New Machine Build- My new 4 axes wood processing CNC router...

[florins]

I finally found some time to start the construction of a new 4 axes CNC router.

The characteristics are as follows:

• Dimensions (active): XxYxZ 84x43x12 inches, (2100 x 1100 x 300 mm)
• Rolled C7 Ballscrews on all axes: Ø25x10mm (x2) on X; Ø25x5mm on Y; Ø16x5mm on Z.
• Linear supporter round rails Ø25 on X and Y, round rails Ø30 on Z, all with linear bearings.
• Aluminium profile structure, 90x90 mm, heavy. Support assembly made of steel rectangular profile steel 80x80x4, on castors and support bolts.
• Stepper motor driven, NEMA 34, 12Nm.
• Suhner 1050W spindle with ATC.
• The A axis will be a H/V 6 inches dividing table.
• Computer: Atom 330 (dual core), 80GB HDD, 2GB RAM.

I bought most materials from Zapp Automation (slides, ballscrews, supports for ballscrew, stepper drives and motors - thanks Gary and Therese), KJN Aluminium (aluminium profiles and connection elements - thanks Tina), Damen CNC ("A" axis - thanks Kevin and René) and Sorotec - Germany (spindle and ATC).

Please see the attached images... First test video (just Y and Z axes) at http://www.cnczone.com/forums/video....ls&videoid=198

Unfortunatelly, I will have to wait another month before finalizing the construction.

Any suggestions or questions are welcome!

Many thanks,
Florin

[Benonymous]

That's a very neat design with excellent attention to detail.

[crane550]

i really like your monitor stand attached to the bed- very nice. been looking for something similar for my machine

[florins]

Originally Posted by Benonymous That's a very neat design with excellent attention to detail.

Thanks a lot Benonymous, I hope it will work as desired. For now it seems a bit on the heavy side, but this is OK as I will try to process other materials than wood (probably Corian and even marble). I wish to avoid vibrations and it seems that the design is OK for that, especially because there is no height added to axis Y.

The design is extremely sturdy, it is not visible that there are centring pins added to all the important connections, so the bolt fixings are held in place. More, the important connections (the "H" structure on Y axis, and "Y" axis carousel) are enforced through with threaded bars. The "Y" carousel horizontal profiles are going into recesses into the vertical plates, so there is no possible movement there, too. The "Y" structure is so rigid that, if I am rotating 90 degrees from one of the "X" screws, the other "X" screw rotate at least 45 degrees as well (while the motors are not connected). This leaves a bit of elasticity, but I will use the auto-squaring facility of Mach3 (thanks a lot ArtSoft for the fantastic product).

Another thing that I did not mention is the fact that the design is able to load a full MDF sheet from the side. Less than half will be loaded at a time, but I don't need to cut it before loading and processing, it can simply hang outside the work area supported by an external stand (not made yet).

I can see some corrections I would make if re-designed, one being the replacement of supported bars on Y and unsupported bars on Z with Hiwin linear guides, but that's an option I can live now with (and it was a necessary price based sacrifice). Second correction would be the extension of X axis and Y supports in order to be sure that the spindle is exactly in the middle of the "X" carousel width - this is another option that I will be able to live with now, as the structure is enough rigid to accept the off-centering of Z axis. The last thing that I might change is replacement of timing belts with in-line couplers, I'll see if that's needed when finished and this is an option that I can adopt later, as there are provisions made in the design for it (but it was simpler for now to go the timing belt route). I will have to add some counter-balancing to the Z axis, as the axis is a bit heavy (16+ pounds without the spindle).

I am very eager to finalize, unfortunately I can not allocate any time for the next 4 weeks. I will post details as soon as available.

Many thanks,

Florin

[florins]

Originally Posted by crane550 i really like your monitor stand attached to the bed- very nice. been looking for something similar for my machine

Search for "Monitor Arm & Keyboard Tray Telescopic UK STOCK" on eBay. It's sturdy and affordable (compared to what's usually on the market).

Good luck,

Florin

[florins]

Hi,

I succeeded to advance a bit on the router build.

There were some problems with the SmoothStepper interface, it seems that the "EMF sponge" name I found on the internet is very appropriate. I had fo install ferrite rings on all the stepper drivers' power supply cables before making it stable.

Finally, the router is working fine on all 4 axes, and the homing and squaring procedure is working fantastic on the X + C (slave) axis.

I still have to finish the ATC magazine with tool height sensor, the dust extraction system and the 4th axis callibration.

Right now the ATC (Usovo/Sorotec) is working great, but there is nothing done yet on the callibration of the magazine and the tool height sensor.

The ATC magazine is still on the design table . The 4th axis is working great, but I didn't fix it and there are tests to be done. The dust extraction is designed, but not done yet.

Unfortunatelly, I can work again to this project next month only .

You can se below a short video with a wood carving test, in beech. The model is one of the free models from http://www.vectorart3d.com/store/?fuseaction=freemodels



All the best,
Florin

[crane550]

Looks good! What speeds are you running, and do you get much chipping?

[florins]

Originally Posted by crane550 Looks good! What speeds are you running, and do you get much chipping?

Thanks crane550!

Roughing was at 1500 mm/min, 1/4 bottom planner wood bit, finishing was at 800 mm/min, ballnose carbide bit, both with around 15000 rpm, 3 mm depth per pass. No visible chipping, but that was on beech wood. I tried up to 15 mm per pass depth, in pine wood, bottom planner, works like a charm - little chipping, not very visible.

All th best,
Florin

[crane550]

Ah you dang metric guys.

Thanks to my handy conversion chart....so about 60IPM, 1/8 passes, and up to 9/16in passes. Very nice! You have probably said before, but how big are your steppers and whats your screw?

[florins]

Originally Posted by crane550 Ah you dang metric guys. Thanks to my handy conversion chart....so about 60IPM, 1/8 passes, and up to 9/16in passes. Very nice! You have probably said before, but how big are your steppers and whats your screw?

You are right about the metric system, but that's life, we live an ocean apart .

NEMA 34 motors, 12 N*m (1700 oz*in) motors, ballscrews C7, 2 x Ø25mm x 10 mm on X, Ø25 x 5 mm on Y, Ø16 x 5 mm on Z.

Hope this helps .

Florin

[crane550]

Originally Posted by florins You are right about the metric system, but that's life, we live an ocean apart . NEMA 34 motors, 12 N*m (1700 oz*in) motors, ballscrews C7, 2 x Ø25mm x 10 mm on X, Ø25 x 5 mm on Y, Ø16 x 5 mm on Z. Hope this helps . Florin

1700oz motors? Holy smokes! Mine are 305, dang. Maybe on my next table....haha.

Alex

[florins]

Originally Posted by crane550 1700oz motors? Holy smokes! Mine are 305, dang. Maybe on my next table....haha. Alex

Stepper motor: http://www.slidesandballscrews.com/p...H156-6204B.pdf ... it's big and strong

Stepper driver: http://www.slidesandballscrews.com/p...nual090402.pdf

I will post shortly another video that's showing the motors as well.

All the best,
Florin