Z Drive build/modification


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Thread: Z Drive build/modification

  1. #1
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    Default Z Drive build/modification

    OK DIYers. I have a zdrive off an old gerber sabre that is very heavy duty and actually a very well built z drive. I am currently building my own CNC from scratch and without plans, along with a number of parts and pieces i've picked up along the way. The two pictures show the zdrive and the couple of options i have to attach/drive the zdrive to the gantry and run the ydrive. To attach the zdrive to the gantry i have two Origa Linear guides that are 5 1/4 x 3 7/8 along with the mating Linear rails. For the left/right motion on the gantry i have either the threaded rod or the gear rack that includes a nema motor with an Onvio gear reducer. Onto my question - with this list of items and what you see in the picture what is the best way to attach and drive the zdrive along the gantry? I havent included measurements which im sure would help in your decision but im hoping that with the pictures you'll be able to get a good feel for what im talking about.

    Similar Threads:
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Z Drive build/modification-18582568_10155294054199378_4544347729714342543_n-jpg   Z Drive build/modification-20170522_183726-jpg   Z Drive build/modification-20170522_183751-jpg  


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    Default Re: Z Drive build/modification

    I'm assuming that you will be driving the x axis with the same gear rack? With the same motor and gears and gear reducers? Might as well keep it simple. Use the same drive on the y axis. That looks like a fairly long machine, so I assume that you are using gear rack on the x?

    So this is a suggestion:

    Z Drive build/modification-design-suggestion-jpg

    IF you have space for the gear rack on the face. Otherwise you'd have to put it on top.

    That looks like a mighty large circumference of threaded rod with a very fine pitch. Without knowing the details and specifics of the whole design including gear ratios, motor graphs, threaded rod pitch, efficiency of threaded rod, etc, etc, I can't give you too much advice, but I do suspect that if you are using gear rack on the long axis, you definitely want to use it on the y. Otherwise you could end up with a speed mismatch of the two axis, and you'd have to go with the slower speed for the overall speed. Also, I think it will be easier to make circles round, etc, when you are cutting if you use the same things that will have the same amount of error on x and y.



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    Default Re: Z Drive build/modification

    Quote Originally Posted by NIC 77 View Post
    I'm assuming that you will be driving the x axis with the same gear rack? With the same motor and gears and gear reducers? Might as well keep it simple. Use the same drive on the y axis. That looks like a fairly long machine, so I assume that you are using gear rack on the x?

    So this is a suggestion:

    Z Drive build/modification-design-suggestion-jpg

    IF you have space for the gear rack on the face. Otherwise you'd have to put it on top.

    That looks like a mighty large circumference of threaded rod with a very fine pitch. Without knowing the details and specifics of the whole design including gear ratios, motor graphs, threaded rod pitch, efficiency of threaded rod, etc, etc, I can't give you too much advice, but I do suspect that if you are using gear rack on the long axis, you definitely want to use it on the y. Otherwise you could end up with a speed mismatch of the two axis, and you'd have to go with the slower speed for the overall speed. Also, I think it will be easier to make circles round, etc, when you are cutting if you use the same things that will have the same amount of error on x and y.
    Seems like pretty good advice, hopefully the same rack and pinion can be sourced for the other axis...

    That leadscrew looks to me to be multi-start, so it should be capable of decent speed, but of course no that of R&P...



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Z Drive build/modification

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