You are absolutely right in what you are saying Boyan, and at the beginning stages of the design I have thought a lot about raising the sides as it results in a stronger and lighter gantry in fact I have started with the design of the machine you made for your friend.*But protecting the linear motion components was not one of the positive side of that method.I have worked on similar machines earlier and learned a couple of lessons. One ice block can produce as much as 3 wheel barrels of snow which means I have to do some cleaning while the machine is running also one ice block weighs 150 kg so having clear access from all sides is a must. I work mostly by myself and just* to align the block to a line requires quite a bit of hand torque :)* The big block of ice slides smooth and easy after I move it but I also have to stop it and that also requires some force. With raised sides I could also have my hands trapped between the block and sides.*This cac machine is part of larger project I am working on. The ice block gets on to the cnc bed after being plained on a band saw. The carriage that holds the ice block under the band saw is the same hight as the cnc bad and can be rolled in front of the cnc machine so I can slide the block across easier.*I have designed protection for the screws out of acrylic sheet and I hope I will cut it with the machine before going into the*freezer also I have visited zappa automation and seen a couple of samples of the custom made protectors they make and I found those up to the task.*As far as the design goes I think I am going to draw the line and consider it done also the steel frame has already been welded together. The* next step is to to put on the leveling feet do the channels and pour the epoxy for the X. And while waiting for that to dry I order the laser cut pieces and figure out the gearing.*
Dean has done some calculations for me regarding the gearing and he thinks I would be well off with 400 w servos and I am sure his right but when I have all the final details will ask again.