Steel Gantry Machine 1500x750x200

**toomast** · 17-06-2015

Here are closer pictures. All laser-cut steel is 8mm and ballnut brackets are welded...

**toomast** · 21-06-2015

So guys do you think I'm OK with the design?
Next week I want to order screws, rails and other stuff. Unless...

**njhussey** · 21-06-2015

I'd brace your ballnut mounts, they just look a little flimsy compared to the rest if it. Looking good!!

**Boyan Silyavski** · 21-06-2015

Yes, why would you save money from the ball nut housing? They are so cheap and are preferable , cause with coupled with straight plate, there is no need for reinforcing, but as you have done it doesn't look strong.

**JAZZCNC** · 21-06-2015

Yep just beef up the Ballnut mounts and your set to go.!
One thing I see is that you don't have much room for adjustment or alignment with that threaded bracket setup so give a little thought to how you'll do this for both directions. Ballnut housings tend to be easier to adjust than fastening ballnut direct to plate like that.

Those little white brackets sticking out on the end plates are those for triggering limit switches at each end.? . . . If so have you thought about using a traveling switch and save your self a lot of wiring and messing around with brackets etc. I do all my machines this way and it saves alot of work and easy to setup.

**toomast** · 21-06-2015

Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

Yep just beef up the Ballnut mounts and your set to go.!
One thing I see is that you don't have much room for adjustment or alignment with that threaded bracket setup so give a little thought to how you'll do this for both directions. Ballnut housings tend to be easier to adjust than fastening ballnut direct to plate like that.

Thanks guys! Improvements implemented.

Those little white brackets sticking out on the end plates are those for triggering limit switches at each end.? . . . If so have you thought about using a traveling switch and save your self a lot of wiring and messing around with brackets etc. I do all my machines this way and it saves alot of work and easy to setup.

Yes these are brackets for limit switches. And I have not thought about using only one traveling switch!
Simple and ingenious - for sure I will also implement this!

I will go ahead and order my stuff from BST Automation.

**Boyan Silyavski** · 21-06-2015

Thats better.

I believe Dean meant 2 switches per axis, one wired home other wired like limit. With the benefit of all limits and all homes wired together respectively with the exclusion of the A home switch /second long axis/ which has to be wired separately, so you could perform gantry squaring

**toomast** · 21-06-2015

Originally Posted by silyavski

Thats better.

I believe Dean meant 2 switches per axis, one wired home other wired like limit. With the benefit of all limits and all homes wired together respectively with the exclusion of the A home switch /second long axis/ which has to be wired separately, so you could perform gantry squaring

Are you using similar setup on your 1st build?

I will put 2pcs homing switches on both sides of gantry for squaring. And only single limit switch on long axis and make it traveling?

**Boyan Silyavski** · 21-06-2015

Yep, similar. As i described it above. Though tit did not come to my mind to use only one limit switch at Y,

, anyway, i bought more than i needed.

I would say that the 4 most important things are:
-to drive them at 24VDC
-to mount them so that the head of the sensor is perpendicular to steel plate or whatever and body long wise in the same axis of movement
- shielded wire
- good quality flex wire not very thin, if budget permits same as stepper cable

**eurikain** · 14-07-2015

What an awesome build ! I'd be interested to make the same one along the way ! Not sure if I did this right but I send you a PM ;) I'd be interested to make drawings from your model :)