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  #1  
Old Tue 19 August 2014, 23:40
Duds
Just call me: Dale
 
Canberra
Australia
Smile Dale's MechMate - Canberra, Australia

Hi all,

I have just purchased my plans and placed an order for laser cut parts and am now building my BOM and preparing for my build.

About me: I'm an electrician with a lot of industrial electrical controls and instrumentation experience. Mostly using Allen Bradley PLC 5 and a little bit of SLC500 and Micrologix. Also a little bit of Siemens S7 and every kind of sensor you have ever heard of. I have played around with 6 axis robots in spot welding and assembly on a production line too. I also have done a bit of project management and operations management. Now I have my own commercial and industrial electrical and maintenance business.

I can definitely contribute with controls advice. But from my reading of the forum you guys seem to have sorted out most all of the details. By the way the drawings are excellent the helpful notes are amazing. "This sub assembly is best welded while upside down on a flat bench." I was not expecting that kind of detail. I am very impressed well done Gerald!

I have decided that my bed will be sized to work 2400 x 1220mm materials. I did consider sizing for 3050 x 1220mm but I think it will be rare that I use the longer stock and if I do ever get the longer stock for some strange reason I figure that I can quadrant my cuts and hang the material over the end. Please comment if you think this is not the case.

I want to do this project for a number of reasons:
1. Because I can. I enjoy making things.
2. I want to use the CNC router to build a lapstrake plywood double ended yawl, the Caledonia Yawl by Iain Oughtred. I have the plans gathering dust.
3. I want to build router style flat pack modernist furniture and experiment with no glue or fixings joints.
4. I see a potential for the router to contribute to my business and generate income prototyping and making custom fittings and architectural joinery. For example one off high spec light fittings for commercial foyers or custom design kiosks and exhibits for the museum or parts fabrication for university engineering projects.
5. I want to machine minor mechanical parts for example bosses, flanges, adaptors and manifolds for home made electrical vehicles and combustion engine mods. At the very least I would like to be able to make patterns for mechanical parts so I can use a plasma cutter to cut them out by hand and hand finish.

That list is in order of priority.

I intend to build my MechMate pretty much as shown, welded tube and channel table. The machine will be finished at a utilitarian level, standard rack and pinion, angle iron (steel) rails. I also do some volunteering with a youth program as a mentor and teach very basic electronics, we make robot cockroaches and other cool stuff. Maybe some of the kids will give me a hand with welding and wiring the panel. And they will all have ideas for things to make on the table. No doubt there will be plenty of ninja stars and skateboards.

My future roadmap development ideas:
Once I have my machine cutting I want to experiment with vision systems. I have an idea I want to play with to replace the home plate with cheap disposable stickers and use a CCTV and machine vision system software to auto home and auto orientate the work path to the material. I would also like to be able use the router like a digital pantograph using the vision system where I tape down a drawn line on paper and the vision system follows the line and routes the path. But that is definitely getting ahead of myself. Step one create my BOM from drawings and options at hand. I will post some pics of things I want to make in the inspiration forum and lots of photos of the Cal Yawl.

BTW GaryMo if your reading this. How's it going. Your MechMate has been a bit of an inspiration to me. I have been thinking about it since you showed me your machine a year ago.

Dale

Last edited by Duds; Tue 19 August 2014 at 23:41.. Reason: minor typos and grammar
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  #2  
Old Wed 20 August 2014, 01:00
danilom
Just call me: Danilo #64
 
Novi Sad
Serbia
If you manage to start the project about cctv vision for registration marks you got my attention and all the help you need from me.
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  #3  
Old Wed 20 August 2014, 03:58
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Welcome!
With your caliber, you should have a running MM is a month or 2.
Just shout when you need input
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  #4  
Old Wed 20 August 2014, 05:57
darren salyer
Just call me: Darren #101
 
Wentzville mo
United States of America
Welcome to the forum.
Sounds like you will have a well thought out build.
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  #5  
Old Wed 20 August 2014, 15:33
MetalHead
Just call me: Mike
 
Columbiana AL
United States of America
Welcome aboard !!!
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  #6  
Old Thu 21 August 2014, 01:15
jude
Just call me: Jude #48
 
sydney
Australia
Dale, Apart from the Canberra address this all seems good. I would suggest that if you are not short of workshop space that you consider extending the X beams by 500mm or so. This would allow you to clamp longer pieces vertically at the ends of the table (for cutting dovetails on the edge etc). Also a rotary axis can be mounted across the table here. If you don't go that path you can always add a trap door or removable piece in the spoil-board to accommodate these things.
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  #7  
Old Thu 21 August 2014, 05:16
Duds
Just call me: Dale
 
Canberra
Australia
Thanks for all the welcomes.

