Project Beaver

[OMLCNC]

Let me just point something out that is easy trap to fall into and one that Joe has made which I hadn't spotted until now.? (Sorry Joe just seen your Video using drill, well done on first movement.)

You need to leave access to the bearing bolts so the gantry can easily be squared to the linear rails. How joe has it now means to square up he'll be putting twisting action on the bearings because can't get to the bearings because of profile.

Better way to do this is to split the job and have separate bearing plate which holds the Ball screw mounts etc and then have another plate which is part of Main gantry which then just sits on and bolts to the bearing plates. This can then be drilled & reamed and pinned when everything is square.

Much easier to setup and take apart if needed. The gantry becomes separate entity which can easily be removed and put back without too much hassle.

I'll repeat my self because can't be stressed enough ADJUSTMENT, ADJUSTMENT, ADJUSTMENT then some more ADJUSTMENT is key at DIY level to keeping the stress levels low. . .

So is this what you propose, (Two plates marked in green) to be drilled with oversize holes and the bearing plate to be tapped to accept bolts, when finished adjusting, drill, ream and pin together?

Other green items added are the table adjustment brackets.

[JAZZCNC]

So is this what you propose, (Two plates marked in green) to be drilled with oversize holes and the bearing plate to be tapped to accept bolts, when finished adjusting, drill, ream and pin together?

Other green items added are the table adjustment brackets.

Yes make the plate just little longer than needed so can get some bolts on back side. This is Cad of machine just built using the same setup not got any pics of real thing but can take some tomorrow if you want to see it.
This is R&P machine and the Gantry needs to able to be removed for access to building but wanted to leave the Motors etc in place so minimal setup when replacing.



Edit: Found this on my phone if zoom in can see the plates.

[OMLCNC]

Some progress to report. I have ordered the Rails and carriages, ball screws and bearings for the XYZ Axis from BST Automation. They say 7 Days to deliver - that's a bit frightening!

I have ordered the steel for the frame, all cut to size. (I have trouble getting 7.5 meter lengths down my lane, it has a sharp bend on it and hostile neighbours).

I think I'm ready to order some 20mm aluminium tooling plate which I think I will have cut to size. (extra £20) I have large bandsaw and TCT saw and cut off saw but I think first time I'll get them to do it. (They say +/- 0.2mm accuracy).

The next thing I'm onto and have read lots but would like advice on is the Stepper motors, drivers, motion controller and all the electrical parts I require for my build.

I will start with my guesses and advice so far on what is required.

X Axis - Nema34 8.7Nm High torque Stepper Motor 1.8 Deg. (Driving 2 x RM2020 Ball screws by 2:1 pulley)
Y Axis - Nema23 4Nm Stepper Motor (Driving RM1605 Ballscrew by 2:1 pulley)
Z Axis - Nema23 4Nm Stepper Motor (Driving RM1605 Ballscrew by 1:1 pulley)

3 x Stepper Drives (Leadshine 2-phase High-precision stepper drive AM882 fit NEMA 23-34 mode motor work 36-80VDC out 1.0A-8.2A)

1 x Motion Controler (CSMIO/IP-M 4-axis Ethernet Motion Controller (STEP/DIR) )http://www.zappautomation.co.uk/elec...-step-dir.html

From this diagram I reckon I need some other things:

1 x 24V DC Power Supply?
1 x 80V DC Power Supply?
1 (or more) x Estops?
6? x Limit switches/Sensors http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LJ12A3-4-Z...c=1&rmvSB=true
Some fuses?
Some relays?
2 x Fans?
1 x Enclosure to put it all in?

You can see I'm getting out of my depth on the old Electrical front (Black Magic)
So over to you chaps. Thanks

[Clive S]

1 x 24V DC Power Supply?
1 x 80V DC Power Supply?
1 (or more) x Estops?
6? x Limit switches/Sensors http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LJ12A3-4-Z...c=1&rmvSB=true

You will be fine with the 24VDC Din rail. PS.
But not for the 80V one, that would be best with a toroidal type that is putting out about 68V DC

Re the sensors you can use the switches as travelling ie they move with the gantry etc and have fixed taargets at each end that way you will only need three. Also check if you need NPN or PNP type for the controller you are using.

[Neale]

With the CSMIO-IP/M, I suggest NPN N/C proximity sensors. I'm in the middle of setting up these on my own machine, and they seem to work well. I've actually chosen to use two sensors per axis as it fits my design more easily, and these sensors work OK if you need to connect two on the same axis to the same IP/M input (although the IP/M does have plenty of inputs). Putting X, Y, and Z limit/home switches as one axis per input gives you the minor benefit of being able to home more than one axis simultaneously, although typically you would home Z first to raise it out of the way, and then home X and Y together.

