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If you are using an SC2 please see this article first

What is the overload feature?

The Yeti Tool SC0/1 spindle motor can measure how much load it is under during operation. It will use this information to warn the user (we’ll get into this in the next article), and will eventually shut itself down.

If you are using an SC1 spindle motor, it will feed overload information back to SmartBench, and SmartBench will automatically pause the job before the spindle shuts down. 

What can cause the spindle motor to overload?

Overload can be caused if:

• Your tool is blunt and needs to be replaced

• You are cutting too deep in one pass

• Your feed rate is too fast for the material, depth or tool size that you are cutting with

• Your spindle speed is too low

How to prevent overload

Always inspect your cutting tool before you use it. If it is blunt or if it has any damage, do not use it as this is very likely to cause the spindle motor to overload and will negatively affect the finish on your job.

Make sure that you are using the correct feeds and speeds, step down and step over. Click here to learn more about feeds and speeds.

How the overload feature works

When too much load is detected, the spindle sets a timer for it to shut itself off. The duration of this timer will vary depending on the amount of overload. A smaller overload will set a longer duration until shut off, and a higher overload will set a shorter duration.

Once set, this timer can still change if the load on the spindle changes: if the spindle experiences a high overload it will set a short timer, but if the load lessens enough before shut off, the duration of the timer will increase or be cancelled altogether.

The spindle will not shut off unnecessarily if the overload is only brief: for example, if the tool path runs through a knot in a timber workpiece.

How will I know if my spindle motor is overloaded?

The speed control wheel also contains the status light for spindle load, and will flash red if the spindle becomes overloaded.

Click here to learn what the status light colour and behaviour means.

A: Speed control wheel

If you are using SmartBench PrecisionPro, the overload is also shown as a percentage on the file run screen of your SmartBench Console. 

What should I do if my spindle gets overloaded during a job? 

If you are seeing small amounts of overload, you may be able to fix the issue by adjusting your feeds and speeds during the job. Click here to learn more about this.

If the cutter is damaged (either before the job or due to the spindle becoming overloaded), you may need to cancel the job and start again with a new cutter.

If overload persists, please read our troubleshooting article on the next steps to take.

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