@Darren - It is well thought out, but not by me, I'm standing on the shoulders of giants. I'm just following the plans and lessons established by you and many others.

@Danilo - How about we start two threads. 'Vision system: registration' and 'Vision system: pantograph'. I'm most interested in the idea that a vision system pantograph can really lower barriers to entry. I can imagine the kids in the youth program grabbing a piece of A3 paper and black texta, scribbling out some shapes and then making them. I think as the kids got used to the technology they would develop shapes in MS Powerpoint or MS paint and start to develop increasingly sophisticated designs. That, in my mind, is democratic design. A kid who makes their own CNC routed click together chair, awesome!

@Jude, excellent idea. You must have noted my interest in joints. This proves that the best place to start is with your outcomes. I will implement your recommendation. Thank you.
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  #8  
Old Thu 21 August 2014, 05:35
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Quote:
Originally Posted by Duds View Post
@Danilo - How about we start two threads. 'Vision system: registration' and 'Vision system: pantograph'. ....
I second that!
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  #9  
Old Mon 25 August 2014, 04:32
Duds
Just call me: Dale
 
Canberra
Australia
Extended table in negative from origin

@Jude or anyone else,

Has anyone else extended their tables in the negative from the origin? Did the brace their extended Main Longitudinal Beam?

I have been reviewing the drawings for the Table Assembly (10 10 000) and note that their is ~350mm of length of the Main Longitudinal Beam (10 10 320) from the origin (0,0,0) The stoppers are positioned 198mm from the end of the beams. If I just move the stoppers closer to the ends of the beams that will give me some negative travel from the origin so that I can do end cuts as you suggested. I think I read a post somewhere though I cant find it now where Gerald suggests there is no issues with X Rail Assembly (10 10 200) extending beyond the length of the longitudinal beam by ~50mm.

Extending the X length might not be ideal. It means I can't cut both Channels out of a single length and contributes to waste if I buy two lengths or slightly more cost if I get the Channel cut to length for me. Not that any of those are significant issues. If I do extend by 500mm then there is approximate 850mm overhang shouldn't this be braced if only for stiffness? Also, if I extend, maybe I should install a backboard and additional cross bearers vertically to mount fittings for clamping materials for end cuts.

In the end might it not be easier to fit a 90degree mount on the spindle so that end cuts can be done sideways?

You have thrown a spanner in my stock standard build Jude
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  #10  
Old Mon 25 August 2014, 04:37
Duds
Just call me: Dale
 
Canberra
Australia
Laser cut parts arrived today.

@rnixon, your laser cut parts arrived this afternoon, thanks mate!
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  #11  
Old Mon 25 August 2014, 05:04
Duds
Just call me: Dale
 
Canberra
Australia
Fallen victim to a vanity controls on my build.

I blame Jude. I started out with all intentions of building a utilitarian MechMate, that 'does the job'.

However, today I have ordered some you-beaut parts that will make my MechMate a high performance machine.

My controls stack includes:

1 x Transformer, Unregulated Power Supply 975W, 65VDC/15A , Input: 120VAC
or 230VAC, (KL-6515)
1 x ESS SmoothStepper
1 x PMDX-126 BOB
1 x PMDX-107 BOB daughter board spindle controller
4 x MotionKing 34H2A9840 Nema 34, 34H2A Stepper Motors -86mm(1.8 degree)
4 x MotionKing 2LD545 Fully Digital Stepping Driver

and

1 x Air Cooled 4kW Spindle including Huanyuang VFD.

Dale

PS I also blame whoever posted the YouTube video cutting steel flange plates with chilled air tool cooling. You showed me it could be done.

Last edited by Duds; Mon 25 August 2014 at 05:07.. Reason: added Post Script.
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  #12  
Old Mon 25 August 2014, 05:08
danilom
Just call me: Danilo #64
 
Novi Sad
Serbia
Why 65VDC PSU, 4.1mH steppers and then 50VDC drives ?
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  #13  
Old Mon 25 August 2014, 05:49
Duds
Just call me: Dale
 
Canberra
Australia
The main reason for my selection is based one the following from Marris on CNC Zone.

