8020 extrusions and your first CNC router


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    Default 8020 extrusions and your first CNC router

    I don't work for 8020 or any of their distributors, but I sure like many of the 8020 based router designs I've found here on CNCzone. A number of zoners have been building very nice CNC routers based on 8020 extrusions. It can be a very cost effective way to build a machine that goes together in just a few days. Presently, CNCRouterParts => www.cncrouterparts.com/ and Fine Line Automation => http://www.finelineautomation.com/ offer parts and free plans for a very nice CNC router made from 15 series 8020.

    A lot of different sized 8020 looks alike. Many times, I can't tell from a picture or even many drawings what size 8020 is being used. The other seemingly
    strange thing is that almost no one wants to give you the dimensions they used. The reasons are obvious once you've put something together, but not until then. It really all depends on what parts you end up with after you bought stuff from Ebay - not the other way around. On the other hand, if you get everything from CNCRouterParts and Fineline Automation then you can stick to their design and their parts. See http://www.cncrouterparts.com/cad.html and
    http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...=48749&page=23

    If you're new to all this, you should save yourself some time and frustration by sticking to their design which uses 15 Fractional series extrusion.
    I stumbled into some nice lengths of Series 45 9090 at an extremely good price (all gone now) and I adjusted to accomodate it. Doing so pretty much forced me to put together the tables and information below on 15 series and 45 Series so I could know all the dimensions and fastener requirements.
    For future reference, I decided to add the information on the rest of the series while I was at it.

    If this is your very first router, Ahren and Nate put together a very nice design. I found the answers to a lot of my questions in their posts and websites, the links at CNCRouterParts, and reading threads started by WidgitMaster. If I had stuck to Nate and Ahrens plan, I'd be done by now. Then again, I already have a WidgitMaster Midi and I can afford the extra gyrations. I'm also very lucky to have found the parts I have. Almost everything is here now and I have very high hopes.

    If you're like me - stubborn, cantankerous, self confident, done all kinds of stuff and have such a big ego you think you can do it by yourself, then you too can march to a different drummer. So far, I've been lucky mostly because I've deliberately kept things clean and simple and followed the best of what I found by reading all those CNCzone threads. CNCRouterParts has some links to a number of threads here on the zone where people have built CNC routers using 8020 and essential components from CNRrouterParts. The other trick would be to search the zone for 8020.

    I read all of them at least twice. By the time I got done doing that, I changed my ideas around and my design ended up a whole lot like
    http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35996 but still using CNCRouterParts components.


    SOME 8020 INFORMATION - Please refer to http://www.8020.net/ if you have any further questions.

    8020 extrusions come in dimensions measured in inches and in dimensions measured in millimeters. The Fractional Series has the Fractional 10 Series and the Fractional 15 Series. The Fractional 10 series comes in 1.00" increments and always measures .500" to the centerline of the slot from the edge. For building a CNC frame, the 10 Series has a strong 2"x4" extrusion called the 10 Series 2040. The Fractional 15 series comes in 1.50" increments and always measures .750" to the centerline of the slot from the edge. For building a CNC frame, the 15 Series has about four useful profiles. They are the 15 Series 1530, 1545,
    3030, and 3060. NOTE: Fine Line Automation steel rails that work with CNCRouterParts bearings are designed for 15 series extrusions. I like Fractional series 15 3060 3"x6" for it's strength. Others seem to favor Fractional series 15 1545 for it's price.

    I also like metric 25x100, 40x120, 80x160, and 90x90. Fractional 3060 and Metric 80x160 are the two largest sizes. There is a nice metal cutting mill made out of 3060 at http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...=32609&page=13

    The Metric Series has 20, 25, 30, 40 and 45 Series. The Metric 20 series comes in 20mm increments and always measures 10mm to the centerline of the slot from the edge. The Metric 25 Series comes in 25mm increments and always measures 12.5mm to the centerline of the slot from the edge. For building a CNC frame, most of the 20 and the 25 series are too small except the 25 series has 25x75, 50x50 and 25x100 which might be suitable for some applications. The Metric 30 Series has a 60x60 extrusion which might prove useful. The Metric 40 Series has 40x120, 80x80 and 80x160 extrusionss which might prove useful. The Metric 45 Series has 45x45, 45x90 and 90x90 extrusions. Metric Series 45 9090 is about 3.54"x3.54" is pretty stout and seems to be made by multiple companies.

    Several different 8020 design manuals and catalogs can be downloaded for free at http://www.8020.net/ Extrusion profiles in CAD format as well as a deflection calculator are also available there. Be careful not to confuse the 10 series Fractional 2040 (2"x4") with the Metric 20 series 2040 (20mmx40mm). Be careful not to confuse the 15 series Fractional 3060 (3"x6") with the Metric 30 series 3060 (30mmx60mm).


    Fractional Series - all dimensions in inches

    Fractional 10 Series

    1.00" increments and .500" centerline

    Always measures .500" from outside edge to the center of the slot

    1010 1"x1" .255" slot .205" thru hole .585" inside slot edge to edge

    1020 1"x2" .255" slot .205" thru hole .585" inside slot edge to edge

    1030 1"x3" .255" slot .205" thru hole .585" inside slot edge to edge

    2020 2"x2" .255" slot .205" thru hole .585" inside slot edge to edge

    2040 2"x4" .255" slot .205" thru hole .585" inside slot edge to edge



    Fractional 15 Series

    1.50" increments and .750" centerline

    Always measures .750" from outside edge to the center of the slot


    1515 1.5"x1.5" .320" slot .262" thru hole .810" inside slot edge to edge

    1530 1.5"x3.0" .320" slot .262" thru hole .810" inside slot edge to edge

    1545 1.5"x4.5" .320" slot .262" thru hole .810" inside slot edge to edge

    3030 3.0"x3.0" .320" slot .262" thru hole .810" inside slot edge to edge

    3060 3.0"x6.0" .320" slot .262" thru hole .810" inside slot edge to edge

    For Fractional profile drawings and more information, See Fractional section 1 in the catalog.



