[labnetwork] Dektak 3030ST - stylus down timeout error

[Dennis Culver]

Hello Kevin,

Happy Monday.....   If the stylus will descend and will not scan, then the sensor tower of the scan head NEEDS to be serviced.  There is a .375" diameter leadscrew with a 2mm pitch that moves a Delrin nut up/down for stylus position.  If the lubricant dries up or there are signs of corrosion on the linear bearings observed at the front of the sensor tower, then it cannot "null" within a 1 micron window before allowing a scan to start.  If it works in the 1,310 KA range center zero, then this would be the issue.  This is NOT a customer recommended repair.......


Dennis


-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Culver <djculver at aol.com>
To: kmcpeak <kmcpeak at lsu.edu>; labnetwork <labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu>
Sent: Mon, Sep 18, 2017 10:26 am
Subject: Re: [labnetwork] Dektak 3030ST - stylus down timeout error


Hello Kevin,
This error message is caused by the system electronics thinking the stylus is DOWN (or when you look at the stylus nose assembly it's actually stuck UP).  


With power OFF to the system,  the stylus is UP off of the lower pin of the stylus guard.  With a Q-tip, gently check to see if the stylus arm swings freely  (by prodding it down does it return to the UP position)?  With no stylus force applied by the electronics, it should float UP. 


 With power ON and stylus force applied, it should swing down to the bottom pin of the stylus guard.  If not, the stylus arm pivots are either out of their jewels (gold jewels on either side of the stylus nose) or if the stylus no longer looks like it would be perpendicular to the sample stage if lowered from the front, the yoke on the end of the stylus arm tubes has twisted out of alignment.  


As one of the jewels is spring loaded, you can slide your finger front to back under the pivot location and cause the stylus to move up n' down which could pop the pivot points back into their jewel cups.  If the stylus arm again swings freely, you should be good to go.  If the stylus yoke assembly looks to be out of alignment (would NOT be perpendicular to the stage as looking from the front), then you may have to remove the stylus guard and gently try to straighten it.  As the measuring device is an LVDT (Linear Variable Displacement Transformer), the slug within the measurement core is intended to move linearly.  By design, the Dektak stylus arm moves this slug in an arc, limited by the pins on that smoked plexiglass stylus guard, so alignment is critical.  There is a cover over the stylus nose held in place by 2-allen cap screws.  With the monitor removed, you can look into the nose assembly and view the slug within the LVDT core; there should be clearance all around for proper noise fee measurements.


If none of the remedies I've suggested get you going, you could contact me directly for more help or support.  


Best Regards, 



Dennis J.  Culver  
Culver Consulting


5960 Valentine Road
Unit 14, Mail box 13
Ventura, CA 93003


Ph (805) 648-1184
Fx (805) 648-1485


Cell(805)680-7389


dennis at culverequipment.com
Website: www.culverequipment.com ;






-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin McPeak <kmcpeak at lsu.edu>
To: labnetwork <labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu>
Sent: Sun, Sep 17, 2017 4:38 am
Subject: [labnetwork] Dektak 3030ST - stylus down timeout error

Dear Colleagues,

The Dektak 3030ST contact profilometer here at LSU is giving a
"Stylus Down Timeout" error. As a result, the system will not perform
any scans.

Have any of you observed this error before and if so how did you resolve it.

Regards,
Kevin

-- 
Kevin M. McPeak
Assistant Professor
Louisiana State University
Dept. of Chemical Engineering
110 Chemical Engineering Bldg Room 324
S. Stadium Drive
Baton Rouge, LA  70803
email: kmcpeak at lsu.edu
phone: 225-578-0058

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