Quote:
Nope, you're not invisible. I needed to put on my "see invisible people" glasses. I can see you just fine now.:-)

Motor #1 inductance is 4.1 mH. Motor #2 inductance is 2.4 mH. Both motors have the same holding torque which means both will have the same performance when driven with what they need. So, what do they need?:

Motor #1 has a maximum power supply voltage of V = 32*SQRT(4.1) or 65VDC
Motor #2 has a maximum power supply voltage of V = 32*SQRT(2.4) or 49VDC

Both motors will be identical in performance when driven with their respective maximum power supply voltages. Both voltages are within the specifications of the G203V drive. So how do you choose which one to use?

Model the G203V as a 0.25 Ohm resistor for thermal considerations. This will determine how big of a heatsink you will need.

Motor #1 is rated at 4A. I^2 * R is 4^2 * 0.25 or 4W of drive dissipation.
Motor #2 is rated at 5A. I^2 * R is 5^2 * 0.25 or 6.25W of drive dissipation.

Motor #2 will make the G203V drive dissipate 1.56 times more heat than Motor#1. At this point it seems Motor #2 is better; less drive heat, same performance.

But wait, there are other considerations. 49VDC is awfully close to 48VDC and there are very many inexpensive off-the-shelf 48VDC available. 48VDC is a standard voltage.

65VDC is not a standard voltage. You will pay extra and you will have a difficult time finding an economical 65VDC power supply. Meanwhile the 5A motor run from a 48VDC supply will generate 2.25W more (6.25W - 4W) heat in the G203V. This is a small difference. The G203V heatsink for the 5A will be only a little bit bigger than the one for the 4A motor.

If this was my problem? I would pick the 5A motor only because I could use a standard 48VDC power supply instead of a custom one. I would deal with the increased G203V heat by improving my heatsink. It would be cheaper solution than finding a 65VDC power supply.

Pick the 5A per phase motor.

Mariss
Except I rejected Marris reasoning against motor 1, that 65vDC supplies are not readily available. 65vDC supplies are readily available and will result in reduced temps in my box. Also the 4.1mH drives match perfectly the inductance of the motors and are a recommended match by MotionKing.

I also considered the comments posted at Why a stepper motor should not be too big... In particular this thread informed my decision making when it came to the 5Amp motor V the 4Amp motor.

Basically the way I read it the 4Amp motor running a higher voltage is the same Power as the 5Amp motor running lower voltage. But, the 4 Amp motor is able to deliver better high speed performance. Another factor is that I am planning a belt reduction drive. I haven't decide ratio yet. But it is my preference that machine is a spinner not a grinder, in cycling terms.

Please shoot holes in my reasoning!
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  #14  
Old Mon 25 August 2014, 06:30
danilom
Just call me: Danilo #64
 
Novi Sad
Serbia
Problem is you cant connect 65VDC to a drive with 50VDC maximum voltage
Drives should be 80VDC.
As yours were not expensive a lot you might sell them and get some like DM856 or AM882 from Leashine and they will support power supply up to 80VDC.
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  #15  
Old Mon 25 August 2014, 06:37
Duds
Just call me: Dale
 
Canberra
Australia
Red face

How embarrassment! Of course you are correct! well spotted thank you. Looks like I will be going with the Gecko 203V after all. You don't know how much I tossed up that decision and only went with the MotionKing drives at the last minute when they recommended them to me. I completely overlooked that.

THANKS! Danilom.

Anyone want to buy some lovely New In Box drivers?

PS, thanks for the lead on the Leashine drivers. I hadn't looked at those.

Last edited by Duds; Mon 25 August 2014 at 06:42.. Reason: added Post Script
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  #16  
Old Mon 25 August 2014, 07:13
danilom
Just call me: Danilo #64
 
Novi Sad
Serbia
AM882 incredible smoothness at low rpm, 30% better rpm (torque) than 2M982 and stall detection and nice soft stop after detection (alarm output to ESTOP ofcourse). Get them on Aliexpress or from Deitech for lowest possible price (around 75usd).
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  #17  
Old Mon 25 August 2014, 07:15
Fox
Just call me: Fox
 
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Got the AM882, nice bit of kit !
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  #18  
Old Mon 25 August 2014, 15:02
racedirector
Just call me: Bruce #122
 
New South Wales
Australia
Ditto on the 882's, damn nice drives. The Europeans and Poms swear by the Leadshine stuff.
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  #19  
Old Mon 25 August 2014, 16:32
jude
Just call me: Jude #48
 
sydney
Australia
There is no space to move the stoppers, the wheels of the Y frame are mm from the edge of the X beam. There are plenty of options in offsetting the Router spindle in the carrier and in flipping the carrier 180deg to get 50mm and more travel outside the table surface.
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  #20  
Old Tue 02 September 2014, 05:38
Duds
Just call me: Dale
 
Canberra
Australia
Dale's MechMate in Canberra

Saturday 30/8/14
Unloaded steel and started assembling base table.

