S T A R T E R G U I D E
TABLE MAINTENANCE
CHECKPOINT 19
Below are Table areas and their maintenance instructions.
Linear Guide Rails & Gear Racks
Make sure to spray the Linear Guide Rails and also in-between the carriages with WD-40. Use scouring pads and Wipe down clean. Clean and Lubricate. WD-40 can be used, moderately, as a cleaning agent when removing dirt and debris from bearing tracks and gear racks. Wipe rails down with a microfiber towel, removing any excess product. Once the rails are thoroughly cleaned, you will need to lubricate.
We recommend using a Lithium Grease Blend (Options with varying Viscocities: EP00, EP000, EP004, Mobilux EP1) with an Ares Grease Gun Kit. IMPORTANT: Make sure the Lithium Grease you select DOES NOT have MoS2 MOLY or GRAPHITE in it. The carriages on the table will have grease zerk fittings that will allow you to grease them directly. An alternative would be to put a few splotches of grease on the rails, and maneuver the axis’ back and forth. The carriages will take in as much grease as they need, as well as lubricate the rails.
The gear rack does not need to be greased, if cleaned thoroughly with WD-40, and wiped down. Make sure to spray the Gear Racks with WD-40 and wipe down clean. Take time to brush the Gear Rack teeth with a wire brush. Leaving gunk/debris buildup in your racks and on your linear guides will affect cutting results if not maintained.
WD-40 Dry Lube is designed to leave a thin, dry film of lubricant that doesn’t attract dust or debris.
WD-40 Dry Lube only for gear rack, not for linear rails.
Why its good for the Gear Rack:
- Doesn’t collect dust or metal dust
- Perfect for open-air racks that are exposed to plasma dust or grinding debris.
- Prevents corrosion without turning into a sticky paste.
- Keeps your pinion gears running smooth without buildup.
Why WD-40 Dry Lube bad for the Linear Rails:
WD-40 Dry Lube evaporates quickly. This can draw moisture into the bearing block when cooling, which is the opposite of what you want on precision rails. Without proper grease viscosity, the bearings can develop micro-pitting or start to “chatter” along the rail, leading to premature failure or motion roughness. Linear bearings are packed with precision grease that sits inside the bearing blocks. Dry lube solvents wash this out and leave the ball bearings running on a dry PTFE layer, not enough lubrication for load-bearing motion.
Linear Guide Shields
The Linear Guide Shields are installed on the inner portion of the side plates. The Inner guard deflects debris and protects the dual carriages and linear guide rails. Wipe these down clean with WD-40 and a microfiber towel.
Ball-Bearing Carriages
The ball-bearing DUAL CARRIAGES on each side of the gantry help for gliding fluidity and run across a solid set of two linear guides. Be cautious when cleaning your Carriages, tipping the carriage may release ball bearings from within. Grease all carriages “WITH” grease fittings with 1-2 pumps of Multi-Purpose Liquid Grease. We recommend using a Lithium Grease Blend (Options with varying Viscocities: EP00, EP000, EP004, Mobilux EP1) with an Ares Grease Gun Kit.
IMPORTANT: Make sure the Lithium Grease you select DOES NOT have MoS2 MOLY or GRAPHITE in it.
Need new carriages?
Order now on stvcnc.com
Sensors & Switches
You can use alcohol wipes/prep pads, or an electrical contact cleaner to clean off the blue portion of the proximity sensors. Do not over saturate the sensors, or spray contact cleaner directly on the sensors. After cleaning, wipe off any excess product with a microfiber towel.
To test the Proximity switches, hold a piece of metallic material against the blue portion of the sensor. A red LED should light up on the end of each sensor when tripped. If you don’t get the red LED or the error message, inspect the wiring to ensure there is a good connection, then contact us at stvcnc.com/support.
The Limit Switch (L Cable) or Floating Head Switch / Material Detection Switch ensures where material is located and protects from misfires off of the metal.
The Collision Switch connects into the Magnetic Breakaway, tripping the collision sensor when the torch breaks off. Test the Material Detection Switch (Floating Head Switch), by manually lifting up on the torch mount. If you lift up on the mount and hold it, the torch icon in MyPlasm should display a red and white arrow overlaying the icon. If you get the arrow, the switch is functioning properly. If you do not get the arrow, inspect the wiring harness for the switch to ensure there is no damage.
Switch/Sensor not working or broken?
