Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: robotic workcell design

Hi Rick;

Don't miss the other reply that I've made.

Basically I believe a good machine can be had for $2000. Maybe not all
the capabilities that one would want in such a machine but usable none
the less.

With things lkke this you do have to be careful as costs can sky
rocket. The thing to do here is to get a McMaster-Carr catalog and a
MSC catalog to start. Keep an eye on references to other suppliers
here and at other groups. The issue of using new parts does make the
project a bit tougher in the sense of hitting the price point and still
producing a good machine but I do believe it is possible. The issue
from my standpoint is finding the techniques that will allow the machine
to be produced in a home by someone with limited tooling and I'm
assuming limited skills.

This is where I think it may pay to come up with a unique solution that
may rely on casted or molded parts. Casted and molded in the sense of
fiberglass resins and similar materials. There can be an argument
made that the craft of casting metal would be of benefit, but that may
be a bit much for the intended audience. The goal being to find a
stiff but low cost base for the rest of the machine to be built upon.
Once you can figure out how to build a base with the very limited set of
tools mentioned, the rest becomes a cake walk. As far as the
individual parts it will probally come down to what is cheapest that
gets the job done.

While an article would be nice the only practical way for me to pursue
that right now would be as a full time job. To much happenign to even
build my own at the moment.

Thanks
Dave


skykotech wrote:

>One other thing. I was not asking for an existing design I could
>plagiarize, rather I was interested in finding out if you guys
>thought there was even a remote chance a complete gantry design could
>be realized for $2000.00 and if so, what limitations that price point
>would place on it. (travel, belt drive vs ballscrew, linear rails
>and carriages vs shafting and frelon bearings, etc.).
>
>If anyone has an existing mechanical design that would fit the bill,
>perhaps we could do a joint article where I work on the electronics,
>software and end application (machine vision and pickup tool for
>example).
>
>Thanks,
>
>Rick
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