Steel frame cnc router design/build

[CraftyGeek]

Ok - design progress time

The overall machine...base frame is mostly the same as before except for a few minor tweaks - I'll probably add more cross bracing when its built if I feel it needs it (there's plenty of room)


Moving on to the gantry - i've lost count of how many times i've altered the way this fits together...i'm now pretty happy with it - there's nothing offending me there now
The upper & lower front plates are 5mm aluminium...all other plates/braces are either 15mm or 20mm (ecocast where appropriate).


Back of the gantry is also skinned with 5mm aluminium - 2 sections to allow easier removal around the Y-axis motor mount block. I did try to fit the motor inside the gantry, but there just wasn't quite enough space...by the time limit/home switches are in place I really don't think it'd fit.


Back of the gantry with the rear plates removed for a peek internally. There are a couple of 5mm aluminium plates at either end on the rear of the front faces to help tie them in at the sides (they will bolt to the back of the vertical piece between the main gantry side braces).
The main gantry frame as such is now 75 x 50 x 3 steel box (top, bottom & vertical side blocks)


Z-axis - 20mm plate with rails & leadscrew mounted on the back.


An attempt at a cutaway to show how the whole of the gantry/Y/Z fits together - its tight in there, but everything has at least 2mm clearance except for the Z anti-backlash nut housing which only has 1mm clearance on the back of the Z plate.


X-axis:
2x 1610 leadscrew (1400mm thread length)
SB20 rails - 1500mm
linear bearing spacing - 200mm (outer faces)

Y-axis:
1610 leadscrew (800mm thread length)
SB20 rails - 900mm
linear bearing spacing - 170mm (outer faces)

Z-axis:
1605 leadscrew (350mm thread length)
SB20 rails - 400mm
linear bearing spacing - 170mm (outer faces)

X-axis movement is roughly 1200mm - a smidge under what I was originally aiming for, but acceptable
Y-axis movement is roughly 750mm - a little more than I was aiming for, happy
Z-axis movement is roughly 180mm - could probably tweak this to gain another 10-20mm.

How does all this look/sound?

Looking for some sort of approval (hopefully :-p) before covering all the parts in holes etc