    Metric 20 Series - all dimensions in millimeters

    20mm increments and 10mm centerline

    Always measures 10.00mm from outside edge to the center of the slot compatibility 5-20

    20x20 5.26mm slot 4.19mm thru hole 11.99mm inside slot edge to edge

    20x40 5.26mm slot 4.19mm thru hole 11.99mm inside slot edge to edge

    40x40 5.26mm slot 4.19mm thru hole 11.99mm inside slot edge to edge



    Metric 25 Series

    25mm increments and 12.5mm centerline

    Always measures 12.50mm from outside edge to the center of the slot 25 series fastners

    25x25 6.50mm slot 5.0mm thru hole 14.86mm inside slot edge to edge

    25x50 6.50mm slot 5.0mm thru hole 14.86mm inside slot edge to edge

    25x75 6.50mm slot 5.0mm thru hole 14.86mm inside slot edge to edge

    50x50 6.50mm slot 5.0mm thru hole 14.86mm inside slot edge to edge

    25x100 6.50mm slot 5.0mm thru hole 14.86mm inside slot edge to edge



    Metric 30 Series

    30mm increments and 15mm centerline

    Always measures 15.00mm from outside edge to the center of the slot compatibility 8-30

    30x30 8.13mm slot 6.5mm thru hole 16.50mm inside slot edge to edge

    30x60 8.13mm slot 6.5mm thru hole 16.50mm inside slot edge to edge

    60x60 8.13mm slot 6.5mm thru hole 16.50mm inside slot edge to edge



    Metric 40 Series

    40mm increments 20mm centerline

    Always measures 20.000mm from outside edge to the center of the slot 40 series fastners

    40x40 8.12mm slot 6.8mm thru hole 20.57mm inside slot edge to edge

    40x80 8.12mm slot 6.8mm thru hole 20.57mm inside slot edge to edge

    40x120 8.12mm slot 6.8mm thru hole 20.57mm inside slot edge to edge

    80x80 8.12mm slot 6.8mm thru hole 20.57mm inside slot edge to edge

    80x160 8.12mm slot 6.8mm thru hole 20.57mm inside slot edge to edge

    Also five other odd shapes



    Metric 45 Series

    45mm increments 22.5mm centerline

    Always measures 22.50mm from outside edge to the center of the slot compatibility 10-45

    45x45 10.13mm slot 10.00mm thru hole 20.1mm inside slot edge to edge

    45x90 10.13mm slot 10.00mm thru hole 20.1mm inside slot edge to edge

    90x90 10.13mm slot 10.00mm thru hole 20.1mm inside slot edge to edge

    45x45 lite 10.13mm slot 10.00mm thru hole 20.1mm inside slot edge to edge


    For Metric profile drawings and more information, See Metric section 1 in the catalog.

    If you need to know more about fasteners and profiles download a few sections of the catalogs at 8020.net
    Just call or email them if you have any questions. They are very helpful.

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    Nice write-up...... I just met with the local 80/20 rep last night and spent a good 90 minutes looking over their demo van setup. If you are new to this technology see if you can track down a demo it's very educational.



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    Great point. Having a chance to see the demo van is the best way to see the product line. You can request a demo van visit by going to www.8020.net. On the left hand side of the page click on "information request", and then click "demo van visit".



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    Default Re: 8020 extrusions and your first CNC router

    Quote Originally Posted by lavani View Post
    Before planning/designing any CNC machines using 80/20 extruded aluminum, one should look at the specification. Recently, I have purchased 80/20 2020 aluminum to build my CNC machine and found that pieces I've received are not perfectly straight. Pieces are bowed and my CNC table is off. According to 80/20 team, they are within provided tolerance of straightness. T-profile specification for straightness / flatness and beam deflection are two different things. When you order 80/20, your pieces are not guaranteed to be straight, but it will be within tolerance, which is 0.0125 inches/foot. Don't waste your time if you are looking for accuracy. I do not recommend any mass production using 80/20 Inc. Extruded Aluminum.
    I guess that will depend on what kind of accuracy you require and how well you mount your linear rails. There are many 80/20 extrusion CNC machines. Cncrouterparts being one of them.

    My own gantry router uses THK linear rails on 80/20 extrusion. Works good enough for me.



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    Default Re: 8020 extrusions and your first CNC router

    0.0125 inches/foot....so if i have 6' length then its 0.075"....this is not just for 2" x 2" extruded aluminum but other larger widths also...



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    Default Re: 8020 extrusions and your first CNC router

    You rely on your linear rails to be mounted straight/flat/parallel by bedding them in epoxy, shimming or using other means. Don't rely on the extrusion to do it for you.



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    Default Re: 8020 extrusions and your first CNC router

    I think 80/20 aluminum products are all hype...How can you build something if it's not straight...



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8020 extrusions and your first CNC router

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