1. Placed the support board (10 10 123) on saw horses
Laid out hole centres grid using a string line. Centre punched hole centres and drilled pilot holes. Then using a 25mm spade bit I cut the bolt head recess. Then drilled the bolt clearance holes

2. Laid out the cross bearers (10 10 302) on the floor. Measured all the centres and scribed with a square. Measured off the hole centres using the pitch I established for the support board. Centre punched all the hole centres. Drilled all pilot holes. Drilled all clearance holes.


3. Lifted cross bearers (10 10 302) in place under support board (10 10 123) one at a time and loosely clamped in place. used a screw driver to podgy the centre hole of the bearer and support board. Put bolt in centre hole and nipped up loose. Removed clamps. Podgied holes and nipped up bolts from inside to out. Repeated for all bearers. I was really fortunate and only two holes needed to be bored out a few mm to get my bolts in. Nipped up all bolts tight.

4. Lifted main longitudinal beam (10 10 320) in place onto cross bearers. Persuaded beams into accurate position. Measured bearer position off support board in corners, persuaded, measured, persuaded. Tacked beams to cross bearers. Tacked from top, tacked from underneath.


Sunday, 31/8/14
5. Cut angled bevels on bearers and beams. Note: I ordered all steel pre-cut to my required dimensions for a 1220 x 2440 support board. But I had the bearers cut 20mm wider. I cut the bevels after it was all bolted up and square. I made a mistake on my bevels and cut them all at 45° not 60°. I'm not really worried about this error. I don't think it will affect the strength and if someone tells me it does I can always weld in gussets on the bearer ends.


6. Seam welded all my bearers to the beams. I have nicknamed my cheapo $80 stick welder Wally. It doesn't work very hard and regularly trips it TOL. I spent breaks doing other odd jobs. Got dragged away to spend time with my family. Everyone complained I smelled like welding fumes.


Monday, 1/9/14
7. Bashed my lower cross brace (10 10 312) ends with a big persuader on the concrete floor to crimp the ends. Placed legs(10 10 330) flat on ground with cross braces between them. Welded left cross brace leg combination and right cross brace leg combination separately. Welded the footplates on.

8. Placed legs part and right legs part under table and welded in the y cross (10 10 306) braces in place.

9. Lifted table part up with a chain block. Removed saw horses and dropped table part onto the legs part. Lots of persuading with my very biggest persuader to get everything square. Seam welded legs to table.


That's all for now. Next step weld in the braces (10 10 314) and (10 10 316)
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  #21  
Old Tue 02 September 2014, 16:25
Fox
Just call me: Fox
 
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Pics are missing !?
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  #22  
Old Tue 02 September 2014, 21:36
MetalHead
Just call me: Mike
 
Columbiana AL
United States of America
I don't think we have access to see the pics. Check to make sure you have them shared public.
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  #23  
Old Wed 03 September 2014, 03:10
lonestaral
Just call me: Al #114
 
Isarn
Thailand
Send a message via Skype™ to lonestaral
I can see the pictures, but they are bigger than the screen.
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  #24  
Old Wed 03 September 2014, 03:26
racedirector
Just call me: Bruce #122
 
New South Wales
Australia
You must be special Al No go on the pics from here either....
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  #25  
Old Wed 03 September 2014, 03:35
wiifm
Just call me: Dennis
 
Cairns
Australia
I saw them last night before the threads were merged, but not now
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  #26  
Old Wed 03 September 2014, 23:02
Duds
Just call me: Dale
 
Canberra
Australia
Sorry about the photos folks.


TA helping me unload steel off the ute. Should that be Bakkie


Getting ready to mark out Baseboard using chalkstring. Note once the baseboard went down on the sawhorses all the bearers got bolted up from underneath.


Bearers bolted up underneath Baseboard and Main beams installed on top of Bearers.


