Static electricity issues

Machines (Original/PRO)
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I have had issues with static electricity in the past making my spindle take a deep dive into a piece while 3D carving. It seems to happen more when using my dust boot. My understanding is a dust collector creates static electricity. I have not done anything to ground the static problem as of yet.
Yesterday my machine started to run haywire again not starting the cut at the chosen start point and machining deeper than it was set and running off the work piece to cut air. I have used this 3D model before to cut this part and it worked fine.
I just ordered braided grounding wire. I plan on attaching it at the mounting block of the x axis on the right side of the machine. I am going to run that wire through my cable tray then down through my table across to a wall outlet and ground it into the outlet. Im also am going to run a copper wire up my dust collector hose to the dust collector where I will ground the wire to the collector which is grounded through its plug.
Is it just me or is this a rather large issue and why doesn’t onefinity address it with grounding instructions when you buy the machine?
Any information on this annoying issue would be helpful. Other than the static issue the machine has been stellar. I am not one to complain but…

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Hey Scott,

static electricity was discussed in this thread and disappeared after having properly grounded the machine:

and

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thanks for the info!

Scott

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Static electricity can indeed cause issues with CNC machines, especially when using a dust collector. Here are some steps to address the problem:

  1. Grounding the Machine: Running a braided grounding wire from the mounting block of the x-axis through the cable tray, down through the table, and to a grounded wall outlet is a good approach. This helps dissipate any static buildup on the machine.
  2. Grounding the Dust Collector: Running a copper wire inside the dust collector hose to the dust collector and grounding it to the collector’s plug is also effective. This ensures that static charges generated by the dust collection process are safely grounded.
  3. Check Connections: Ensure all connections are secure and that there is good contact at all grounding points.
  4. Consult Onefinity Support: Although Onefinity does not provide grounding instructions with the machine, it’s worth reaching out to their support team for recommendations or additional guidance.

By grounding both the machine and the dust collection system, you should mitigate the static electricity issues and improve the performance of your CNC machine.

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I had similar issues. Had to completely rethink my setup. My controller would randomly just stop. It would lose all setting and the router would just stop in place.

I’d check your dust collector hose. Make sure it’s static dissipative material. My hose wasn’t. I bought dust collection hose with copper wire embedded in the static dissipative material. That helped but wasn’t enough alone. If that doesn’t help you can then attach the copper wire to a ground. I also ran my hose straight up and out of the way.

Also if you’re going to ground your frame I would suggest checking the conductivity. I was surprised as to what was connected electrically and what wasn’t.

It was a pain in the butt but now that I have it sorted I haven’t had any more EMI issues.

Mike

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