Hardware manual

AGR Series Stage Hardware Manual Maintenance

Chapter 4: Maintenance

This chapter will cover information about component maintenance and replacement, intervals between

lubrications, detail the lubrication and inspection process, and cover which lubricants are recommended for

use. The AGR series stages are designed to be low maintenance positioning systems, however periodic

lubrication and cleaning is required to ensure long term reliability.

D A N G E R : To minimize the possibility of bodily injury or death, disconnect all electrical

power prior to making any mechanical adjustments.

4.1. Service and Inspection Schedule

Lubricant inspection and replenishment in AGR series stages depends on conditions such as duty cycle,

speed, and the environment. An inspection interval of once every two weeks is recommended until a trend

develops for the application. Longer or shorter intervals may be required to maintain the film of lubricant on

the worm threads. In general, it is recommended that stages operating in a clean environment at 50% duty

cycle or less be lubricated monthly, or every 75,000 revolutions, which ever comes first. For long-term

reliability, we recommend that you return the stage to Aerotech after 300,000 rotation cycles for cleaning,

relubrication, and gearing adjustments. For stages operating at higher duty cycles, lubrication once every

two weeks is recommended.

If the application process uses only a small portion of travel for most of the duty cycle, it is recommended

that the stage be periodically driven through full travel to redistribute the lubrication in the bearings and worm

drive. For high-speed applications (i.e., near maximum speed at a duty cycle of 50%), frequent worm thread

maintenance with standard lubricants is required. The worm shaft end bearings and motor bearings should

not need to be relubricated under normal use.

Visually inspect the stage, motor, and cables once per month.

l Re-tighten loose connectors.

l Replace or repair damaged cables.

l Clean the stage, motor, and cables if needed.

l If the stage or motor is damaged have it repaired before using.