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    Default South African CNC Router Build :)

    Hey guys

    I'll start off by introducing myself, my name is Kevin, I am from South Africa and currently in my final year of studying Mechatronic Engineering. The CNC scene first caught my eye back when I was nearing the end of my high-school career and I've been hooked ever since.

    I'm probably going to go into a bit of unnecessary detail for this next bit, however my intention for doing so is to give everyone a bit of insight with regards to the long journey that I have traveled since I started this project as well as the difficulties I overcame and lessons learned along the way which will hopefully help and inspire others to pursue their their dreams - no matter how long it takes!

    Anyways, at the age of 18 I decided to pursue the ambitious task of building my own CNC router. Not knowing exactly where to start, I began by drawing up various designs on Sketchup. I hadn't settled on a specific design at the time however I had a basic idea of what I wanted. I decided that although my design can change, one element of the machine which would not change is the electronics required for it to work. Moving forward I set myself the goal of buying the electronics of the machine first (first mistake). I got a job during the school holidays and managed to purchase and import a decent kit from the US. Now for those of you who don't know, importing pretty much anything into South Africa costs an absolute arm and a leg, however I assured myself that the biggest expense is out the way (oh how wrong I was...).

    Fast forward 5(!) years later. During this time I sort of got sidetracked... I wouldn't say that I had lost interest but a number of factors kept me from continuing. University for starters kept me incredibly busy. Part-time work was out of the question and I also realized that I had *severely* underestimated the money I needed to finish this project. Sourcing parts such as linear bearings, rails, ACME threaded roads, couplings and such was a massive issue as well. I almost begin to drool when I browse sites like McMaster-Carr because I can only dream of having a hardware store like that in my country! It was only when 3D printing starting becoming a trend locally that parts became slightly easier to source. Right, now let's get down to business...

    These are the requirements and expectations that I set for the finished machine:

    - STIFFNESS! I lurked these forums for ages gathering all the knowledge I could and one topic which kept coming up was overall structure stiffness and rigidity. I came so close to settling on an MDF-based design but at the last minute I stumbled across a local supplier that sells those fancy 8020 aluminium extrusions. Obviously aluminium is far more expensive to build with but I decided to bite the bullet and use it as the main structure material mainly for future-proofing if I eventually want to mill soft metals.

    - Moderate working area. To be honest I initially wanted a working area of 1000 mm x 1000 mm. Well, I soon came to my senses and decided something along the lines of 700 mm x 500 mm would be more than enough for me. As for z-axis travel, about 100 mm sounded good.

    - Accuracy. I'm not looking for insane tolerances, 0.1 mm would be great.

    - Longevity. I want this machine to have a long service life.

    - Aesthetic appeal. I know I know... Aesthetics don't exactly affect the performance of the machine, but I wanted the end result to look professional :)

    Following these requirements and expectations, I came up with the final design:


    I have updates already lined up which I will progressively release, I just want to get as much constructive criticism from each update since that is the only way that I will learn how to improve my design if I decide to build another machine in the future.

    Stay tuned!

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    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4195-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4196-jpg  
    Last edited by Agera1993; 05-05-2017 at 01:15 PM.


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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Hallo there!
    Chris Brand on this side, From KZN near Port Shepstone. I have built 2 alluminium cnc machines with homebuilt drivers.
    I bought the springy type connectors between the steppers and the threaded rods.
    The rods don't work very well and the spring links expand and retracts as the motor goes forward and reverse.
    What did you use for connectors between the motors and the rods and what drive shafts did you use?
    Reply by mail to hollybrand@telkomsa.net pse.
    Greetings from this side.
    Chris.



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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Hi Agera
    Good luck with your design.

    Can you share your 8020 supplier please?

    Have you considered a fixed gantry design? From the renders it looks like your gantry will weigh the same as your frame.

    In North Gauteng you can get very cheap granite slabs that you can bolt a frame to for a very rigid machine.

    Gantry travel seems limited towards the front?

    Cheers

    Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk



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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Quote Originally Posted by 2wice View Post
    Hi Agera
    Good luck with your design.

    Can you share your 8020 supplier please?

    Have you considered a fixed gantry design? From the renders it looks like your gantry will weigh the same as your frame.

    In North Gauteng you can get very cheap granite slabs that you can bolt a frame to for a very rigid machine.

