Removing IQ Motors for Service

 

Removing IQ Motors for Service

This video by Patty Butcher demonstrates how to remove the IQ motors from the adjusting brackets without altering the adjusting brackets in any way. You will want to do this whenever you are required to remove the motors, for servicing, changing drive wheels, etc. The process is the same no matter the machine make, model or vintage and older style motors.

 

 

Adjusting the IQ motor brackets

 

Adjusting the IQ motor brackets 

I had to reload Helen's original post as the video link was broken.

Another great video by Patty Butcher, demonstrating how to adjust the iQ motors. Pay attention to how much to loosen and then tighten - as Patty says, only teeny tiny turns. Never, ever loosen them a lot - it will be so much harder to get the correct adjustment.

NOTE: Patty is working on an APQS machine. On my Gammill I couldn't use the carpenter's square as Patty does to check that her motor is straight - I had to hold a straight edge and compare it to a straight edge on my track. I've shown that in another post.

 

 

Changing the IQ Drive Rollers

IQ Motor failure - reseating the pulley

 

How to check that your motors are running straight.

This document shows how to check whether your motors need straightening or not. If they are only slightly crooked, this method will work. If they are grossly out of alignment, you will need to adjust the brackets screws, which is shown in another post.

The photos show only the X motor (the one that runs the length of the table) on my Gammill Premier. Check the Y motor in the same way. The photos show an original motor with the white gears, and a supermotor with the clear belt. Your motor may look slightly different but the mounting block will be the same. It is important to place the straight edge against the mounting block and not the motor cover.

Take the cover off the motor and place a straight edge against the mounting block that has the two set screws, as shown in the photos.

Look along the length of the straight edge and compare it to the straight edge of the track - it should be parallel. 

 

If your straight edge looks like the first picture below and is tilting downwards (probably not as much as this), then give the motor a sharp tap on the right side of the motor with your fist, as shown in the second photo.

Check for straight again. 

If your straight edge is tilted up like this picture, give the motor a sharp tap on the left. 

Check for straight again. This is usually enough to fix a slightly out of straight motor. 

NOTE: if your motors move too easily, then the bracket screws are probably loose and need tightening. 

If your motor is straight, next check that the sensor wheel is straight as shown below. 

Also move your machine by hand and watch the sensor wheel - if it wobbles or isn't running straight, check the very tiny set screw that holds it in place. The wheel may have come loose.

Intelliquilter Routine Drive Wheel Maintenance

Sheridan clearly shows you how to clean the drive wheels and table surfaces in this video. 

Troubleshooting tips #2.

The following is offered as helpful hints to get the best and quickest support when using our ticket system at the iQ web site.

Please save and send your logs with your ticket. This will save a few back and forth communications and lots of time.

Please update to the latest version of the software to continue troubleshooting.

Please fill in all of the identifying information at the top of the ticket. Please describe the issue you are having as completely as possible. "machine going crazy" or "not working" isn't enough information. The more information we have at the outset, the fewer questions we have to ask, and the narrower the focus of the ones we do. Feel free to attach pictures of anything that will help us understand the issue.

If you are having obstructions (with no error messages) this is what I tell everyone as a starting point: The very first thing for you to do is clean your wheels and rails until they are squeaky clean. Please use the Clean Rollers utility with 91% alcohol and QTips until there is no gray remaining on the cotton swabs. This may take a while. Use Windex and paper towels on your rails also until there is no trace of gray. Inspect your machine wheels to clean the grooves very well also. I use both QTips and paper towels with Windex to clean the Edgerider wheels. Examine carefully for imperfections in the rubber on the drive rollers, and look for any threads on the shafts of the rollers, thread sensor, or Edgerider wheels.

Glazing on the drive rollers is the number one cause of obstructions, imagine driving your car on a thin sheet of ice...

After you are certain everything is as clean as possible, run a panto row in Demo Mode. If you experience an obstruction, go to Utilities > Configuration > Motor Control Setup/Test and perform the Auto Setup on both motors. Try again to run a row in panto mode. Repeat above.

