for the pitch, but the width, tension, and pulley size were not matched. Timing belts give…
Hydraulic pumps and valves fail one after another, and the oil looks clear. The system was maintained on schedule, but the components keep wearing. Clear oil is not clean oil. Most hydraulic failures come from…
A moving carriage slams into its end stop, shaking the frame and loosening bolts. The hard stop was supposed to catch it, but the impact energy was never calculated. Hard stops wear and fatigue. Shock…
A bearing runs hot and noisy shortly after installation, or the inner ring creeps on the shaft. The bearing was new and correctly rated, but the fit was wrong. Bearing selection is not only load…
