Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] 3-axis machine configurations

On Tue Feb 5 21:05:27 2002, Carlos Guillermo, <carlos@...> wrote:

>Just for the sake of discussion, I wonder what everyone thinks of
>the various possible axis configurations for a 3-axis CNC machine.
>I know if any of you are like me, you've spent way too long trying
>to decide on the perfect configuration for your "iron". Here are
>some of the layouts I've seen:
>
>1. knee mill (ala Bridgeport)
>2. bed-type mill (as in many vertical machining centers, and some
>horizontal machining centers)
>3. moving gantry (as in many wood routers)
>4. bridge-type (portal design?) with moving table and vertical
>slide mounted to cross-slide on bridge
>5. bridge-type with moving table, "cutting" head mounted to
>cross-slide, and vertical axis accomplished by raising and
>lowering the cross-slide with a 2 screws (like in some jig
>grinders?)
>6. gantry type, but with cantilevered cross-slide (some make of
>router?)
>7. stationary table, with traveling column (like in some really
>huge 3-5 axis mills)
>8. knee mill with ram-type y-axis (like some Deckels)
>9. inverted vertical lathe
>10. (insert your own here)
>
>The list could go on and on. I'm curious about the perceived pros
>and cons of each layout, and if there is an optimum combination to
>be found in terms of travels, stiffness, cost, compactness,
>flexibility of workpiece sizes, reconfigurability of "cutting"
>head, etc. I want a machine to be capable of everything,
>including:
>- metal cutting, including steel
>- hot wire foam cutting
>- surface grinding
>- wire EDMing
>- sinker EDMing
>- horizontal boring
>- lathe turning
>- jig grinding
>- glue dispensing
>- engraving
>- plasma cutting
>- etc,etc
>all with minimal changeovers or modifications.
>
>I could have finished many projects in the time I've spent
>evaluating and sketching different configurations. It's kind of
>fun, though; a nice mental exercise (the things we think about to
>relax...)
>
>Or am I just alone on this??
>
>Carlos Guillermo
>VERVE Engineering & Design

Hi Carlos;

The problem here is that the more jobs you want to hang on this machine, the
fewer jobs it will be able to do really well. You might be able to get two or
three jobs working really well, and with work, a few more, but the more
complexity, the more problems you'll see. Vertical mills seem to be regarded as
the most versatile, but no one configuration is perfect in all ways.

That being said, don't hold back from trying to make your version of the,
"ultimate machine", as you might just come up with one, or at least one that
does more than anyone else has built to date.

Bill

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