If your motors fail to engage - remove a cover of a motor and feel free to include a picture of the top of your motor on your ticket. If you have clear O-rings, and they are yellowed, they are worn and stretched. You can order new ones here, please specify 5" OC: https://www.mcmaster.com/#3044k503/=1cw7gn0 -- they will be shipped quickly, and replacement is similar to replacing a vacuum cleaner belt, which I'm pretty sure most of you have done at some point in your life.

If your machine stops moving, but continues to stitch in place, and the iQ buttons don't work, your tablet has likely lost connection with the dock. This can happen over time due to vibration or long-term movement. Simply remove and redock your tablet, making sure the contacts are making a good connection with their mates on the dock. Inspect the padding on the dock clamps, if worn or peeling, it can be replaced with Mole Skin from the pharmacy. Take steps to reduce the vibration of your machine head, experimenting until you find the "sweet spot" of needle speed, then of course adjust your iQ motor speed/details to get the stitch length you like. If the dock/tablet is tipping forward at the top, adjust it using the yellow thumb screws on the dock bracket so it is tipping toward the back at the top.

I'm sure there are many more things I could include here, but following these few steps may help you get going again on your own, saving you time and frustration. Of course never hesitate to start a ticket to start or continue troubleshooting any problems or issues you may have. Take a moment to check out all of the information here: https://www.intelliquilter.com/iQpedia/ as well. Lots of good stuff to help you.

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 580,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

iQ motor pulley and belt upgrade.

Tracey Browning shows how to upgrade your super motors with the notched belts and pulleys in this video. After putting your motors back onto your machine, you should run the motor auto-adjustment, calibration, and drift test. Even though you won't have altered the motor brackets, it's best to run the drift test just to make sure they haven't been accidentally knocked out of position.



This is the link to watch the video on Youtube.

And this is the link to Tracey's web site, Constantine Quilts.

Adjusting the motors

The motors in this video are the older kind with gears rather than drive belts, but adjusting them is exactly the same, so ignore the gears, if you don't have them, and pay attention to the screws being adjusted by Jim Higginbotham.
Adjust the height of the motors when iQ is either turned off or set to manual mode. You need to get down and look at the gap between the drive wheel (that's the flat sided wheel under the motor). Ideally it shouldn't be any greater than the thickness of two credit cards. The wheel should be completely over the surface it runs along and the gap should be even. If your gap is wider at one side than the other, alter the appropriate screw to level it (the silver ones in this video)

This can be a time consuming job, but you will be able to do it. Don't be tempted to loosen the screws more than a quarter turn at a time - do the adjustment just as Jim shows, checking the height after each adjustment.

When you have the motors adjusted, you must calibrate iQ, and run the drift test just to make sure everything is correct.

Some help with motor alignment

Erin explains how to physically align the iQ motors in this video.



If you prefer to watch it on Youtube, use this link https://youtu.be/6ZAkP14NFm0

Motor Auto Setup

Everyone is going to love this!  iQ can now set the motor engagement strengths itself. No more listening for the growl or watching the lift spindle, wondering if you have the strengths set too low or too high. After updating your software to the August 2015 version (8.20.15), use this feature. Make a note of your current motor engagement strengths then run the auto setup. Did iQ change them?

When you are just running this to set your motor engagement strengths, if your X motor is mounted at the front of your carriage, you need to push your machine close to the take up bar before running the X motor auto setup. If your X motor is mounted at the back of your carriage, bring your machine close to the front of the table before running the auto setup.

To watch the video on Youtube, go to this link: https://youtu.be/p1evl0yMgkA

Setting Super Motor engagement strength

iQ sets the engagement strengths of the motors automatically now, but this video may be helpful when troubleshooting supermotors.
Remove the motor covers and watch the spindle shown in the videos as you change the engagement strength. Do not move the machine.
The videos show the motor repeatedly engaging and disengaging. Yours will not do this - it will lift then lower once when you change the setting.

This video shows a weak engagement strength - watch how the brass collar at the base of the spindle does not lift.
weak engagement strength

This video shows the correct movement of the brass collar. The collar should be lifted by about 1-2 millimeters at the end of the engagement phase when the engagement strength is set properly.
proper engagement strength