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-   Construction started, but not cutting yet (http://www.mechmate.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=77)
-   -   Table welded, parts shopping going well - Dundee, MI (http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=468)

astarguy Mon 14 January 2008 20:31

Hi all, Gerald i just noticed your picture of your burned junction box and if it will help i would like to provide some advice even if it wasn't ask for. i noticed that the wires were not twisted before the wire nuts were installed. this is a big no no. they must be tightly twisted together to ensure they make good connection. the wire nut is only there to cover the bare wires not to hold them together. secondly i see that 3 different sizes of nut were used (they are color coded for size) look at the back of the box to see what wire size and the number of wires that each nut is used for. thirdly i don't see a ground wire for the box itself that is important in some applications so that if there is a short inside of the box it doesn't energize anything. sorry if i am stepping on toes here but safety is #1 for me.

revved_up Mon 14 January 2008 21:10

Antek has made power supplies for computers for years. I'm in Michigan also and would be really interested in any more information for local companies that can supply the metal work and or parts suppliers. This is actually my first day on this forum and my first post, about to give it up for the night as I have been reading this for too many hours now and need to let some of it sink in before I take in anymore.

**edit: Told you it was a long night lol just realised I wasnt even at the end of the thread b4 I posted and now I humbly bow out for the night to rest my brain **end of edit.

Gerald D Mon 14 January 2008 21:51

Astarguy, the message is simple; Do NOT use wirenuts on the MM. (as per the note above that photo). The correct vs incorrect ways of using wirenuts is irrelevant....there is just no way. Period.

GregA Tue 15 January 2008 07:16

Speaking with a process engineer yesterday. It looks like I will be using an initiator/contactor system in my control box. It seems that with a spinning blade hooked to motors that move it around, it is basically a required safety component, and OSHA will red flag the machine if it doesn't have one...

Also, I had a third industrial machine added to my todo list yesterday. An inline bottle filler, with integrated capping, washing and side labeling. I have filling and labeling worked out. Can anyone give me a heads up on where to buy inline washing and capping components?

GregA Tue 15 January 2008 08:08

Gerald,

Two huge favors to ask of you.

First, could you point out the part number I need for a factorymation cut off switch for my control panel?

Second, it is bitter cold here in Michigan today(and supposed to get colder), and as I understand it is summer down there, can I um, come and visit?

GregA Tue 15 January 2008 08:37

Well, UPS o'clock has come and gone, no UPS truck. Time to head out and get some things done...

sailfl Tue 15 January 2008 09:12

Greg,

I believe this is the one you are looking for:

KSR3.40 ENSTO Rotary Load Break Disconnect Switch, 3 Pole, 600V, 40A

Hope that helps.

Where did you buy your wire?

GregA Tue 15 January 2008 13:56

http://lh6.google.com/gregalb/R40at4...0115081530.jpg

A little bit of progress;)

That is the part I ended up with. Although I had to order several other parts to complete the assembly. Also... The process engineer wanted me to put in a two stage start. So I also ordered a relay and drew a circuit that "latches" the whole thing to a relay... Also, I added a light bulb, so it will be apparent when it is on. So on my control panel, I will have to both turn the switch to on, and press a button. I was contemplating an off light as well, so that it is apparent when it is off.

Wire (so far) was just purchased from local hardware. I was advised against bundling wire within the control box.

On Edit: Bonus kudos if you can see the mistake I made.

smreish Tue 15 January 2008 14:19

Greg,
I purchased a combo on/off button with an internal light from FactoryMation. MOM on/MOM off....so you have to turn disconnect, then on.
Greg, the pictures so small, I can't see anything from here in florida where it's warm ;)
Sean

GregA Tue 15 January 2008 14:29

I am contemplating posing a bigger picture, but it is from my cell phone camera... And I am just not sure you are missing any detail.

Anyhow, the heat sink covers the screws on the side of the subpanel...

GregA Wed 16 January 2008 12:58

I had to leave house today before UPS o'clock, and I am wondering if my pmdx-122 board will be there when I get home;( My fancy on/off swicth parts should be here tomorrow. Woo hoo I shoud have assembled control box by this weekend.

GregA Wed 16 January 2008 16:41

Heheheh. Whoops. The PMDX-122 shipped the day I ordered it. Only it shipped USPS, as opposed to UPS. So it sat in my mailbox for a week;)

Anyhow, it is now safely installed in my controll box. Didn't take a picture because I am in a hurry. Tomorrow morning at 10ish I should get my fancy power switch, and I will prepair to start wiring all the little bits together.

So maybe I will run a simulation next week?

GregA Fri 18 January 2008 16:43

Spent all afternoon wiring bits together. Was getting ready to crimp the power supply leads to the main bus, and noticed... Woah, they are using wires a lot larger than mine. Run off to the hardware to get right wire, Doh! they are closed. Just a tiny bit is affected, should be small problem to put the right wire in.

Just checked the tables, I should be well within tolerance, however I will stick to the convention that Antek used when designing their power supply.

Still need holes in front and bottom on panel.

I did have one compromise in wiring. The switch I use to jump start the initiator relay will have to be doubled in one lead of the cutoff switch

GregA Sat 19 January 2008 08:07

http://lh6.google.com/gregalb/R5IOko...0119080943.jpg

A few little odds and ends need to be finished. USB power supply, butt crimp the power supply, holes in the panel box for mounted switches. Current limiting resistors. (I am working on first cup of coffee at moment, I'm sure more will come to me when I finish it.)

