Gantry Aluminium thickness guidance

[JAZZCNC]

End plates for a gantry? So what happens when you accelerate the head hard along the gantry or the tool plunges in to the side of something resilient? That is the moment you realise that a plate simply does not cut the mustard and you really needed to think in triangles.

Another really helpful comprehensive post robin from your Vast experience.!! . . . . Why don't you just shut up if can't give relevent and helpful comments.

You didn't even think to ask about Style of router and what his uses for it where.! . . . The design he's using will work fine for his needs and his question for plate thickness is perfectly valid with this design.! . . . He didn't need sarcastic pointless reply about triangles when all he asked was for plate thickness for Gantry sides.

60 views and no advice, someone must have an idea

It's long way to OZ there's time delay.!!!

I build similair design and depending on the Gantry side heights either 15 or 20mm will work. The Red machine uses 15mm sides but as lower sides. White one uses 20mm.
Like wise the Red machines uses Z axis with Rails on the front plates like has been suggested. However the White one is the other way around.?

Reason for this is down to usage. The red machine was designed just to cut thinner material upto 75mm. It will happily cut upto aluminium.
The white machine had requirement to cut deep material with long tools in Clay model board which isn't very hard material. This required the spindle lifting higher to allow for long tool hence rails on back plate.
Both machines will happily cut aluminium with light cuts, infact the very first Job the customer cut was 4 x aluminium plates for where the machine fastens to the base frame which you can just see on one of pics where machine meets frame.(I only supplied the machine)

Me personaly I would use 20mm every where, even Z axis. Also with Z axis if don't need long tools or deep cuts then would always go with rails on front plate.

Regards the frame and gantry then I'd consider a few bracing plates like been suggested. . . . Hey maybe even cut them in triangle shape.!!

With little bit of bracing then this design will easily do everything you asked about. Aluminium work will require lighter DOC cuts but will still handle it no problem.

Good luck and keep it up.