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Check for Physical Obstructions

Power down machine and manually move X-axis through full travel. Feel for binding, rough spots, or excessive resistance.

Ensure machine is powered down and in emergency stop before manual movement

Inspect Way Surfaces and Gibs

Clean X-axis ways of chips and debris. Check gib adjustment - should allow smooth movement without excessive play.

Gibs should be snug but not binding - you should feel consistent resistance throughout travel

Verify Ballscrew Condition

Check ballscrew for damage, proper lubrication, and bearing condition. Listen for unusual noise during manual movement.

Ballscrew should turn smoothly without grinding or catching

Test with Reduced Feed Rate

Run simple X-axis moves at 10-25% feed override to see if alarm persists at lower speeds.

If alarm clears at low speeds, confirms mechanical resistance issue

Check Servo Drive Status LEDs

Observe X-axis servo drive LED indicators on drive module. Green should be solid during normal operation, red indicates fault condition.

Drive LEDs provide immediate visual feedback of drive health status

Verify Motor Connections

Inspect X-axis motor power and encoder cables for damage, corrosion, or loose connections at motor and drive ends.

Check connections with power off to avoid electrical hazards

Monitor Current Draw

Access CURRENT COMMANDS screen and observe X-axis current during moves. Compare to Y/Z axis values for abnormalities.

Consistently high current indicates mechanical problems, low current suggests electrical issues

Test Servo Tuning

Access Parameter 71 (Velocity Gain) and 72 (Position Gain) for X-axis. Try reducing gains by 10-20% to see if alarm frequency decreases.

Lower gains reduce servo aggressiveness but may indicate drive weakness if alarm clears

Check Encoder Cable Integrity

Inspect X-axis encoder cable for cuts, pinching, or connector damage. Verify secure connections at encoder and drive.

Encoder cables are sensitive to EMI - route away from power cables

Verify Encoder Coupling

Check encoder coupling to ballscrew for looseness or damage. Coupling should be tight with no play.

Mark coupling position before removal to maintain proper alignment

Test Position Accuracy

Use dial indicator to verify actual X-axis movement matches commanded distance. Move in 1.0000" increments and compare.

Consistent error indicates scaling issue, random error suggests encoder problems

Monitor Encoder Signals

Access POSITION page and watch X-axis encoder counts during slow manual moves for erratic behavior or dropouts.

Encoder counts should increment smoothly without jumps or reversals

Review Parameter 70 Setting

Check Setting 70 (Following Error Limit) - typical value is 0.0050-0.0100 inches. Compare to other axes.

Factory default is usually 0.0080" - values below 0.0030" may be too restrictive

Check Servo Gain Parameters

Verify Parameters 71 (Velocity Gain) and 72 (Position Gain) match factory specifications for your machine model.

Gains too low cause sluggish response, too high cause instability and following errors

Test with Increased Following Error Limit

Temporarily increase Parameter 70 to 0.0120" and test. If alarm clears, indicates parameter issue rather than mechanical.

Don't leave following error limit excessively high - reduces position accuracy protection

Restore Factory Parameters

If parameters were modified, restore X-axis servo parameters to factory defaults and retest operation.

Document current parameter values before making changes for easy restoration

Review Program Feed Rates

Check G-code for excessive F values on X-axis moves. Compare to machine specifications and other successful programs.

Feed rates over 500 IPM may exceed X-axis capabilities on older machines

Check Acceleration Settings

Review Parameters 15 (Max Acceleration) and 16 (Acceleration Time) for X-axis. Ensure values match machine specifications.

High acceleration settings stress servo system and can cause following errors on direction changes

Test with Reduced Feed Override

Run problematic program at 50% feed override. If alarm clears, confirms feed rate is excessive for current machine condition.

Gradual increase in feed override helps identify maximum sustainable rate

Implement Feed Rate Limits

Add G93 (inverse time) or reduce F values in program to stay within machine acceleration capabilities.

Smooth acceleration profiles prevent following errors better than abrupt speed changes