    Gantry travel seems limited towards the front?

    Cheers

    Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

    Thanks! I got my 8020's from a place called moduasm and are based in PE. They have a massive selection of products, prices are good and service is superb - highly recommend them.

    I did consider a fixed gantry design however I decided against it because in order to get the same desired work area using a moving x-axis, the x-axis length would have to be effectively doubled.

    Thanks for the tip on the granite, I'll look into it!

    As for limited gantry travel towards the front, it may seem that way however it's actually the other way round - its movement is limited towards the back! The carriage on the y-axis protrudes out enough so that the tool will reach the edge towards the front of the table, however because the gantry is not slanted backwards at an angle I lose quite a bit of work area at the rear. I know this is a drawback of my design but I decided to go with it anyway because fastening 8020 at angles was going to be more effort than just using 90 degree brackets all round. If I could get hold of angled brackets it would have been a different story.

    Anyways I hope to post an update later today, cheers!



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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Right update time! Quick overview of parts:

    - 12mm diameter ACME threaded rod with 3mm pitch.
    - RF isolated breakout board.
    - 3 x unipolar (more on this in a moment) chopper drivers.
    - 6 x Omron roller switches.
    - various PCB milling bits (no idea why I have them in this pic!).
    - 3 x 12mm -> 6.35mm couplings.
    - 3 x 12mm diameter flange mount bearings.
    - 3 x ball nut housings (but why would I need ball nut housings if I'm using ACME rods...).
    - 24VDC 350W power supply.
    - 60mm diameter Delrin/Acetal rod (more on this later ).
    - 5 x 16mm diameter supported rails, each 1000mm long.
    - 14 x linear bearings.
    - NEMA 23 HT23-280-8 stepper motors. - Plenty aluminium extrusions, mostly 6030 but a few 6060 as well.

    Alright so explanation of the unipolar drivers... Remember I said I bought the electronics first?

    ... the goal of buying the electronics of the machine first (first mistake)
    Well... at the time of buying the electronics, the place I imported from did not have the bipolar kit that I originally wanted in stock. So I got the unipolar kit instead which included stronger motors as well, but I was well aware of unipolar drivers being less efficient than bipolar drivers. Here's the irony though... I believe it was actually a good mistake that I made. If I had to buy new electronics today, I would definitely go for bipolar drivers as well as a USB controlled interface - so perhaps Arduino with a CNC Shield or something like that. BUT, I am unfortunately one of those people who get an idea, but procrastinate so bloody much that I never end up putting said idea into motion. So knowing that I had invested so much money into the electronics already, it was a constant motivation and reminder that this is a project that I need to finish. Who knows, if I never bought the electronics 5 years ago, I might not be here writing this today.

    Updates coming soon

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails South African CNC Router Build :)-img_3628-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_3626-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_3623-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_3625-jpg  

    South African CNC Router Build :)-img_3622-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4016-jpg  


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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Would be a good idea to add a brace from the extremity of your X axis truck to the upright. I don't think the gusset will be strong enough. See red lines in the image attached.

    South African CNC Router Build :)-cnc-jpg



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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Quote Originally Posted by Biggs427 View Post
    Would be a good idea to add a brace from the extremity of your X axis truck to the upright. I don't think the gusset will be strong enough. See red lines in the image attached.

    South African CNC Router Build :)-cnc-jpg
    Thanks for the idea Biggs! Funny thing is I actually ordered the special oblique anchor connectors on Friday to do exactly what you suggested Good thing I have a surplus of extrusion lying around!



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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Update time


    I sandwiched 3mm thick aluminium strips between the supported rails and the 6030 extrusion to make sure the rails have a nice flat surface to be mounted against.

    Not much else to say here, but I do have to thank a great friend of mine for helping me out with this project as well as his dad for allowing me to make use of his workshop - thanks Ebs

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4031-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4032-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4033-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4034-jpg  

    South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4035-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4042-jpg  


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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Epic build! can't wait to see it run



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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    The hole alignment on the first MDF piece was quite bad.
    Not to worry though I made sure the parts that followed were as close to perfect as I could get them to be
    The counter-bore bit that I used left an amazing finish in my opinion!
    Quick test fit! The fasteners that I used are M5 hex-bolts but I used a 6mm drill bit for the minor diameter of the counter-bored holes.
    I did this so that I can slightly adjust the bearing blocks to compensate for small inaccuracies on my side.
    Next job was sealing the edges of the MDF. I didn't use any fancy sealer, just plain wood glue which worked great. I also masked off the edges of the MDF so that I could peel off any glue that spilled over from the edges.
    This is to keep the face of the wood clean because any imperfections on the surface show up badly after painting.
    Found another use for the washing lines Painted, bearings mounted and aligned.


