Milltronics' Machine Shop Insights

First, it should be noted that Milltronics machines will automatically institute an E-stop once they have sat idle for 30 minutes. This is done to preserve way lube and minimize waste. If your machine E-stops from sitting idle, you can safely reenable it when you’re ready to continue. This is done by pushing in the E-stop button, releasing it and then pressing the ‘Enable’ button on the control.

If your machine E-stops for a reason other than sitting idle, it’s important that you explore what happened before reenabling it. Sometimes, it will be very obvious. For example, if a programmer accidentally enters a parameter incorrectly and crashes the machine, you’ll know why an E-stop was instituted. In those types of cases, go through your normal steps of verifying that that machine can be operated safely prior to reenabling it.

Where the cause of an E-stop isn’t instantly apparent, start by checking to see if there’s an error code describing a fault. If there is, evaluate if it’s a situation that you are comfortable understanding and resolving based on your own knowledge and experience.

When an E-stop occurs and there is either no error code or one that you have not before encountered, we recommend that you contact Milltronics for assistance. Any machine with an INSPIRE control will automatically generate a NavErr that captures data at the time of the E-stop and for 60 seconds prior to it. Our team can walk you through providing this information so that we can see exactly what happened with your machine. For older machines, the process will take a bit longer, but our experts can provide you with guidance to ensure that you are safe to clear the E-stop and resume operation.

In recent years, many new tools have been put into place to ensure that today’s machines are safer to operate than those of the past. Our E-stop function is one such tool, providing a valuable resource for minimizing risk to your team.