Can a shock destroy an electric motor?

[GWestphal]

I have this micro slicer that I was asked to take apart and look at since it was acting up. Basically it is a razor blaze that vibrates laterally and moves forward and backwards. I took the case off and tried to see if anything was overtly wrong and I touched an alignment bracket connected to a linear screw type actuator and got a little shock (felt like 220V 50Hz, because this company seems to use line frequency and power to operate the solenoid that makes the lateral vibrations.) Couldn't find anything mechanically wrong so I put it back together and no dice on the linear motion. Not sure if something got burned out when I was shocked or if it taking it apart jiggled something else, just trying to see how likely it is the motor or solenoid crapped out from that shock.

 

[z1ggy]

Ouch, how'd that 220V feel?

 

[PsiStar]

make & model?

Is this thing run by a stepper or servo? Therefore would have an electronic controller of some kind?

 

[CycloWizard]

This sounds like a vibratome. From what I can see online, they appear to use stepper motors. This page has some troubleshooting tips near the bottom. Maybe the shock shorted one of the windings? Steppers can use quite a bit of current even while stationary, so be careful.

 

[sm625]

Yep motors have windings. The windings are insulated from each other very poorly. (It is a wonder they dont short out more often.) But anyway, every time a winding shorts out, the motor gets less efficient. When enough windings short out, it just stops working. Any sort of ESD can blow through the insulation and short out the windings. It doesnt take much, especially when there are conductive impurities of any sort stuck inbetween the windings.