Establishing your CNC Maintenance Schedule
CNC machines go through a lot in their lifetime, executing heavy-duty jobs and working with materials that can cause more than the typical wear and tear if not properly cared for on an ongoing basis.
Because of this, setting and sticking to a regular maintenance schedule for your CNC router or plasma is especially critical. With it, parts and components can quickly begin to improve and positively impact the performance of your machine and the quality of your work. A comprehensive CNC router maintenance checklist is essential to ensure routine checks and procedures are followed, including lubrication, cleaning, and regular inspections.
When setting a CNC maintenance schedule, operators should take steps on both a short—and long-term basis to achieve the best results. Preventive maintenance is crucial to avoid costly breakdowns and ensure continuous productivity.
ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
Performing daily maintenance checks on your CNC machine usually only takes a few minutes but can save you hours and thousands of dollars in the long run by getting ahead of and preventing more serious issues from mounting over time.
Daily routine maintenance helps ensure production is unaffected by easily avoidable issues such as blockages, poor air supply, and failure to maintain lubrication levels.
Daily CNC maintenance tasks include:
- Cleaning/removing debris from the system
- Using an air gun to blow away dust and debris
- Inspecting consumables like router bits, electrodes, laser lenses, etc
- Warmup the spindle if it has been idle for more than a couple hours
- Checking spindle fan to verify it is spinning
- Make sure the tool in the spindle matches what the software says it has
Note: Some of the above tasks may or may not apply to your equipment.
Every 40 to 60 hours, or when dry, grease the ball screws and bearing blocks. You should always have a thin film of grease on the rails and screws
Every three to six months as needed, blow out the machine control box and computer. Make sure power has been disconnected for at least 15 minutes before proceeding.
3rd party non-integrated equipment like vacuum pumps, compressors, edge banders, etc. may have other maintenance requirements such as:
- Cleaning out filters
- Checking vanes
- Greasing and other lubrication
- Brush changes on brushed motors
For recommended fluids, levels, or questions, consult your machine’s owner’s manual. It is never recommended to skip fluid checks or to use improper fluids, as improper grease and fluid are the same as or worse than no fluid or grease. If you have any questions or concerns regarding daily maintenance, the ShopSabre team is here to help.
RAMP UP PRODUCTION AND PRECISION WITH SHOPSABRE CNC ROUTER
ShopSabre’s industry-best CNC routers and plasmas are designed to help shop owners grow their production through unmatched precision, repeatability, and automation all at an affordable price. Proper maintenance of a CNC router machine, including routine lubrication and cleaning, is essential to ensure longevity and optimal performance.
ShopSabre machines largely require less maintenance than the competition, thanks to user-friendly designs and advanced technology. Contact one of our sales consultants today to see just how little maintenance our router machines require.
Our machines are easy to get up and running, even without any formal training. Our team of dedicated experts offers one-on-one support to help you find the right machine and to ensure it works the way you and your business need it to.
Here are a few of the reasons ShopSabre can develop and produce such revolutionary CNC technology:
- Experienced in-house engineering talent
- The ability to totally fabricate and test designs onsite
- The ability to place the designs into production in-house
Shop our unmatched collection of CNC plasmas today to experience CNC the way it was meant to be.