Contact us at stvcnc.com/support
Z-Axis Ball Lead Screw
The Z-Axis is a work of Engineering Art with its multifaceted abilities to expand to upgraded features like a Magnetic Breakaway, Gear Reduction and future concept attachments we have in mind. The Triple Linear Guides and Dual Motors across the X-Axis Gantry and the Z-Axis convey a complete sense of Engineering Ingenuity as all the components work in unison to offer a top of the line product. The Billet Precision Ball Lead Screw allows the THC to rapidly and smoothly perform on point maneuverability and provide excellent results.
Make sure to spray the Z-Axis Ball Lead Screw with WD-40. Wipe down nice and clean. Lube it up with Multi-Purpose Liquid Grease (Options with varying Viscocities: EP00, EP000, EP004, Mobilux EP1). Make sure all lead spirals have grease on them.
IMPORTANT: Make sure the Lithium Grease you select DOES NOT have MoS2 MOLY or GRAPHITE in it.
Magnetic Breakaway
The STVCNC® Magnetic Breakaway Kit prevents any unforeseen discarded production pieces from interrupting the path of your moving Torch, possible damage to your Z-Axis, Gantry calibration or the ability to continue your cut afterwards. The Kit is designed, manufactured, assembled & tested in-house. Upon start up, each day, it is important to test the safety switches on the table before cutting. Separate the magnetic break away plates, by pulling the torch away from the mount. This will trip the red button collision switch. You should see an error message in the top
left hand portion of the cut screen stating “Collision/ Z-Limit”. If you see the error message, the collision switch is working properly. Not working? Contact us at stvcnc.com/support.
Water Pans
Cleaning Time: Usually takes between 30 minutes to 3 hours, depending on what water pan coating you have chosen to apply. It may take longer if water pans are bare.
- How do Table Owners prep their water pans for easy cleaning? Many of our Table Owners have chosen to coat their water pans in different ways with: POR 15, & high temp (high aluminum) silver paint, Marine Grade Epoxy, Duralux Marine Primer & Paint, Powder Coating, Powder Coating with Anode rods, Ospho & copper-infused boat bottom paint, Water District 3M Powder Coat product, 1/8″ thick layer of Flex Seal.
- Water Pump: Assists in table maintenance and water removal.
- Other tools for Cleaning: Tools many Table Owners have used: Needle Scaler, Scraper, Wire Wheel, Weed burner, Wet Sand Blasting, Shop Vacuum, evaporative cooler pump, Red Tip Pressure Washer.
Hypertherm® Filter Bowl
Watch the Filter Bowl Maintenance Video.
Inspecting the filter and bowl
- Remove the filter and bowl. Depending on the machine you are using, the procedure may differ, but how you inspect these components will remain the same. For further information on how to remove the filter and bowl for your specific Powermax machine, refer to your Hypertherm Operator Manual.
- After the filter and bowl are removed, inspect the filter element for dirt, oil, or debris. Replace the filter if you find any of these contaminants.
- Wipe away any oil or condensation from the filter bowl with a clean dry towel.
- Inspect the O-ring at the top of the filter bowl. If the O-ring is cracked or torn, replace it with a new Hypertherm O-ring. Note: the size of the O-ring will differ depending on the type of filter bowl your machine is using. Consult your Hypertherm Operator Manual for O-ring replacement and filter bowl installation instructions.
( Click on image to enlarge. )
Hypertherm® Torch Tip
( Click on image to enlarge. )
Hypertherm® Torch Purge
( Click on image to enlarge. )
Greenlight Checklist
We have prepared 8 key points to check at your site of production to ensure a successful cut. Each element of the checklist are vital to good practice and great results. Available with Audio clips or reading instructions, you can visit the Green Light Checklist available at https://stvcnc.com/greenlightchecklist/
Need Additional Support? We can help.
Our STVCNC® Technical Support Team is recognized for offering solutions & customer support methods (as listed below) well before any escalation occurs where you take advantage of enjoying the ease of having us delegate replacement parts and resolutions to prevent any extended amounts of down-time.
- Software Improvements
- Table Operation
- Community Support & Network
- Table Maintenance
- Production Advice
- Replacement Part & Diagnosis
- Consumable Awareness
- Live Support via Remote Assistance
- Hypertherm® Troubleshooting
Tap now & Schedule your TechTalk with STVCNC®, Automation Solutions.
A Support ticket will place you in queue for a direct one-on-one call with one of our Team Members.