This message was posted by StringNet on AmayaUsers.com. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY VIA EMAIL. Instead, respond to the thread on the WEBSITE by clicking here: http://www.amayausers.com/boards/ultimatebb.php?/topic/1/782.html#000014 Please excuse my long winded response. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Brian Kirk; I am the technician that has been thrown under the bus in this tirade. I am a technician with 14 years of full time technical experience. I am not a part time tech. All I do is fix machines and provide technical advice and training to people in the embroidery business. I have never posted in this forum but after hearing about this slanderous post, I feel that I must reply, in fact I just now created an account so I could do so. Let?s start by getting a few facts straight. I was not involved in diagnosing this problem before my visit. My understanding is that Dave contacted Melco and discussed the problems with a phone tech. That discussion resulted in a diagnosis of two possible failed components. The Z motor and/or the CPU. Either part could generate the problem that this machine was experiencing. I believe the cost to replace both parts were discussed. I don?t know the details of this conversation but Melco typically recommends replacement of both the motor and the CPU at the same time. If it was under warranty that is most likely what would have been done. For whatever reason, it was decided that the Z motor would be replaced first and by itself. At this point Dave purchased a new Z motor. I was then contacted by Melco with a request to replace the Z motor in Dave?s machine. When I arrived at Dave?s shop my first steps were to troubleshoot and verify the diagnosis. After troubleshooting I came to a similar conclusion. Z motor or CPU. There are very few ways to bench test a servo motor with a built in encoder. About the only thing you can test for is a short circuit. There were no shorts in this motor but that was expected as the symptom was a tracking error which is generally related to the encoder. There is no way to bench test an encoder in the field. Encoder failures are not common on these motors but are not unheard of. I advised Dave that I could find no problem with the motor but was unable to rule it out conclusively. If I had both parts on hand I would have tried the CPU first. But the motor was the only part on hand as Dave did not order a CPU. So we tried the motor with no success. Leaving the CPU as the most likely culprit. Lets clear up a few more things. ?guessing? It?s not guessing its troubleshooting and a process of elimination. Electronic problems are very difficult things to track down. There are many components that all have to work and communicate perfectly in order for the machine to function. There are usually no physical breaks and nothing you can see. It takes very sophisticated equipment to positively identify exactly where the problem is. It?s equipment that can?t be taken on a field service visit. As a field tech we do our best using our knowledge, skills and tools at hand to best determine what is wrong. It?s not always easy. No matter how good you are, you don?t always get it on the first try. If I have a broken part in my hand I can guarantee that replacing it will fix the problem. As far as electronics go, and with the limited resources available on a field service visit, I can?t and won?t give a guaranteed diagnosis. It would be irresponsible to do so. No matter how remote t he possibility, no matter how unlikely, it could still be something else. ?They said they train the techs to replace the cheapest things first and work up in price.? I don?t know where that came from. It?s not the way I was trained and I have never heard that phrase before. I try to narrow it down to the most likely cause and work from there. In this situation I felt it was 60/40 CPU/motor but all we had was the motor so trying the motor was a good call. Dave, I did everything I could to help you. I cut my vacation short and lost a warm sunny Friday to come see you as you told me that you couldn?t wait till after the weekend. I gave you cost saving advice and showed you how to replace the board yourself to further save you money. I understand that you may be disgruntled with Melco but I don?t think that my level of service has wronged you in any way. Yet this post has tarnished my excellent reputation. All that being said. I am still willing to help you if I can, because that?s what I do? I fix machines. Brian =========================================================== The AmayaUsers Mailing List Website: http://www.amayausers.com Discussion Board: http://www.amayausers.com/boards Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://www.amayausers.com/list ===========================================================