"Origami" CNC Plasma Build - folding 1200 x 600mm cut area

Rod - I'm not sure its needed or necessarily useful.  But just exploring it from a design angle.

The design I have at the moment is actually good enough to run with I think. Now I need to have another look over your's and Tomy's builds to see how  you fixed the gantry beam to the Y axis sides.  Then finish off my design for that so I can get the blanks cut up and get things processed on the CNC mill.

Cheers - J.

Bit of a question today for those with more experience in this.   I'm looking at the gantry sides and how they will connect to the beam that will support the X axis.  I think I need to change things to allow for adjustment and probable a little more ridgidity.

So here's my hacky idea.  Views, improvements and better approaches welcome!

 

Thanks - James.

CAD designs on my take of this paper sketch.  I understand this type of adjustment concept does exist on some commercial machines so I can't be too far off the mark.

Cheers - J.

Looks good James.

you could also make the side plates bigger and have a l bracket on the top also.

If you checkout my gantry I welded nuts (M12) into the x axis, then slotted the y axis end plates so I had the up down adjustment to level the x axis with the table.

Cheers James

Getting prepped for some CNC milling action on the gantry sides.

Laying out the design on the fixture palette. In the Y it's a very tight fit and having to do this to this to the mm.


Working out where the internal clamping holes will be and laying spaces to support the blank off the pallet.


Some quick and "hacky" clamps.  Even though not pretty they are very effective and quick to setup.  Plan will be to make some a bunch of nicer looking ones for future use.


The blank in all its glory ready to be chewed up into a (hopefully) working part.

Cheers - J.

Just when it was about to get interesting, you stopped !
 

Sorry Tommy, work got in the way.  But first gantry side machined on the wee BF20-CNC.  Rather pleased with how it has come out.

Op1 completed with all the internal holes drilled, bored and pocket cleared.
 

Op2 completed. We have a completed part!!
 

Test fit on the table, perfect alignment with the linear rail truck.  Very happy camper.  Guess I need to get on to the otherside. Now I have working gcode files its really just rinse and repeat.
 
 

One of the obvious joys of cnc is that once you have a working recipe it really is just rinse and repeat.  So easy to see why industry has jumped into automated manufacturing for high volume repeatable processes.  Anyway, back on topic, the "other side". 

I moved to IPA for coolant/lubricant on my DIY fogbuster.  It's great as there is no residue. The chips are all dry and clean.  BUT it atomises much easier than soluable oil.  I'm going to have to do some design adjustments cose PHEW - smell.  Fortunately the weather was good enough to be able to pop the garage door!   So after a lot of IPA fumes (wearing a fume mask with painters filters) and a LOT of chips
 

We have ... the SECOND SIDE
 

And of course nothing is complete without showing it mounted
 

Now to move on to the deciding final orientation and then sorting out the motor mounts and drive pulleys.

Cheers - J.

A little more work over this weekend.  Not as fast as would like as hitting a few minor snags.

First off (which I have still not fully solved) is the bearings are reallt siff from an alignment angle.  These are self aligning but they are VERY stiff in the housing meaning when clamped on either side of the plate with the shaft in them the alignment aspect does not move and the shaft wont rotate. I think I am going to need to use some pentatrating oil and get them wiggled enough to have a bit more motion.
 

Other than the above little issue I have made some progress in making the motor mounts and the stand-offs.
 
 

The moving on to proving my CAD was not a disaster and the pulley centre and belt lengths for the gearing ratios all work.  Spoiler - seems to be perfect.
 
 
 

Slowly winning.

Cheers - J.

Very nice, indeed !
Soon all that will be covered in black dust !