CNC Router Machine Maintenance that You Must to Know

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The CNC router machine is quite low-maintenance, but it still requires care. In this article, we will tell you how to provide the proper CNC router machine maintenance to ensure it lasts as long as possible.

Lubrication

The first and most important thing is the kinematic components. They are the most vulnerable part of the CNC router machine. All guides, bearings, ball screws, and other elements need to be lubricated to ensure accuracy and smooth movement.

Let us tell you about one of our clients’ experiences: his machine jammed, and he couldn’t figure out why. When our engineer arrived for the CNC router maintenance, he found the router in perfect condition: cleaned by the owner specifically for the specialist’s visit and manually lubricated. And there lay the problem.

Manually lubricating parts makes it somewhat difficult to reach inside the bearings. This is precisely why auto-lubrication systems were invented: they help apply oil even to those hard-to-reach elements.

It turned out that the client’s auto-lubrication system handle was broken, and he decided to do it himself instead of fixing it. As a result, dirt accumulated inside the bearings, solidified, and caused the jamming. In the end, the bearings had to be replaced, and the auto-lubrication system handle had to be repaired.

To avoid such situations, all Wattsan machines are equipped with an oil supply system to make life easier for the owners and make maintenance more efficient. The oil first reaches the bearings and then the guides, helping the machine push out dust and dirt from the bearings.

Please contact our engineers if your auto-lubrication system stops working! Saving on its repair means signing up for higher costs in the future. Also, don’t forget to monitor the oil level in the system and refill it as necessary.

Dust

Working on a CNC router machine is not the cleanest task. Naturally, there will be small crumbs, dust, or shavings left behind. All of this needs to be cleaned periodically. Cleaning the machine and the work area from dirt is necessary to minimize the amount that gets into the lubrication system.

Don’t forget about the machine’s control unit. It contains many electronic components, and their condition needs to be monitored to avoid short circuits.

First, completely power down the machine, and then open the cabinet. Use a compressor to blow out all the dust.

It’s also worth mentioning your computer if you use it near the machine. Dust can also accumulate on it. To avoid cleaning piles of dirt from the keyboard later, use compressed air to keep it in order.

Chiller

Spindles come with different cooling systems. If yours has water cooling, it means you have a chiller next to the machine. Naturally, you need to monitor the water level in it and change the water every 3–4 months. The water used should be distilled.

This is necessary to prevent algae or other types of bacteria from appearing in the chiller, which could lead to “blooming” water. This, in turn, can cause clogs, which would affect the cooling system and eventually damage the spindle.

Before starting work, check the temperature in the chiller. Cold or very hot weather can affect the condition of the water.

Vacuum pump

Sometimes, Wattsan machines are equipped with a vacuum table at the request of clients. The operation of these tables depends on a vacuum pump, which ensures strong adhesion of the workpieces to the working surface.

This pump has a filter that needs to be cleaned as a part of the CNC router maintenance. We recommend doing this once per shift, preferably at the beginning and end, especially if you are working with materials that produce a lot of debris.

If you neglect this, the pump will eventually become clogged, and the vacuum table will not work as effectively. This will either result in the production of low-quality goods due to poor adhesion or cause work to come to a halt entirely.

Bits

Part of the CNC router maintenance involves checking the condition of the milling cutters. It’s better to determine that a tool has become dull before starting work than to break it on the material or ruin the workpiece with poor-quality processing.

It’s best to store the bits in a dry place where exposure to moisture and dust is minimal. Even better if you have a special container or box for them. This will protect the bits from corrosion or mechanical damage.

There are different types of tools, and some of them can be quite expensive, so take good care of them!

Additional recommendations

1. Check the condition of the drive system every month to ensure it is firm and reliable. If there is any play or something has become loose, tighten the screws.
2. Pay attention to unusual sounds, and do not ignore those that deviate from the norm. This is a clear sign of an emerging or already serious problem.
3. Periodically inspect cords and cables for damage. These can occur accidentally during work, for example, if they are hit by a workpiece during transport.

Conclusion

1. A CNC router machine, on the one hand, is not particularly demanding in terms of its operating conditions. On the other hand, like any equipment, it requires periodic CNC router maintenance.
2. All guides, bearings, ball screws, and other elements need to be lubricated to ensure accuracy and smooth operation. All Wattsan machines are equipped with an oil supply system to simplify this task. Don’t forget to monitor the oil level in the system and refill it as needed.
3. During operation, small crumbs, dust, or shavings are left behind. All of this needs to be cleaned periodically, especially from the machine’s control unit, as a part of the CNC router maintenance. Inside it, there are many electronic components that need to be monitored to avoid short circuits.
4. Dust cleaning is also necessary to minimize its entry into the lubrication system and your computer.
5. Change the water in the chiller every 3–4 months, using distilled water.
6. Clean the filter in the vacuum pump as it gets dirty, or at the beginning and end of each shift if you are working with very crumbly materials.
7. Store the milling bits in a dry place where exposure to moisture and dust is minimal, or in a special container or box. This will protect the tools from corrosion or mechanical damage.