Problem

HEX150-140HL or HEX150-125HL struts are unable to move, throwing faults immediately upon enable and/or the end of travel limit faults are stuck on.

Solution

Stop, Do not repeatedly enable the strut/hexapod. This only serves to make the problem worse.

Do not turn off the limits or increase the peak or average current thresholds. 

Do not attempt to backdrive a HEX150-125HL  (The HEX150-125HL has much higher running friction than the HEX150-140HL, designed to increase stiffness. The friction makes it very difficult to backdrive. Attempting to backdrive the HEX150-125HL can cause catastrophic failure of the ballscrew). 


  1. Capture the information below.
  2. Create a Technical Support ticket here: https://support.aerotech.com/servicedesk/customer/portal/1
  3. Send the information to Global Technical Support for further instruction.

Information to capture:

  1. Display each of the 6 strut axes. Open Automation1 Studio and navigate to the Configure tab. Select any setting under Axis (such as "Motor") -> Select Manage Axes -> choose to display axes ST1-ST6.



  2. Open Automation1 Status Utility and click Download in the top left corner to save a copy of the status information.
  3. Take a picture of the hexapod. Each strut should not be at an extreme end of travel. The following HEX150-140HL strut on the left and HEX150-125HL strut on the right are in CCW hardstop. The CCW limit will be active in Status Utility and the strut will not enable. This is the most common situation when the struts lock up.


     
  4. The image below shows struts in the center of travel. They are not against the hardstop and should enable. If a strut in this position does not enable this might be an issue with commutation.



  5. The following struts are fully extended and in the CW limit (HEX150-140HL on the left and HEX150-125HL on the right). The CW limit will be active in the Status Utility. We have not yet seen a strut get locked up in this position but it is theoretically possible.



  6. Send the Automation1 Status Utility download (.HTML file) and photo of the hexapod to Aerotech for further review.