Cast aluminium gantry router

[routercnc]

I don't see why you would want to cast a gantry. The open back structure significantly limits stiffness.

If you compare it to a simple 80x160x4mm steel RHS section you would need to make the cast aluminum 'C' shape gantry have web and flanges of 60mm thick to match the bending and torsional stiffness.

Makes much more sense to cast the end connection down to the bearings blocks and ballscrew, with a neat interface to say a 160x80 RHS steel gantry.

[Jonathan]

I don't see why you would want to cast a gantry. The open back structure significantly limits stiffness.

But we're not limited to just one beam, so you could get the torsional stiffness by casting two beams in one piece. I'd go for something similar to the gantry design on my last machine:



The Y-axis rails may have to be moved and it would take a fairly big milling machine to mill the rail mounting surfaces.