    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4081-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4080-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4079-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4092-jpg  

    South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4093-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4094-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4073-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4097-jpg  

    Last edited by Agera1993; 05-11-2017 at 04:57 PM.


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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Now that tests are done for now, time for an update.

    Alright so I decided to try and make my own leadnuts out of Acetal / Delrin, here's how it went...

    I started off by cutting the solid rod into 6 segments. Although I only need 3 leadnuts, I figured I should make as many as I can from the rod that I bought.
    Made sure I had my digital vernier calipers and technical drawing close by at all times! I've only ever used a lathe once before so this was my second time, here goes nothing.
    The cutter given to me was quite dull which was probably why melting began to occur, coolant solved that issue. Even with a dull cutter, this stuff machines really well!
    Finished product and the stages it went through and it fits well inside the ballnut enclosure. The waste material from making just 3 of these leadnuts!
    I then took an off-cut of the leadscrew and made a tap out of it. I used a grinding wheel to taper the front and make a square rear. The cuts were done with a circular saw however this can also be done with a Dremel grinding wheel or even a hacksaw.
    After tapping the thread and test fitting, I decided that the leadnuts were too long causing additional friction so I cut some length off. Now to cut the edges to match the ballnut housing using a bandsaw.
    Sanding the edges to give a nice smooth finish. Next was issue of marking the holes. The best way I found was to glue some paper on the housing and push holes through the paper.
    Mark the hole positions through the paper stencil using a marker... Finally, drill the holes and fasten the leadnut onto the ballnut housing!


    Now this was actually a massive amount of effort just a for a few leadnuts. Would I do it again? It depends... Only time will tell how long these leadnuts will last and I have to test how much backlash these leadnuts have compared to a store-bought leadnut. At the time of purchasing the leadscrews I was not able to source anti-backlash nuts and the standard nuts were stupidly expensive so I just decided to make them myself later on. So in conclusion, although a lot of effort it was a great learning experience

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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Cool!!



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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Been far too long since my last update...

    Gantry arms looking good. Collection of parts ready for assembling.
    Impulsively I started putting everything together in my room, then realized I couldn't get it out the door :/ Found a good spot for the machine outside undercover
    With the majority of the machine assembled, electronics were next on the list. I made 2 of these glorified "fuse blocks", LED's indicate which fuse is blown.


    The Makita router should be arriving tomorrow, will update again within the next day or 2

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4099-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4098-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4112-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4151-jpg  

    South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4152-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4147-jpg  


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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Good job Kevin. I am also originally from South Africa



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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Quote Originally Posted by ericks View Post
    Good job Kevin. I am also originally from South Africa

    Thanks man, yeah I wouldn't mind immigrating :/ Things better on the other side?



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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Another update:

    These are 8 wire steppers so I bought 4-pair mylar screened cable. Soldered and insulated with heatshrink.

    Setting max current per phase, I also bought a digital voltmeter and ammeter because they looked cool I forgot to mention that I added this piece of wood to hopefully reduce racking on the x-axis.
    I used a scrap piece of aluminium to make sure the wood did not come into contact with the frame. 3 mm clearance. By the way, this didn't reduce racking at all :/ I'm leaving it on anyway.

    Another minor detail, I had to shave this bearing flange a bit to make sure it would clear the z-axis. This was a very crude test using a marker stuck on the z-axis but came out well!

    The Makita trimmer router arrived today so I'll get on with making a mounting bracket for it soon. As for the racking issue, I'm going to try a solution with I saw on these forums - will post again soon!

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4175-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4176-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4186-jpg   South African CNC Router Build :)-img_4144-jpg  

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  17. #17
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    Default Re: South African CNC Router Build :)

    Quote Originally Posted by Agera1993 View Post
    Thanks man, yeah I wouldn't mind immigrating :/ Things better on the other side?
    For sure better....been here six years. Its worth all the hassle



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