Warning: Had a coolant pump die mid-run on a Haas VF-2 last week

I was running a batch of 50 aluminum parts for a job out of Phoenix. Everything was smooth until the coolant pump just quit at part 32. I figured it was a quick fix, maybe a blown fuse or a clogged line. Took me 6 hours to figure out it was the pump relay board that had a cracked solder joint from all the vibration. Nobody had a spare in stock locally either. Had to drive 45 miles to a shop in Tempe that had one. Has anyone else had a Haas relay board fail like that or was I just unlucky?

2 comments

2 Comments

mila_mitchell3d agoRising Star

You ever think a machine's vibration issues are just part of the job until something like this happens? I used to brush off those little shakes and rattles as normal, but after watching a solder joint crack on a control board from all the constant buzzing, I started paying more attention. Now I actually check for loose connections and worn mounts during maintenance. That 45 mile drive for a part you can't find anywhere is a tough way to learn that lesson.

the_anna3d ago

Oh man, @mila_mitchell you are speaking my language right now. I had a similar wake up call with a conveyor system a few years back - this little rattle turned into a full blown bearing failure that took out the whole line for a day and a half. Now I'm the annoying guy who sticks my head under every machine during startups just listening for anything off. It's funny how we normalize the noise until something breaks and we're stuck with that 45 mile drive feeling. You learn quick that the shakes are usually telling you something before they turn into big problems.