Re: Electronic Lead Screw & Power Cross Feed | Poor CNC ?

> The ELS is a perfect solution to eliminate all the noise, wear and
> other problems associated with the change gear set. When I did the
> DC Conversion, it turned out to be a great improvement in the
> usability of the 9x20...I sure hope the ELS turns out to be the same
> sort of improvement. (of course, for the amount of threading I do, I
> could just hook up a windshield wiper motor and rheostat to the
> leadscrew and have 90% of the capability...haha)
>
> Tom

I think this sums it up.

Eleminate the change gears.

I cut mostly aluminum so would like to be able to adjust the feed rate
and I cut stainless. I need two feed rates at any particular time.

Putting a stepper or servo or even a windshild motor on the leadscrew
an then a speed pot would handle about 98% of my needs.

but if I can add a simple interface to the mix, then presto !
electronic leadscrew.


Now, also considder that one does the add. It will be a servo or
stepper almost exclusivly.

And that is step #1 towards full CNC.

And, like any machine, once you automate one axis....

I would like to see a second axis with the ability to do tapers.

So, now we have an adjustable feed, a thread cutting ability and taper
turning.

The machine becomes much more useful, but not more valuable. I think
someone would pay a lot for a CNC machine than one with motorized axes.

OK, back to the natural progression.

I am up to 2 axes. now, I want A DRO. that will cost another $500 so
at that point, one must ponder the pocketbook. buy yet another
stand-alone feature, or convert to CNC.

If you do like may of us, look at a thing and see the next up-grade,
then watching e-bay for those ballscrews would be on the list at some
point.

But, considder that the project is open-source and really the key
element is the software.

timing of the leadscrew to the spindle is not particularly hard and
even the question of opening the half nuts is a non-issue.

all threading would be done easily. by indexing the spindle and
leadscrew, there would be a natural allignment. by having the
operator using the threading dial, any thread could be cut.

Even if electronic stops were used to stop the leadscrew, the
relationship between spindle and screw would be pretty easy to
maintain. all the software would have to know is how many revolutions
the spindle and leadscrew are apart. say the leadscrew needed to
match the spindle only once in 8 revolutions. then when the F-stop
(electronic Feed switch) were hit, the leadscrew would stop and the
software would start counting revolutions. Just 1 to 8 and then 1 to
8 and so-on. then at 1, the two axes engaged again.

that means the ease of use is there.

Of course, that would need to be done on a per-thread basis but I
don't see that as an impossibility. it may be extraudinarilly high for
some threads.

or, it my require that some threads have the spindle also stop and
then reverse the operator would retract the cross slide and re-start.

Dave