Contamination

  • There are so many factors that could play a role in the contamination of your motor. Things such as bad oil, coolant, or cutting fluid could all be catastrophic. These contaminants can be a major contributor to the damage of the bearings, encoder, and even the integrity of the windings. Make sure to have a clean and stable environment.

Bad Bearings

  • Bad bearings are the most common reason for failure since over time they will begin to wear out. This demonstrates the importance of preventative maintenance! If you can put in place a strong and rigid PM program to help prevent these failures prior to happening then you are putting yourself in great position for the future.

Poor Installation

  • Do NOT rush while installing your servo motor. It is very easy to miss connections and improperly hook it up if you are racing through the installation process. A faulty hookup could be costly – therefore take your time and be very thorough in making sure it is correctly installed.

Electrical Degradation

  • Just like the bearings, over time the electrical aspects of the motor, such as capacitors, diodes, and even resistors can all breakdown. This can also be true for the encoder and feedback device.

Faulty Cable

  • Be sure to test your cables to avoid any shortages or spikes, which in result will damage the motor.

Bad Drive / Power Supply

  • Just like a faulty cable, a bad drive or power supply can also cause a spike in the motor resulting in damage.

Overworked

  • Anytime you overwork something you are risking a shorter lifespan. The same can be said with your servo motor. The more you properly maintain and run your machinery, the less likely you are to experience downtime. This is another example of the value of PM, which can help you determine if you are pushing things to hard and need to make some changes.

Housing

  • It is vital to be checking the encoder for any cracks or holes. You want to replace the cover immediately if there is damage to prevent anything from entering the motor.