Gantry design question

[D.C.]

Interesting paper, but the structure they refer to in there, if I understood it correctly, is actually a support column not the moving gantry itself. While the paper starts off talking about the gantry all the study work is on the column design. So the jury is still out on whether a lightweight CF gantry beam is better. However, the information is useful as regards the gantry supports. The issue however, is for the small sizes we generally build, i.e. a gantry side 300 - 500mm high or so, does the complexity of forming such a structure give any benefit over a slab of 20mm ali?

You are right, I stumbled across that while trying to find papers on the use of honeycombs or CF, there seems to be remarkably little available to be honest I was more taking away the general principle of 'honeycombs good if used correctly' rather than the specific application they refer to.

were brittle and didn't stand friction wear very well.

IF CF gave any major performance along with even a small cost saving benefit the big boys would be all using it by now and I'm pretty sure there will be a few CF Gantry's, components or full machines stuffed in some corner of some company's R&D department.??

There's always got to be first that takes a gamble so with That said you go for it and we'll all watch learn.!!. . . I for one will be the first to congratulate you if it works and performs has expected. ( I'll do the Nah nah told you so has well. . . Lol)

Wish Good luck if you do.

CF is brittle and really sucks for friction that's true, but every material has it's limitations hence why we don't use rubber for roof suporting girders. That said, it is a bit worrying that nobody else is doing it, I don't know if it's because it is a really stupid idea or because I'm a genius and smarter than an entire industry full of inteligent professionals. ( I vote for it probably being a stupid idea!)

Hmmmmm.

I think maybe the best thing to do would be to design 2 gantrys, if I can get the cost difference down to £50-£100 I might take a punt just to see what happens. I was orignally intending to epoxy the surface fittings on but if I bolt through the structure instead if it all goes horribly wrong I should be able to fix it by adding a couple of thick reinforcing sheets. ( I'll engrave one with 'JAZZ WAS RIGHT!' if I do just to remind me what to do with my next good idea.)