double sided fsw and isf

[komatias]

Hello MyCNCUK,

Me and a group of guys are trying to make a multi axis double sided cnc machine that is capable of double sided friction stir welding and incremental sheet forming.
It is more of a proof of concept rather than it has to work fully as we understand that this is highly unlikely considering our current experience. Some of the requirements include high radial and axial forces.
We would like to get some information regarding:

Whether a raspberry pi with I/C expanders would be enough to control the synchronization of the two tools?
How would we go about the programming when two tools need to be synchronized?
Any ideas on possible structures, we have considered using steel frames and strong dovetails.
How we can tailor the machine design to deal with the huge axial and radial forces it would have to withstand?


Any kind of reply is much appreciated, even if you don't know the answer, anyone with any kind of cnc machine design experience, your help, experience and expertise would be much appreciated.

Freddi,

Firstly save yourself the trouble of messing with Pi's and use a controller capable of slaving axes. Mach3 can slave axes but you could even just write the GCode in a way that makes use of A B and C axes.

Now what material are you planning on stirring? On a budget, I would forget metals. You would need specially formed cubic boron nitride stirrers and targets and then a good number of horsepowers in the spindles. After all you are frictionaly heating the material and then rotating the stirrer inside it.

Plastics are a real possibility though and can be done as a proof of concept without much effort.

Contact me offline if you would like a more in depth chat. I have some experience in working with this process