Jeff's 1000 x 800 Gantry Router Design & Build

[JeffZ]

Alright, here we go.

I want to start off by thanking everyone. There is so much useful information on this forum, without which I wouldn't feel comfortable attempting such a complex and expensive project.

Goals:
This is a hobby machine, I do not intend to make money with it.
I really enjoy the process of learning, designing, building and improving a machine. For me, this process is half the fun of it.
I'll use the CNC as a tool to help with all sorts of DIY projects and hobbies.
Things like making electric guitars, small furniture, fancy signs, inlays, simrig components, backlit acrylic panels...
I will be working primarily in hardwood, plywood and hard plastics.
Occasionally, I'll want to do some light milling in aluminium. The aluminium plates needed for this projects are a good example (motor pockets, adapter plates etc).

My tools:

• Tablesaw with a decent crosscut sled and a blade for cutting aluminium
• Router table / handheld router
• Drill press
• Mpcnc
• Drill press
• I do not have access to anything capable of machining steel

Requirements:

• Minimum work area: 800x600x80
• Materials: hardwood, plywood, hard plastics, aluminium

Current design: (shows Nema34 motors and taper lock pulleys, other options listed below)

• Parts can be made using my limited toolset
• Work Area: 1000x800x120
• Footprint: 1300x1100x720 (fits neatly in the corner of my garage, and leaves just enough room for an enclosure)
• Main Frame extrusions:
  
  • 3x 160x80S
  • 2x 80x80S
  • 3x 80x40S
• 20mm Aluminium Plates (Red)
• 15mm Aluminium Plates (Yellow)
• 10mm Aluminium Plates (Green)

More Pictures:

X Axis

Y Axis

Gantry


Not shown are cable management, endstops, timing belt covers, enclosure, table etc...
I want to get the design more or less locked in before I continue on that path.

Making the parts:

• I will order aluminium plates already milled flat (10mm, 15mm, 20 mm).
• Most plates have 90° and 45° corners. Those I can cut to size on my tablesaw.
• I'll use the mpcnc to mill the motor pockets and the holes needed to insert the FK/FF bearings.
• The mpcnc will also function as a "cnc centre punch" to mark all holes to be drilled on the press.

Spindle

• G-Penny 2.2kw water cooled + VFD

Linear Rails (from BST)

• 6x Hiwin HGR20
• 12x Hiwin HGH20CA

Ballscrews (from BST)

• X axis: 1 x SFU2010 (~1320mm)
• Y axis: 2 x SFU2010 (~1160mm)
• Z axis: 1 x SFU1605 (~400mm)

Estimated motor / mass:

• 1 Z motor: 12.38kg (27.3lbs)
• 1 X motor: 22.96kg (50.62lbs)
• 2 Y motors: 65.79kg (145.04lbs) + ~5 liters of sand/epoxy mix to fill the X axis 160x80S extrusion

Motors I'm currently considering:

• Lichuan
  
  • Nema24 LC60H2102 4.5Nm
  • Nema24 LC60H2127 5.5Nm
  Unfortunately, shipping (for 4 motors) is ~180€ from the Lichuan aliexpress store.
  Buying them locally is even worse, 800€ for 4 motors + drivers
  
  
• Stepperonline
  
  • Nema34 Stepperonline Nema34 ~4.5Nm
  Multiple choices with cheap shipping, but Nema34 might not be a good choice for my project

Drivers I'm currently considering:

• Lichuan LCDA86H
• Stepperonline CL86Y
• Stepperonline CLA86T
• HBS860H (these sketch me out because of how cheap they are...)

Belt drive:

• HTD 5m closed loop timing belt
• Motors will use standard BF keyway pulleys.
• Ballscrew pulley types I'm currently considering:
  
  • Standard AF/BF pulleys with grub screws. (feels flimsy, might slip)
  • Clamp type BF pulleys (could only find one seller, max 25 teeth with 15mm wide belt)
  • Taper lock pulleys (heavy, min 32 teeth)
  • DIY taper lock pulleys using ER collets.

Controller:

• AXBB-E running UCCNC

Power supply:

• 230VAC -> VFD
• 230VAC -> 60VAC -> stepper drivers

None of this is set in stone. I'm not in a hurry, and no parts will be ordered until I'm satisfied with the design.
This is how far I've gotten on my own. I'd really appreciate any critique / comments / suggestions / advice.

Thanks,
Jeff