How do you test a DC servo motor

I have several 3 hp DC fanuc servos, which I want to test for basic operation. Any idea what I can quickly do to spin them up. One connector is four big pins, another is many small pins. I assume that big pins are for DC current plus field voltage?

i
Reply to
Ignoramus23517
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I don't know about 4 big pins. Should just be +/- pins for power.

The set of small pins would be the encoder (or resolver) for feedback.

In any case, apply power to the main power pins and it should spin. A good first test would be to ohm out the windings. "Normal" will be

3-4 ohms. If you have a set, it will give you a population study for normal.

Do you have an asking price in mind?

JW

Reply to
jw

A DC servo is just a DC motor with a feedback device. Resolver and tach for old ones, encoder for new ones. Check motor operation by hooking large wires to a 12 volt battery.

Many fanuc servos are AC brushless units, quite a different animal. I don't know of a way to test them without connecting to a servo drive.

karl

Reply to
Karl Townsend

They're almost certainly brushless motors, which are essentially

3-phase permanent magnet synchronous motors. The "many small pins" are the connections for the commutation feedback, which is most often 3 Hall effect sensors that tells the drive the angular position of the rotor. If there are more than 10 pins or so, there may be encoder connections mixed in there as well.

You can drive a brushless motor with a VFD (without the commutation feedback), but getting the VFD's parameters set properly is not trivial.

If the resistance of the motor's 3 phases is equal, and it generates an equal voltage on all 3 phases when you spin it, the motor itself is probably OK. I'm not sure what you could with limited equipment to test for other potential problems like a failure in the Hall sensors, insulation breakdown, or a demagnetized condition.

Reply to
Ned Simmons

I've never played with a DC fanuc motor. As far as the 4 big pins, put your meter on dc and give the motor a spin. I'm assuming permanent magnets so it should act as a generator.

How do you know it isn't an AC servo motor?

Wes

Reply to
Wes

Old Fanuc DC servos have yellow end caps and have brush ports with screw caps, newer Fanuc AC servos have red end caps and no brush caps. If I recall, the DC also have round bodies and the AC have square bodies. In either case the big connector with small pins is for the encoder and the smaller connector is for the servo.

Reply to
Pete C.

One prong is for motor ground, another one has no connection at all

The other two go to the brushes, connect a car battery to them see if it spins

The other connector goes to the encoder, suggest dont mess with those.

Reply to
Uhh Clem

1) Find nameplate. 2) Identify model and/or part number(s) 3) Google "Fanuc" plus numbers from step 2. 4) Proceed with testing based on motor specs located in step 3.
Reply to
Paul Hovnanian P.E.

short out all the big pins together and try to turn the shaft. There should be a high resistance to rotation. Remove the short and the motor shaft should turn easily. This is a quick test but does not necessarily test every parameter of the motor. The encoder and tach generator will not be tested.

I would be interested in purchasing the motors if you are going to sell them.

John

Reply to
John

Reply to
Ignoramus23517

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