Re: Z axis drive

> All the commercial VMCs I've worked on use hydraulic or pneumatic
> counterbalencing on the Z axis, usually hydraulic and with the
> cylinder in a 2:1 compound arangment with chains like on a forklift.
> Reduces the inertia problem since the counterballance is some chain
> and a piston as opposed to a giant weight.
>
> Pete C.
>

Hmmm, my Shizuoka B-3V bedmill does not use a counterweight for the Z
axis, and the z axis alone probably weighs 1000lbs. I wonder why?

I think it has some clutch arrangement to prevent the z axis from
falling when the servo is off.

I wonder if adding a counterweight would be beneficial to my
mill...hmmm....