Electronics advice needed

[Wapinschaw]

I have a Clarke CMD10 mini mill-drill that has begun to play up. The motor is losing torque and the drill is coming to a stop in a 6mm hole in aluminium. I don't have any knowledge of electronics, if this was hydraulic or pneumatic I would have fixed it by now. Someone better informed than me advised me to remove the PCB and look for obvious damage to any component. I note that the resistors look a bit questionable, there is what looks to me like heat damage to the casings and there is verdigris around the cable entry to the casings. There could obviously be non-visible degradation of other components. Is it possible to test the board in isolation or would the whole assembly of motor, switches etc have to be tested? Can anyone recommend a company (ideally in the Aberdeen area) which could test this for me?

 

[Len the dog]

Have you checked the commutator brushes in the motor?

 

[Swedish]

^^^This First^^^

 

[WH308]

I agree, common things are common. Check the brushes first

 

[Wapinschaw]

Brushes are OK, near enough specification size of 15mm.

 

[Swedish]

Although your machine is badged as Clarke, its actually a Sieg unit (Shanghai Machinery) This company appears to represent Sieg in the UK Arc Euro Trade Ltd - Contact Us

 

[venisonpie]

I dont know if these guys might be able to help, my boss has pointed people in their direction in the past when we have been presented with an electronics problem:

Tarbat Electronic Solutions Limited | Electronic, Power Electronic Design & Manufacturing Specialists They are in Keith.

 

[Wapinschaw]

Thanks to all who contributed and especially to Mealie Jimmy aka Bruce who dropped by this afternoon and helped with diagnosis. The electrical side of things is OK, the fault is in the gear train. I think most likely the gear change mechanism which is a bit sloppy and probably allowing the gears to move out of mesh. Thanks also to Swedish, the Arc Euro site is a great help. I can rebuild the gear train relatively inexpensively from the parts list and drawing on there.