I have some time on machine tool today. Going to exploit that, will get back to this, this evening.

Second compromise found. Either I have to move the disconnect switch around, or I have to place the sub-panel in box upside down.

Otherwise all is working good, continuity test shows all my connections are sound, I will spend a couple hours re-groking all my work before I plug it for the first time, and double check all my work.

Greg J Sat 19 January 2008 08:25

Greg,

Nice work. Is there a fan under those Gecko's?

J.R. Hatcher Sat 19 January 2008 08:28

If you have not drilled any holes in the outside of the box yet flip it over, in other words the door will open from the other side and the inside panel will stay like it is.

GregA Sat 19 January 2008 08:48

Greg_J,

No fan for now. My computed current is under the requirement (I will use 2 amps, geckos don't call for even a heat sink under 3 amps) of the Gecko's, I figured I would retrofit it if I ended up needing it. Also, in my search for the heat sink, I found a piece of aluminum that was over the top thick (not the one pictured) and Ive always wanted an excuse to machine cooling fins into something;) because of the enclosed nature of the control box, I think that would actually work better than a fan...

J.R. Hatcher,

I am considering that. However that would be one of those "but I would know it is there" craftsmanship issues. I am going to sit on it for a while and make a decision later, before I jump in and start changing things. I still have plenty to do before I commit one way or another.

smreish Sat 19 January 2008 08:52

Greg,
You will definitely need to rotate the panel 180 degree's to make that rotary switch work. I almost had the same problem, but was luckily *just* far enough from the hinge to make the swing arc.
Since you haven't bored any holes in the outside cabinet, it should be really easy to do. Plus, when you rotate the panel, you will have the ground strap and lugs on the door at the bottom...which I used as a nice path to take my connections to the door. That way I had a nice strain relief to tie the bundle up to.

Gerald D Sat 19 January 2008 08:52

This must surely be the record time in which a control box is being assembled! :)

smreish Sat 19 January 2008 08:56

Gerald,
Greg has an almost mechanically completed machine....I can see the motivation in his typing :)
Now I know why you suggest you build the controller first :D

GregA Sat 19 January 2008 09:11

Gerald,

Only thanks to your website, made the whole thing a insert tab A into slot B type affair. But then, I don't call tech support when I am assembling Ikea furniture;)

On Edit: Did I mention I live in a urban area, and I walk next door to a crazy provisioned hardware store as well?

Gerald D Sat 19 January 2008 09:12

Sean, I think you have your Gregs mixed up....or do I have it wrong?

smreish Sat 19 January 2008 09:23

:p....Oh yeah, sorry Greg and Gerald....
This diaper changing and lack - o -sleep is getting me all confused.
...I miss the smell of freshly ground steel vee rail in the morning.
Sean

GregA Sun 20 January 2008 21:02

http://lh5.google.com/gregalb/R5QRJ4...0120082205.jpghttp://lh3.google.com/gregalb/R5QRJY...0120082204.jpg

All done but for the 5 volt power supply to the PMDX-122 and the current setting resistors. Fully re-groked. Probably do a continuity test one more time before I feed it power. But for the holes on the bottom of the panel, I should never need to disassemble this again:D

GregA Tue 22 January 2008 10:07

Well I did not make it to a test this week:( Tomorrow morning, I receive materials and I go out in the field for a week. I will only be able to check in for laser cut parts updates. I don't think the control box would be happy to ride in the vibrations in the back of my car with all the thermal shocks. Oh well, I will take the opportunity to tour various Radio Shack retail stores and look for a range of resistors to work with. Also, that will give me an evening in some hotel somewhere to disect a USB cable and run the polarity test I have been meaning to do.

On the other hand, I got to purchase a very swanky machine enclosure from 80/20 yesterday:D Also, met a process engineer who is very interested in my activities.

And... Just another reminder... I got bit by being cheap... I was trying to machine some fittings in steel instead of brass, and after about a week of effort of making precision fittings in bolt steel, I broke down and purchased brass today... The upside I guess is my collection of carbide tools should cut through brass like butter.

GregA Wed 23 January 2008 06:41

Received quote to have base table fabricated to 1/16th of an inch precision, and painted. Build quality would be far in excess of what I would be capable. And they would deliver it on crate that I could just fork off of their truck, and move it into place, next week...

Dang and the price is... low enough that I am tempted, and high enough that I don't really want to pay that much... But then my activities could be directed to areas that I enjoy, and I could start grinding x-rails next week.

Once again, I will not post actual quotes per forum rules, but It is looking like the build cost will be several thousand dollars less than a shopbot PRS if you were to outsource all the fabrication in the midwest.

On Edit: Anyword anywhere on a laser cut part group buy? Also, the research for this post confirms it, I am gonna order the fabrication.

revved_up Wed 23 January 2008 09:18

Greg, who did you get a quote from on the base table? are they going to grind the rails also? I may be interested in contacting them for a quote also.

GregA Thu 24 January 2008 06:31

Salenbien Welding, in Dundee Michigan.

I suspect about a $100 of the price I told you was delivery though...

revved_up Thu 24 January 2008 07:24

Thanks, I may check them out thought it might be easier to drive 45 min to them since they allready know whats being built then to explain it to somebody new.

GregA Fri 25 January 2008 09:14

Nothing, nada nix. Spent all day yesterday battling tech support personel (business software package) that presumed I was an ignorant no nothing luser. For that particular project, I am now a day behind. I am smelling failure, man I hate that smell. Fired off a nasty email, documenting why their software sucks. Wish I was doing something fun.


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