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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Australind , WA
    Age
    58
    Posts
    1,277

    Default Thoughts on proposed CNC Router Design

    Hi Guys,
    I have been thinking about building a replacement for my chinese 6040 for ages now, and have gone through various ideas.
    I've got a set of ideas, but nothing on paper yet.

    I have piece of 16 mm ali that has been machined square and flat by a machinist at work for me, so I will build around thats dimensions, for simplicity. Its 625 x 480. It WAS going to replace the T slot bed on my 6040 with it, but that won't fix that machines flaws......It would be a waste.

    Moving gantry design, dual y axis drive, nema 23 steppers....Seeing as Aluminim extrusion is so expensive here, AND steel is stiffer, I will use RHS for the main frame and Aluminium T slot for the gantry in 'L' configuration ( to ease rail mounting and keep the Gantry weight down.) I'm aware using T Slot for the gantry is a compromise, but I can't see a way around that. Steel may be too heavy for a gantry...dunno...Open to suggestions and thoughts.....
    I also can't think of an easy way to accurately secure the end of RHS to a gantry plate.
    Something like 200 x 75x 4 RHS for frame sides and 50 x 50 x4mm for the frame cross beams. Looking for about 150mm z axis height.
    High wall design to keep gantry sides short.
    Will use 20mm square linear rails and carriages on all axies.
    Gantry side plates will be 20mm ali. Z axis plates will ali plate as well. I guess it will sort of be a Aluminium/ steel Hybrid CNC Router.

    Will braze the frame together to minimise warping and negate the need for heat treating. Will get all the rail surfaces professionally machined flat and square.
    Will make the frame about 100mm wider and longer, on each side, than the bed so the spindle can reach the WHOLE bed area. This will allow the spindle to be used to machine bed flat and drill all the mounting holes I may need.

    Thinking of brazing set back end plates in the RHS and diagonal cross bracing along the lenghts to negate resonance.
    Gantry carriages and Z axis carriage will be spaced as far apart as practical.

    Have gone off the idea of a Moving Table design as this is my first Router build and moving ganrty is what I have experience with.

    Aim is to be able to machine Aluminium jobs with comfortably.

    I can try to do some chook scratchings to show more if you need.
    I know its a good idea to draw the design in Fusion, but I have tried that in th epast and it is a VERY steep learning curve, slow and frustrating......I might still have to yet...

    Suggestions welcome. Phew.....

    Steve

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Derbyshire
    Posts
    6

    Default replacement for my chinese 6040

    Don't be put of a moving table I find a fixed gantry better it's more stable, and I think a little easy to make.

    Phill

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Australind , WA
    Age
    58
    Posts
    1,277

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by phill05 View Post
    Don't be put of a moving table I find a fixed gantry better it's more stable, and I think a little easy to make.

    Phill
    Thanks Phill,
    It looks like I will be leaning towards a fixed gantry design.

    Steve

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Derbyshire
    Posts
    6

    Default

    Hi,
    I rebuilt an old machine and put in new rails and screws I fitted a thrown out tee slot bed on top of the original ally plate which used to have a ply base fitted on I ended up with a cutting area of 550mm x 450mm I increased the Z height so I could use an indexer to cut 300mm round blanks.

    Here is an image when I was building it to give you and idea. Phill

    New_6.jpg

    09.jpg

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