A Down Machine Needs a Diagnosis—Not a Guess
When production stops, the visible alarm is not always the root cause. Founders CNC troubleshoots the complete machine: mechanical components, electrical systems, controls, drives, feedback devices, communications, and geometry.
Some faults can be evaluated or corrected through secure remote access. When onsite work is required, we arrive prepared for the machine and symptoms you reported.
Problems We Troubleshoot
- Mechanical failures, crashes, and alignment problems
- Electrical faults and intermittent machine conditions
- HEIDENHAIN, Siemens, FANUC, and Mitsubishi control problems
- Drive-system faults and axis-performance problems
- PROFIBUS and DRIVE-CLiQ communication faults
- HEIDENHAIN encoder and scale feedback problems
- Tool-changer and automatic tool-change alignment issues
- Post-crash geometry and machine-performance verification
What Happens When You Call
We gather the machine facts
We start with the make, model, serial number, control, alarm history, and what happened immediately before the machine stopped.
We decide whether remote access can help
If the condition can be diagnosed safely through remote access, we may begin there. Mechanical damage, failed hardware, and geometry problems require onsite service.
We assess and define the repair
A scheduled estimating visit may be provided at no charge when agreed in advance. Any dispatched diagnostic or service visit carries a four-hour labor minimum plus travel. We inspect the machine, identify the likely cause, and define the recommended work.
We repair and verify
After approval, we complete the work and verify the machine with the appropriate diagnostic and measurement tools. A cleared alarm is only part of the job; the machine must also behave correctly. A preventive maintenance program can move more of this work into scheduled service windows.
After a Machine Crash
A crash can affect more than the visibly damaged component. It can shift geometry, disturb an encoder or scale, damage a tool changer, or expose a drive problem. Depending on the event, verification may include test bars, indicators, alignment equipment, laser measurement, or a Renishaw ballbar test. Renishaw lists machine checking after crashes among the uses for ballbar testing.
Renishaw describes ballbar testing as a way to assess machine positioning performance by measuring small radius variations while the machine follows a programmed circular path. The resulting data helps identify performance errors and supports analysis to recognized standards.
How Quickly Can You Respond?
Urgent requests are evaluated according to technician availability, customer location, and machine requirements. When practical, we may attempt initial phone or remote assistance while determining the appropriate next step.
What to Send Before We Arrive
- Machine make, model, and serial number
- Control make and model
- Alarm numbers and exact messages
- Photos or video of the failure, damage, or screen
- What happened immediately before the stoppage
- Any troubleshooting or parts already attempted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you fix the machine remotely?
Sometimes. Remote access can shorten diagnosis for certain control, drive, communications, and software faults. Physical damage, alignment, geometry, and failed components require onsite work.
Will you need parts?
That depends on the diagnosis. We identify known parts in the estimate when possible, but intermittent faults or hidden damage may require additional findings after work begins.
Is emergency work warranted?
Founders CNC provides a 30-day labor warranty. New, refurbished and repaired parts carry the applicable manufacturer or supplier warranty. Surplus parts will be sold ‘as-is’ unless specifically stated otherwise.