Cutting off the Bevels on the bearers TA was cleaning up scrap metal.


Teaching grinder safety


TA wanted to grind, so I put a flapper disk on and helped him clean up the edges.


I could have been welding with Wally but I had to taste Pino Noir instead.


Table is on legs. Still need to add braces, or should that be belts and braces.

Thursday, 4 September 2014
Belts and Braces
10. I have put the braces on and been working on it of an evening, sorry no photos yet with braces.

Errata
Two parcels arrived today, within 30 minutes of each other. The first is my MotionKing motors and drives and the second is the air-cooled spindle and VFD.


MotionKing 34H2A9840 Nema 34, 34H2A Stepper Motors -86mm(1.8 degree)


MotionKing 2LD880H Fully Digital Stepping Driver
Note: it turns out I had no reason to be embarrassed at getting the wrong part. I got the right part ordered in the first place. I just copied and pasted the wrong part no. Does show that drive and driver selection is a complex aspect of this build with the huge range of options that can be made.

Placed orders for rack and pinions and bearings and wheels today. Buying rack and pinion from TEA transmissions in QLD and bearings, wheels from Superior Bearing Co

I had intended to grind my own track but am now talking to TEA about AISI 1045 carbon steel or 420 stainless steel track that is ground and machined. What are pros, cons? I can afford the track but and need more time to spend with family. So the track seems like a good option.

Dale.

PS seems like I just can't figure out photos. So heres the link to my Flickr PhotoStream https://www.flickr.com/photos/127474372@N07/

Last edited by Duds; Wed 03 September 2014 at 23:04..
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  #27  
Old Thu 04 September 2014, 06:27
Fox
Just call me: Fox
 
Amsterdam
Netherlands
still; no visible pics, dale ...
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  #28  
Old Thu 04 September 2014, 07:25
Duds
Just call me: Dale
 
Canberra
Australia
Third try!

TA helping me unload steel off the ute. Should that be Bakkie


Getting ready to mark out Baseboard using chalkstring. Note once the baseboard went down on the sawhorses all the bearers got bolted up from underneath.


Bearers bolted up underneath Baseboard and Main beams installed on top of Bearers.


Cutting off the Bevels on the bearers TA was cleaning up scrap metal.


Teaching grinder safety



TA wanted to grind, so I put a flapper disk on and helped him clean up the edges.



I could have been welding with Wally but I had to taste Pino Noir instead.


Table is on legs. Still need to add braces, or should that be belts and braces.



Thursday, 4 September 2014
Belts and Braces
10. I have put the braces on and been working on it of an evening, sorry no photos yet with braces.

[B]Errata[B]
Two parcels arrived today, within 30 minutes of each other. The first is my MotionKing motors and drives and the second is the air-cooled spindle and VFD.

MotionKing 34H2A9840 Nema 34, 34H2A Stepper Motors -86mm(1.8 degree)

MotionKing 2LD880H Fully Digital Stepping Driver

Note: it turns out I had no reason to be embarrassed at getting the wrong part. I got the right part ordered in the first place. I just copied and pasted the wrong part no. Does show that drive and driver selection is a complex aspect of this build with the huge range of options that can be made.

Air-cooled Spindle


Huangyuang VFD


Placed orders for rack and pinions and bearings and wheels today. Buying rack and pinion from TEA transmissions in QLD and bearings, wheels from Superior Bearing Co

I had intended to grind my own track but am now talking to TEA about AISI 1045 carbon steel or 420 stainless steel track that is ground and machined. What are pros, cons? I can afford the track and need more time to spend with family. So the track seems like a good option.

Dale.

PS seems like I just can't figure out photos. So heres the link to my Flickr PhotoStream https://www.flickr.com/photos/127474372@N07/

PPS i'm now hosting my own photos not using a service. I probably should have used my own hosting in the first place but thought a service would be easier.
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  #29  
Old Thu 04 September 2014, 13:31
wiifm
Just call me: Dennis
 
Cairns
Australia
Looks like you've made a cracking start! Your TA must be doing a good job of keeping the work in front of you
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  #30  
Old Thu 04 September 2014, 15:37
Fox
Just call me: Fox
 
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Hurrah, pics ! Good progress. I made my rails (10 meters) in 2 days, from bare metal, depending on how you that is quick or a lot of work.... If you buy rails I would but linears with wagons instead of v rails . If you shop a bit they go for similar money on eBay or g'list.
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