[OMLCNC]

You will be fine with the 24VDC Din rail. PS.
But not for the 80V one, that would be best with a toroidal type that is putting out about 68V DC

Re the sensors you can use the switches as travelling ie they move with the gantry etc and have fixed taargets at each end that way you will only need three. Also check if you need NPN or PNP type for the controller you are using.

Thank you Clive, your post I understand, after that Neal's post #35 Whoosh straight over my head - "CSMIO-IP/M, I suggest NPN N/C proximity sensors" for example NPN = Polarity, N/C = Normally Closed, CSMIO - IP/M = ??? Some bits I understand of Neal's post in practical terms. Yep i do get it, its the motion controller, me being thick!

I only say this, not as a criticism of Neal but to demonstrate my level of understanding when it comes to electrics/CNC, (The last time I did CNC lathe work we used paper with holes in it, and you gave programmes on card to a nice lady to run on the main frame, before PC’s were around)

Then #36 Mike's post "Pro-Tram units to tram the spindle" not a clue, well can guess
#37 Dean's post mostly understand, #38,#39,#40 I get the general idea, but too early on my learning curve.

SO I think what I should do is go away and do a wiring diagram and come back with more questions (I'm going to need one anyway to wire it all up). Then find out were to get all the components from.
I will start by looking at Joe Harris wiring diagram (Thank you Joe) as my machine is copied from his.

One other point I am thinking about is that I already use 3phase in the workshop by one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRANSWAVE-...0AAOSwEzxYR~K4 is it any use for my spindle or am I just being penny pinching on the inverter?

[Clive S]

Ok don't get yourself in a flap its a bit like having to lean a foreign language you pick a few words up but they don't make sense.

Tramming is just adjusting the spindle so that is perpendicular to the bed ie. if it was lopsided and you was making a cut the tool would be leaning over to one side and that would make it cut on one edge more than the other.

You don't need to buy a fancy tool to do that you can do the same job with a DTI (dial indicator) which you will need anyway.
Re the Transwave it is of no practicable use for the spindle you will need a VFD and with that you can vary the spindle speed.

You will need a decent size box about 600 x 600 x 200 ish to fit every thing in. Personally I don't like putting the VFD in the control box .

Hope all this helps but it is better to ask questions rather than buy a load of junk like kits of parts.

[OMLCNC]

Ok don't get yourself in a flap its a bit like having to lean a foreign language you pick a few words up but they don't make sense.

Tramming is just adjusting the spindle so that is perpendicular to the bed ie. if it was lopsided and you was making a cut the tool would be leaning over to one side and that would make it cut on one edge more than the other.

You don't need to buy a fancy tool to do that you can do the same job with a DTI (dial indicator) which you will need anyway.
Re the Transwave it is of no practicable use for the spindle you will need a VFD and with that you can vary the spindle speed.

You will need a decent size box about 600 x 600 x 200 ish to fit every thing in. Personally I don't like putting the VFD in the control box .

Hope all this helps but it is better to ask questions rather than buy a load of junk like kits of parts.

Yep that helps Clive, I have DTI, can you use an old PC case for box? I think I have seen that done?

[Neale]

Sorry - didn't mean to confuse but you said CSMIO first!

Yes, good choice of motion controller. Ignore the few posts talking about Mach3/CSMIO issues as you won't need to deal with these yet and we're not talking about show-stopper problems. NPN, N/C - yes, correct translation. The most important bit is N/C. If all the limit switches are wired with normally-closed switch contacts, then as soon as a switch opens, the machine stops. You might say that normally-open would do the same thing. The big safety-related difference is that if a wire comes loose, a soldered joint fails, you've forgotten to plug in the limit switches - with N/C connections then this looks like a limit switch has tripped and the machine stops/won't start. Bad connection with N/O switches and the first you know of it is when the gantry hits its end-stops and tries to keep going!

I agree that a box of the size that Clive suggests is about right. I used a 600x400x200 and although I could just fit everything in (by bolting lightweight power supplies to the inside of the door, for example) actually wiring the thing gets to be like keyhole surgery. A bit more space would help. I used an old PC case for my first machine, but that used a cheap, small, breakout board (the CSMIO needs rather more space) and I was using just 3 older analogue drivers which are a lot smaller than the newer digital drivers that I am using for Mk2. I was also able to use the PC power supply for 5V and 12V supplies but you are going to need 24V for the CSMIO.

Good luck - looks like you are going down the right path.