Gecko testbed

[Mariss Freimanis]

All Geckodrives are tested on test-stand servomotor dynamometers working into electronic loads. It insures every drive meets specification.

It would be a good thing to run our drives on a real-world machine as well; we build the drives but never use them ourselves. This year we are looking to get a real-world machine to use our drives on as a test-bed. A real-world machine is:

1) A router or a mill.
2) It has to be something a lot of people use.
3) It must be something that doesn't cause aggravation from maintenance or poor design.
4) Be good if it can be fitted with NEMA-23 or NEMA-34 motors.
5) "CNC ready" only. We have motors and we certainly have drives.
6) $10K limit, give or take.
7) New only.

Our list right now is:

Shopbot
Tormach
Sherline
Joe's anything
Seig

Those are the ones I see most about. Any help in focusing on one particular one would help out a lot.

Mariss

[Crevice Reamer]

I think the Novakon NM-135 is a decent sized reliable CNC ready mill with stand and cables, but no drivers, for $3600. This machine would be representative of many popular mills.

They also offer Gecko drivers, so maybe you could work out a complimentary deal with them for the free publicity they will get.

http://www.novakon.net/3.html

CR.

[ihavenofish]

Originally Posted by Crevice Reamer I think the Novakon NM-135 is a decent sized reliable CNC ready mill with stand and cables, but no drivers, for $3600. This machine would be representative of many popular mills. They also offer Gecko drivers, so maybe you could work out a complimentary deal with them for the free publicity they will get. http://www.novakon.net/3.html CR.

yup, that would cover anything in they syil x3/x4 / sieg kx3 / sieg sx3 retrofit area (its a how mau made machine). plus they have really agressive sales and tech support.

its a nema 34 machine though with 600/800 oz-in motors. i dont know if theres many nema 23's that would push the weight around even if you made adapters.

[jalessi]

Why not use a Joe's Router, a X2, a CNC ready Taig and a Sherline.

They have the greatest number of views on the CNC Zone and most likely the largest customer base.

The combined cost for all of them would be less than $5,000.00

You could toss in a X3 and a Bridgeport clone and still would not break $10,000.00


Jeff...

[Crevice Reamer]

But only the Taig and Sherline come CNC ready. I don't think Mariss is wanting to build a router from scratch or do manual mill to CNC conversions.

The Novakon COULD be easily (Just an adaptor plate) made to run a N23 on the X axis. It's the same table as X3/SX3, and there are PLENTY of those (Mine included) that run with N23s.

CR.

[ihavenofish]

Originally Posted by Crevice Reamer But only the Taig comes CNC ready. I don't think Mariss is wanting to do manual to CNC conversions. The Novakon COULD be easily (Just an adaptor plate) made to run a N23 on the X axis. It's the same table as X3/SX3, and there are PLENTY of those (Mine included) that run with N23s. CR.

you could certainly mount them on all axes with little effort. it would mostly be the Z id be worried about with a 23 on a drive with limited output.

one would assume hes looking for versatility where he can have one machine to rig up everything from little g540's to the new g380 servo drives.

[jalessi]

No doubt CNC ready would be easy for Mariss and the Gecko crew however it is not the bulk of the user base here on the CNC Zone.

Jeff...

[Crevice Reamer]

No, not N23 on the Z. That's a nice, well thought out machine. I especially like the 6K spindle and 3/4 inch ball screws and fairly local support. It should be more reliable and competent than anything else in its price range.

If it had been available about a year ago, I would have gone with it.

CR.

[Crevice Reamer]

Originally Posted by jalessi No doubt CNC ready would be easy for Mariss and the Gecko crew however it is not the bulk of the user base here on the CNC Zone. Jeff...

Throw in the CNC ready Taig and Sherline and surely there is a CNC ready router. Then it would be representive of the Bulk.

CR.

[jalessi]

Crevice Reamer,

Yes you are 100 percent correct.

There are a lot of the Probotix, Widgetmaster and K2CNC routers here on the Zone also.

Dont want to single out any one type of machine.

Jeff...

[ihavenofish]

Originally Posted by jalessi Crevice Reamer, Yes you are 100 percent correct. There are a lot of the Probotix, Widgetmaster and K2CNC routers here on the Zone also. Dont want to single out any one type of machine. Jeff...

he made no mention of representing cnczone frequenters, and i imagine the vast majority of gecko's clients have never seen this forum.

just sayin.

[jalessi]

Ihavenofish,


Correct me if I am mistaken, Gecko is asking for suggestions here on the CNC Zone?

Maybe they should be asking there vast majority of gecko clients instead.

Just saying....

Jeff...