Troubleshooting

We aim to make any product as plug and play as possible, though sometimes challenges crop up right out of the box or years down the road. See below for solutions to common operational challenges.

Motion

Issue	Checkpoint
Motion is not smooth	Confirm cable is wrapped correctly on drum
Confirm cable rigged correctly through any mule and turnaround pulleys
Confirm deck track is clear of obstructions
Check PID tuning in Spikemark: Proportional Gain = 2 Integral Gain = 1 Integral Limit = 1000
Motor is spinning, drum is not moving	Confirm lower drive belt is connected and intact
Drum is spinning, fairlead is not moving	Confirm upper drive belt is connected and intact

Stagehand Display

Stagehand Display	Checkpoint
E STOP + IP Address	The E-stop cable is unplugged or the E-stop is engaged
DISCONNECTED + IP Address	Machine is on and ready to connect to Spikemark
CONNECTED + IP Address	Machine is on and connected to Spikemark
SET IP	Confirm the IP Address is correct, use the scroll wheel to highlight OK and click
SET SUBNET	Confirm display shows 255.255.255.0, use the scroll wheel to highlight OK and click
DRIVE FAULT	The Servo Drive is in a fault state, reset from Spikemark or by removing main power at the breaker for 30 seconds
FWD LIMIT + IP Address	The Forward limit is engaged. Adjust position of roller arm limit switch or manually jog off the limit
REV LIMIT + IP Address	The Reverse limit is engaged. Adjust position of roller arm limit switch or manually jog off the limit
Blank Display	Check main power and local breaker

Connection/Power

Issue	Checkpoint
Stagehand display is blank	Confirm machine power is connected and local breaker is ON
Able to manually jog the machine from the Stagehand but unable to connect through Spikemark	Confirm IP Address is set correctly on the Stagehand as well as in Spikemark
Confirm Ethernet cable is connected
Confirm network switch is connected and powered on

Rigging

Check out the "How To Rig a..." slideshow.

Issue	Checkpoint
Cable is rubbing on keeper	Re-rig so cable is on the correct side of the keeper
Cable not aligned with drum grooves	Re-rig so cable exiting the fairlead pulleys is aligned with the drum groove
	Adjust fairlead pulleys along the ACME rod. See the section titled “Partial Rigging” for instructions.
Drum noise	Confirm fairlead/drum alignment
Excessive cable wear	Confirm fairlead/drum alignment

Lubrication

Like any machine, the moving parts will stay moving longer if they are properly lubricated. The ACME rod that the fairleads travel on is the only item that needs lubrication.

Inspect the ACEM rod prior to load in. Any excess dirt on the ACME rod should be wiped off and reapply a synthetic grease. We use Super Lube - you can find it at your local home improvement store or industrial supply house.

The Linear guides do not need to be lubricated.