MaxNC-10 mods (was Artcam + NC-10 mods)
Posted by
tnorris@h...
on 2001-02-14 15:59:47 UTC
(Group, this is a follow-up to Andrew Werby's post about the MaxNC-10
mods)
OUCH!!!!!!!!!!! ModelMaster quoted a mere $7500 for the ArtCam
package! Goodness! Guess not many "hobbiests" will have THAT package!
I know I'll never be able to afford it! hehehehe
As for the Techno-Isel slides on the NC-10, yep! They are working
great but took me almost half a day to get the tensions (dovetail
adj) correct. The motors are very, very close to losing a step (70
oz/inch). They pretty much bolted right on as the hole mounts for
the "legs" on the Y slide are pre-milled & threaded (must be an
industry standard or something). Only thing I had to do was drill the
holes in the Y slide so the Z axis slide could mount to it. Longer
leadscrews (threaded rod from the hardware store) took care of the
rest. The X axis slide bolted right on, not much there.
In the group list you mentioned limited "reach" (Y-) of the Y axis
and you are correct about that, even though I have a 20" long table
effective Y depth was still 4.5 inches. Seemed ashamed to lose all
that Y axis so I milled several 2" thick aluminum "spacer blocks" to
fit between the Spindle mount and Z axis slide. You would think this
would "wobble" or throw out the Y & X accuracy (like I thought it
would) but it's VERY stable. I've had as many as three 2" blocks
mounted behind the spindle head and it works great (Y- travel goes up
to 10.5" using this technique). I can still mill the small parts but
can run 10" center to center on the Y axis (20" total). I'm not sure
but I don't think even the NC-15 can do that. I'm sorely in need of
the 145 oz/inch motors as I feel I'm loading up the ones I have with
initial starting inertia. Oh well, they were cheap and by the time
they fry I'll already have the larger servos.
I'm currently working on a digitising probe for the machine as I was
sorely disappointed by the one made by MaxNC. I'm already running a
prototype and it works great (after about 20 hours of tests). Unlike
the Max probe, it has overtravel protection (all stop) for the probe
tip and also runaway protection in the Z axis. I'm fine-tuning my
digitising software now (already has Y-X and Y-X scan) to accomodate
center-out-spiral and out-in & around, edge follow on multiple Z-
plane scanning techniques. The post-processing tool-path optimization
is being a pain in the butt but so far I can eliminate about 60% of
the redundant moves by moving the "roughing" stage clear to the
bottom of the mill (normally done by the "finishing" tool). It has
the capability of unlimited probe tips by mounting any 1/8" shank
diameter "bit" in it for an exact scan-to-mill capability. Given what
I've got in it, I should be able to offer the probe + software at
about $150-175 total.
Anyways, that' about what I'm doing now... Isn't this a great hobby?!
Regards,
Tracy Norris
mods)
OUCH!!!!!!!!!!! ModelMaster quoted a mere $7500 for the ArtCam
package! Goodness! Guess not many "hobbiests" will have THAT package!
I know I'll never be able to afford it! hehehehe
As for the Techno-Isel slides on the NC-10, yep! They are working
great but took me almost half a day to get the tensions (dovetail
adj) correct. The motors are very, very close to losing a step (70
oz/inch). They pretty much bolted right on as the hole mounts for
the "legs" on the Y slide are pre-milled & threaded (must be an
industry standard or something). Only thing I had to do was drill the
holes in the Y slide so the Z axis slide could mount to it. Longer
leadscrews (threaded rod from the hardware store) took care of the
rest. The X axis slide bolted right on, not much there.
In the group list you mentioned limited "reach" (Y-) of the Y axis
and you are correct about that, even though I have a 20" long table
effective Y depth was still 4.5 inches. Seemed ashamed to lose all
that Y axis so I milled several 2" thick aluminum "spacer blocks" to
fit between the Spindle mount and Z axis slide. You would think this
would "wobble" or throw out the Y & X accuracy (like I thought it
would) but it's VERY stable. I've had as many as three 2" blocks
mounted behind the spindle head and it works great (Y- travel goes up
to 10.5" using this technique). I can still mill the small parts but
can run 10" center to center on the Y axis (20" total). I'm not sure
but I don't think even the NC-15 can do that. I'm sorely in need of
the 145 oz/inch motors as I feel I'm loading up the ones I have with
initial starting inertia. Oh well, they were cheap and by the time
they fry I'll already have the larger servos.
I'm currently working on a digitising probe for the machine as I was
sorely disappointed by the one made by MaxNC. I'm already running a
prototype and it works great (after about 20 hours of tests). Unlike
the Max probe, it has overtravel protection (all stop) for the probe
tip and also runaway protection in the Z axis. I'm fine-tuning my
digitising software now (already has Y-X and Y-X scan) to accomodate
center-out-spiral and out-in & around, edge follow on multiple Z-
plane scanning techniques. The post-processing tool-path optimization
is being a pain in the butt but so far I can eliminate about 60% of
the redundant moves by moving the "roughing" stage clear to the
bottom of the mill (normally done by the "finishing" tool). It has
the capability of unlimited probe tips by mounting any 1/8" shank
diameter "bit" in it for an exact scan-to-mill capability. Given what
I've got in it, I should be able to offer the probe + software at
about $150-175 total.
Anyways, that' about what I'm doing now... Isn't this a great hobby?!
Regards,
Tracy Norris