Single rail + ballscrew, can it be done?

[Desertboy]

I want to move a camera, a really small frame camera from Alixpress these are phone camera's adapted to work via USB

Could I use a 1204 ballscrew and a single Hiwin style rail to do this?

Has anyone made a single rail CNC before?

I get for almost all applications they would be useless, except this one

I just want a CNC motor controlled camera slide on the cheap that I will program myself in Python

Technically it's a 2 axis machine I'm building as I have another Nema on rotation everything is positional tracking

I would have gone closed loop but that's beyond my python skills, home switches will have to do.

[Robin Hewitt]

Hi-Win style carriage blocks come in different stiffnesses. Gary at Zapp used to do a range but I don't know where you would go now he's shut down. Have you tried running your camera on a cheapy? Are you sure this is a problem?

[Muzzer]

Several 3D printers do this, such as the Cetus Mk1 and the Bambu A1 https://uk.store.bambulab.com/products/a1-mini. I have a Cetus myself and the performance (accuracy) is pretty good.

This method is probably ok for a camera or 3D printer but I doubt you'll see it on any machine tool. If you go for a Hiwin or similar quality linear rail, I suspect your approach would be fine.

[m_c]

Main thing is the carriage pre-load. Your probably want medium or high pre-load to eliminate any wobble. Low pre-load (or just cheap rails in general) will likely develop play quite quickly.

[Desertboy]

Main thing is the carriage pre-load. Your probably want medium or high pre-load to eliminate any wobble. Low pre-load (or just cheap rails in general) will likely develop play quite quickly.

The screw will be vertical otherwise I would belt drive it, I think that would be easier to make work in a tight package, ballscrew + rail(s) takes quite a bit of space obviously

I'd use cheap Chinese clone rails, it's just a camera it will never see any real torque in it's life

[Desertboy]

I'm over thinking this

32095

Really I just want 2 linear round rails, 2 bearings and a decent lead screw for the middle plus home switch

It's mounted vertically so backlash is a non issue

proper square rails are total overkill AND eat too much space

[Desertboy]

Hi-Win style carriage blocks come in different stiffnesses. Gary at Zapp used to do a range but I don't know where you would go now he's shut down. Have you tried running your camera on a cheapy? Are you sure this is a problem?

Sad Gary shut down, was a nice guy

but Alixpress priced him out the market

[Desertboy]

OK
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006394416452.html

Could I buy the kit and a longer belt, then 2040 profile 800mm and make a longer one

I want about 70cm of camera travel if I can

not sure if that's Nema 14 or 17 but it doesn't matter both will have enough torque and can be driven by an A4988

[m.marino]

OK
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006394416452.html

Could I buy the kit and a longer belt, then 2040 profile 800mm and make a longer one

I want about 70cm of camera travel if I can

not sure if that's Nema 14 or 17 but it doesn't matter both will have enough torque and can be driven by an A4988

Do you have access to a 3D printer? As what you stating is basically buying it for the motor, controller and mounting sections. A motor controller you can get that will work with either an Arduino or Raspberry pi. Motors are cheap these days and the mounting brackets can easily be designed in a simple CAD program. You might be able to find this on printables.com, Cults3D, or such. While you will have to do the building and assembly yourself, you will know very well all the parts and what could go wrong.

Just an option, not meaning any judgement. Best of Luck.

[magicniner]

I want to move a camera, a really small frame camera from Alixpress these are phone camera's adapted to work via USB

Could I use a 1204 ballscrew and a single Hiwin style rail to do this?

Has anyone made a single rail CNC before?

I get for almost all applications they would be useless, except this one

I just want a CNC motor controlled camera slide on the cheap that I will program myself in Python

Technically it's a 2 axis machine I'm building as I have another Nema on rotation everything is positional tracking

I would have gone closed loop but that's beyond my python skills, home switches will have to do.

Use a single supported round rail with two bearing units joined with a plate to form a carriage, a ball race on one side of the carriage unit can run on the support extrusion, a sprung ball race on the other side eliminates slack without jamming, the support extrusion is structural on its own and can be used as the base to mount the rest of your hardware.