Solo Standard Maintenance
- Q Rothing
Below is information regarding when and how to perform maintenance tasks on a Solo machine.
Note: If cables need to be disconnected, none of the cables should be plugged or unplugged while the machine is powered up. This can cause damage to the machine’s electronics!
Quick Reference Chart
Maintenance Item | Why/What | Recommended Interval | Link to instructions |
Empty chip bin | Empty chips from bin to avoid overflow | As needed | |
Clean the spindle taper | Remove chips or coolant | Weekly |
|
Change chip bin filter | Allow cutting fluid to flow back to the tank | Weekly or Monthly as needed | |
Clean bellows
| Check for damage, remove chips and cutting fluid residue | Monthly | |
Change cutting fluid filter | Allow cutting fluid flow | Monthly or as needed | |
Clean tool holders | Remove chips that prevent proper clamping | Monthly or Quarterly |
|
Clean the tool changer drawer | Remove chips and cutting fluid residue | Monthly or Quarterly |
|
Lubricate the door air cylinder | Remove debris and ensure smooth function | Monthly or quarterly |
|
Check Probe Calibration | Confirm that the probe runout is within tolerance, check accuracy | Quarterly or after crash | Pico Digital Probe User Manual | Probe Alignment AND |
Check Tool Setter Calibration | Check accuracy/repeatability | Annually or after crash |
|
Clean cutting fluid system | Restore full volume, prevent bacteria growth | Annually |
|
Check cutting fluid system hoses and fittings | Look for damage/leaks | Annually |
|
Check pneumatic system hoses | Look for damage/leaks | Annually
|
|
Check coolant system hoses and fittings | Look for damage/leaks | Annually |
|
Check coolant system level and top off |
| Annually |
|
Re-grease ball screws and linear bearings |
| Annually |
|
Replace trunnion spiral cable wrap | Preventatively done to ensure cables to do not get damaged | Annually |
|
Check electronics | Check that there is not excessive debris/dust build up in the electronics compartment. Check that connections are secure and not damaged | Annually |
|
Detailed Instructions
Emptying the Chip Bin
The bin that collects and stores the chips produced by the machine should be emptied as needed. It is recommended that the bin be emptied when the chip level is about 1.5 inches from the top of the bin, this helps avoid accidentally spilling chips into the cutting fluid reservoir.
It is best to empty the chip bin after the machine has sat idle for a while (30 min to 1 hr), which allows most of the cutting fluid to drain through the bin and back into the reservoir.
To remove the bin, simply open the door on the front of the machine’s base, tilt the top of the bin towards the back of the machine, and slide the bin out through the door.
There may still be some cutting fluid in the bin that will drain through the holes in the bottom of the bin so tilting the bin back will help reduce the amount of cutting fluid that comes out while transporting the bin to the location it will be emptied.
After emptying the bin, inspect the polyester filter located in the bottom of the bin. If it is clogged with small chips consider replacing it using the corresponding instructions on this page.
To reinstall the bin, ensure that the filter is installed, orient the bin so that drain holes are towards the back of the machine, tilt the top of the bin towards the back of the machine, and then slide the bin into the machine until it can sit flat on the shelf above the cutting fluid reservoir. Ensure the bin is far enough back into the machine to catch all chips that fall through the cavity under the machine’s trunnion.
Changing the Chip Bin Filter
The Solo’s chip bin is meant to be used with a polyester filter installed in its base. This filter keeps the fine chips and debris from getting into the cutting fluid reservoir. It should be replaced whenever it appears full of chips.
To replace the chip bin filter a new filter will need to be cut out of the same or similar material. The filter provided by Penta is made out of 2” thick polyester air filter material (McMaster Carr part # 2182K62) and is cut to match the shape of the bin’s bottom. Simply tracing the bottom of the bin onto the filter material works well for achieving the needed filter shape.
Changing the Cutting Fluid Filter
The cutting fluid filter is meant to catch the fine debris and particulates that make it through the chip bin filter. Depending on the material being cut, this filter may need to be replaced often. A clogged cutting fluid filter is the most likely cause of low cutting fluid flow at the spindle.
The cutting fluid filter is an polyethylene screen available on McMaster Carr’s website (part # 8680T57).
To replace the filter follow these steps:
Open the door on the front of the machine’s base and remove the chip bin
Locate the cutting fluid filter housing at the back of the machine just above the cutting fluid
By hand, unscrew the clear housing and remove it from the machine with the filter inside
Note the orientation of the filter (smaller diameter up) and then remove it
Place the new filter inside the clear housing in the same orientation as noted previously
Reinstall the filter housing, with filter inside, into the machine
Hand tighten the filter housing until snug
Cleaning the Bellows
The bellows are the accordion folded barriers on the back wall of the Solo’s enclosure. Over time, or after heavy use of the machine, the bellows can become covered or filled with chips and debris. It is important that the bellows are cleaned at least monthly to maintain their function and reduce the possibility of damage.
It is recommended that the bellows be cleaned using the cutting fluid wash down gun. DO NOT use compressed air to clean the bellows. When cleaning the bellows, keep the following in mind:
Wash from the top down to avoid pushing debris under the bottom of the bellows into the space behind them.
Jog to one end of an axis' travel and wash all of the accessible surfaces of the bellows, then do the same on the other end of the axis’s travel. This is primarily done with the X and Z axes.
Use a soft rag to gently wipe off any chips or debris that will not wash off with the wash down gun