Steel Gantry Machine 1500x750x200

[toomast]

Hello. Im back!
So mechanical assembly is finished and electrical has been started.
What cable type would you guys advise for:
1. VFD
2. Steppers
3. Inductive sensors

[Boyan Silyavski]

Welcome back then

Post #9

[Tom J]

This story is about Steel Gantry Machine with work-area 1500x750x200 for aluminium and wood.
First I was going for a fixed gantry machine but bigger work-area changed my mind. As long as I have to purchase expensive components the price difference for longer components is not so dramatic - but it gives nice advantage.



Main frame welded steel 80x80x4mm.
Steel gantry consist of 2 pcs 100x100x3mm tubes welded together and some 8mm steel plates.
Z assembly is mostly 25mm aluminium with 2,2kw watercooled spindle.
Ballscrews X,Y=1610; Z=1605.
HIWIN 20mm rails all axes. Epoxy leveled.
Please feel free to comment my design. In case of positive feedback then next step would be to order rails and ballscrews. Measure them and then finalize design and start the build.

I have couple of questions for more experienced guys:

1. Can I use L (0,375" = 9,525mm) pitch pulleys with a 12,7mm wide belt from steppermotor to ballscrew? I can get those pulley for free. Together with 240L belt. But this belt is too long and pulley centre hole is 10mm, whish I cant use on Nema 23 anyway. So I have to buy half the pulleys and belts. May as well buy proper with belts and pulleys all around?
2. What ballscrew machining are you using when belt pulley will be attached?
3. Hole gantry with Z and everything will be close to 80 kg. Can I put my money on 2x Nema 23 3,1Nm together with a decent 70Vdc PSU?
4. What HIWIN blocks do most of you prefer: HGH or HGW? Sure it depends from design but I think I will go with HGH20CA from BST Automation.

Tanks for reading!

Why gantry 100x100 is only 3mm thick? I would make at least 5mm - 1.2m long

[Boyan Silyavski]

Why gantry 100x100 is only 3mm thick? I would make at least 5mm - 1.2m long

Its ok. Its only 1 meter long. In the middle where 2 beams meet is 2x3mm so quite strong there, like an internal brace

[toomast]

Why gantry 100x100 is only 3mm thick? I would make at least 5mm - 1.2m long

Do it.

[toomast]

My router made its first moves on 1st 2017.
There are some issues that need solving:
1. The guy who bored my pulleys obviously did not know what he was doing - terrible runout on some of them.
2. VFD is causing my PC video card some troubles. While spindle is on my screen goes black for 1-2 seconds with an interval of 10 seconds. All cable shields are grounded and no other anomaly occur.
3. Spindle watercooling
4. Final bed design with side-covers
5. Dust extraction
6. Probe
7. 4th axis
...

I put on some temporary bed and made some chips :D

It is the coolest project ever! Thanks guys!

[njhussey]

Well done, looks great!! Always good to follow a build through to completion...though I do believe a video is needed of it cutting 😁

Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L31 using Tapatalk

[Clive S]

Yes + one on the vid and a good pic of the control box. Well done. Now the leaning really starts

[Boyan Silyavski]

Great machine! Happy chipping

PS. and change that pulleys. If you dont know who and how, order them bored from Belting online. Their pulleys are perfect and so is the job done. Only once i did no buy from them and i had problems with pulley straightness.

[toomast]

Hi guys! Just needed to share, couse felt a little success moment today.
Not anything too special but...
It has been a deeeeeep learning curve last 3 months. Made some chips and broke some bits
Have tried different materials: wood, ply, pom,acrylic,alu. Its been great - lot of learning
So today I did aluminium. 2d adaptive, 6mm doc, 14300rpm, 785mm/min, 2flute carbide endmill, z fully extended, wd40. Best sound so far for alu! Honestly...it was quiet! I constantly thought that something is wrong and will screw up.
Finishing pass + chamfer. Though chamfer was a little bit disapoitment in radius section.
Did not wanted to make a video. Since few years back I promised myself that I will never going to manually apply wd40 and compressair, or hold a vaccuum hose next to spindle .