ASK - CNC Size for Pen Plotter using NEMA 17

[jameswilliamslh]

I am trying to build a CNC pen plotter for my project. Due to the cost limitation, i will use NEMA 17 stepper motor. Is 1800mm x 1100mm working area reasonable with these steppers or should i go for a different size. Whether the speed and precision of this motor is good for this working area size?

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[fretman_2]

I don't believe that the type of motor has much to do with the area you're trying to cover. As long as the torque of the motor will move what ever you're moving at what speed you need to move it, then it doesn't matter if you use NEMA 17 or NEMA 23. If you don't really know about the torque you'll need, then I'd look at the motors they're using for the Shapeoko 3 or similar and go from there. Those motors are probably more than you'll need for pen plotting I would think.

I am trying to build a CNC pen plotter for my project. Due to the cost limitation, i will use NEMA 17 stepper motor. Is 1800mm x 1100mm working area reasonable with these steppers or should i go for a different size. Whether the speed and precision of this motor is good for this working area size?

[109jb]

A pen plotter should have very little load but you probably want high speed. Since steppers are only good for about up to 1000 RPM, you would probably want something like a belt drive. You also have to consider the weight of whatever is being moved, and accel/decel considerations when changing directions rapidly like a plotter would do. You want the lowest inertia you can both in the motor and what is moving. Plotters can have various design, such a a moving gantry type plotter which would be similar to the common router platform but lighter in weight, a rotating spool that moves the paper, or others. It really isn't possible to say yes or no on a motor without knowing this stuff. However, having said that, if you keep the weight of the moving components down to plotter reasonable levels the right NEMA 17 will probably be fine. Most 3d printers use NEM17 with belt drives and operate at some pretty high speeds. A 3d printer is what I would consider a similar "weight" to how a plotter should be and a 3d printer has to drag around the extruder, which would be a bit heavier than a pen arrangement.

[wizard]

They will work if you keep the mass down. You might need two to drive the gantry.