Please help with this build Albert

[bigal999]

Hi just been cleaning out the shed and found something that might be ok to use.
It is an igus slide made in Germany
It's dimensions are as follows
Overall length 560mm width 130mm.
Carriage is 130mm by 130mm maximum travel is 330mm.
20mm guide rails 18mm ball screw
Trying to add some pictures
Albert

[bigal999]

Having problems uploading pictures any idea why?
Can I email them
Albert

[bigal999]

Would it make life easier if added a second motor and ball screw to the X axis
Albert

[Kitwn]

You have to have made 10 posts to the forum before you can upload pictures but you're past that already. You may also have to reduce the file size. I generally reduce pictures to about 800 pixels wide for this purpose.

Re a second ballscrew: I've never used a machine with only one so can't really say how significant the performance difference is. Only you can decide if you want to spend the extra cash and the time waiting for it to arrive or whether to build the best machine you can with what you already have. You still have more parts to buy anyway and a design that allows for a future upgrade is not impossible with some thought.

Kit

[bigal999]

Hi I will try again with the pictures

[bigal999]

Hi do you think I can use this or should I sell it
Albert

[Kitwn]

Hi do you think I can use this or should I sell it
Albert

You can waste an enormous amount of time trying to re-purpose things that were never designed for the job you have in mind. I've tried that myself and you often end up wasting money as well. Others on the forum may have a better idea of the usefulness or resale value of that specific item.

You already have 3 ballscrews, I would suggest you focus on designing a machine that uses those and the other materials you have available.

Kit

[bigal999]

Attachment 28666

[bigal999]

Hi kit what are the advantages and disadvantages of
Connecting the motor straight to the ball screws and using a timing belt between them other than reduceing the speed.
Albert

[Kitwn]

With 5mm pitch screws you'd be looking at increasing the speed of the screw to get a higher linear speed from a given motor rpm, though I doubt you'd be too worried about that on a machine of the size you're looking at. If you want to cut aluminium then keeping to a 1:1 ratio for more torque but less speed would probably be the advice of the experts.

Direct drive is simpler and a bit cheaper but makes the overall machine length a good 200mm or more longer than the screw. Belt drive allows you to change the drive ratio as described above and to tuck the motor under the frame for a shorter overall length. You'd probably want to go for a belt drive on the gantry anyway rather than have a sticking-out motor flailing about the place but it's not compulsory. I have direct drive on the long (X) axis and vertical (Z) axis motors and a belt on the gantry (Y) axis motor.

Kit