Graphtec plotter making clackity clackity sounds

[gabagoo]

I have a Graphtec FC4100-130 54" plotter and it is a workhorse. It has to be 15 years old at least. It started last week making this clackity sound running on the y axis. Quiet when running the x axis. I can hear that it is coming from under the cover and not the head unit. Cuts perfect still, just noisy as hell. Any ideas what it might be?

 

[ams]

Servos maybe? But from my research it appears lots of people have that issue and they ignore it and it doesn't change anything. Apparently Graphtec says it's a common problem.

 

[gabagoo]

Thanks

 

[DoubleDiamond]

Ours did this so we cleaned the track/rails and bearings. We took the covers off and scraped off gunk, then used alcohol and wiped some oil on the rails and dropped a bit on the bearings. Ran like new again.

 

[d fleming]

Yep, take off cover and do some maintenance. 15 years good service never having the cover off is outstanding.

 

[gabagoo]

Just an update...still cuts great but the noise is super loud now. I tried opening the cover but once open there are still the connections to the controls on top that don't give you a lot of room to move around with fear of breaking the lines. Going to try again and see if I can isolate just where it is coming from. Can I spray lubricant in there or just clean and if so clean with what? methyl hydrate?

 

[gabagoo]

Yesterday it was really loud and then suddenly it just stopped with a y axis error. I could feel the head getting stuck by just moving it with the power off. Not getting stuck in one particular spot but random spots. I opened both ends up and it was very clean inside. I manually moved the y motor and it seemed fine. It is really hard to try and detect just where the sound is coming from but I think it has to be the rails. They seem very clean and I can feel nothing on them. I had no silicone lubricant and I just figured wd40 will work although a bit messy. I cleaned up everything and turned it back on...Still makes the noise but quieter and it is running again and not getting stuck. I still can't figure out just what is going on and what the lubricant did exactly.

I did call Graphtec America to ask about parts, but they don't have any for my plotter.

Today I go out and get some silicone spray and try again.

 

[kanini]

Had similar sound the other day on our Summa, although not so loud and worked fine it was gunk built up on one of the rails on which the carriage wheel/bearing runs. So it was if you were driving a car 80 mph on a gravel road. Cleaned the gunk off but had to re-do several times until all "unevenness" and goo was off. Maybe the WD-40 got some goo off on some spot but there's still some left somewhere you didn't see?

 

[d fleming]

WD 40 should clean up rails ok but I would certainly use a better lube, possibly white lithium on rails after a good clean.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

WD 40 should clean up rails ok but I would certainly use a better lube, possibly white lithium on rails after a good clean.

Second this. What I use on my cutters and on my embroidery machines. I wouldn't necessarily do plain jane WD 40 (WD-40 also has white lithium) as the only spray used.

 

[GraClay]

I had a similar problem some years ago with my antique Graphtec FC3100/60. It turned out to be the Y axis belt had almost no teeth lefty on it and the clunk was the teeth grinding between the toothed pulleys. Graphtec offered zero support other than to buy a new machine. I bought a new universal toothed belt from China, fitted it myself and that problem was solved. What bought to this thread is now my Z-axis lift is clunking. Before I pull it apart can someone give some intel on this problem please?