No X axis movement at all

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Harrell Mathews
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2020
Location: Carlsbad, NM
Country: United States
Nickname: Red
Laser Machine Make or Type: Orion Model 350
Laser Power: 50W
Laser Bed Size: 300x500
Home Position: TL
RDWorks Version: 8.01.11
Ruida Controller: RDC6442
Windows Version: 10
Accessories: rotary table

I'm searching for some help and I haven't found anything on this problem anywhere I've looked. I have an Orion 50W machine and had moderate success learning to use it last fall. I also found Russ's videos on Youtube and learned a lot from them. But the machine has been sitting idle since January and when I went to use it last week, the X axis doesn't move either way. The display shows it to be moving but it is not. I cannot even make it move using the arrow keys. I don't know if there is a setting in RDWorks that I inadvertently set wrong or if it is a mechanical issue. Could it be the motor or wiring? If so where do I get a replacement?

Any help would be appreciated.

Harrell
Dave Vigness
Posts: 526
Joined: Sun Dec 15, 2019
Location: Kansas City - Rural
Country: USA
Nickname: Dave
Laser Machine Make or Type: Chine Red and Black
Laser Power: EF RF2 80W
Laser Bed Size: 20 x 26
Home Position: TR
Control Software: RDWORKS
RDWorks Version: 8.01.54
Ruida Controller: RDC6445
Windows Version: 7
Accessories: Power Switch for air assist / exhaust blower, Ma meter with switch for external digital, dual digital temp gauge, LED lights under gantry and and and.

Pics and a list here. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

Have you switched the cables between the X and Y at the stepper controllers to isolate? Pick a side and start. Swap either the in or the out, one at a time and see what happens. Could be as simple as a loose connection.
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sebastien laforet
Posts: 143
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2016
Location: Lyon
Country: France
Laser Machine Make or Type: bodor BCL0605MU
Laser Power: 100W
Laser Bed Size: 60*50cm
Home Position: TR
RDWorks Version: 8.01.19
Windows Version: 7

you have to check connectivity between :

- ruida controller and stepper controller
- stepper controller and motor

search for loose wiring. you can also try to swap the wires (swap ruida/stepper and stepper/motor), that can help determining where is the problem.

if swapping ruida/stepper make it work, the problem is at stepper controller and/or wiring of stepper to motor
if swapping stepper/motor make it work, the motor is toast and/or the wiring of the motor is bad
Sébastien Laforet
machine : Bodor BCL-0605 (60x50) with 100W laser with TR origin.
Live in France
Primarily works laser for my wife (school teacher, so lots of boxes, letters, puzzles, ...) and miniature scenery (32mm scale : warmachine, infinity)
Harrell Mathews
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2020
Location: Carlsbad, NM
Country: United States
Nickname: Red
Laser Machine Make or Type: Orion Model 350
Laser Power: 50W
Laser Bed Size: 300x500
Home Position: TL
RDWorks Version: 8.01.11
Ruida Controller: RDC6442
Windows Version: 10
Accessories: rotary table

I did try swapping the controllers and had the same result, y movement but no x movement as far as I could tell. Y was bottoming out so I had to switch it off but there was no x movement until that point. I have looked for loose wires and found none.

Where can I get a replacement stepper motor?
Dave Vigness
Posts: 526
Joined: Sun Dec 15, 2019
Location: Kansas City - Rural
Country: USA
Nickname: Dave
Laser Machine Make or Type: Chine Red and Black
Laser Power: EF RF2 80W
Laser Bed Size: 20 x 26
Home Position: TR
Control Software: RDWORKS
RDWorks Version: 8.01.54
Ruida Controller: RDC6445
Windows Version: 7
Accessories: Power Switch for air assist / exhaust blower, Ma meter with switch for external digital, dual digital temp gauge, LED lights under gantry and and and.

Pics and a list here. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

Depends on the size, They are out there from another supplier. I have some good use NEMA 23's from some decommissioned equipment. $50 plus shipping.
Philipp Pap
Posts: 80
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2017
Location: Innsbruck
Country: Austria
Laser Machine Make or Type: rdc6445
Laser Power: 55W
Laser Bed Size: 50x30cm
Home Position: TL
Control Software: LIGHTBURN
RDWorks Version: lightburn
Ruida Controller: RDC6445
Windows Version: 10

Maybe it is a short on the motor wires. Try measuring resistance from each motor wire to chassis (some metal frames have really sharp edges).
Harrell Mathews
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2020
Location: Carlsbad, NM
Country: United States
Nickname: Red
Laser Machine Make or Type: Orion Model 350
Laser Power: 50W
Laser Bed Size: 300x500
Home Position: TL
RDWorks Version: 8.01.11
Ruida Controller: RDC6442
Windows Version: 10
Accessories: rotary table

With instructions from Russ, I have determined it to be a wiring problem. So now I just need to replace a little bit of wiring in very tight places. Thanks everybody for the responses.
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