Re: Ball transfers?

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, codeSuidae <codesuidae@...> wrote:

>
> I wonder if anyone has any experience with using ball transfers in

place

> of an X-Y table or casters?
>
> When hand-guiding a machine on a free-rolling X-Y table there is some
> directional bias; it wants to move in the X or Y directions and not so
> much cross-ways. I'm considering picking up some ball transfers from
> McMaster-Carr to see if they would be more suitable for this kind of
> application. Before I spend the money on it I'm curious if anyone

who's

> used them might be able to comment on the idea.
>
> Thanks,
> Dave K
>

Not exactly related but at the Mach2006 I watched a rather nice laser
cutter (trumpf I think) where the sheet was moved around under a
stationary cutting head, rather than move a big bed it just moved the
sheet and it was supported outside of the cutting area on a matt of
brush like material, it seemed to work very well. But I guess that
might not really be enough support for what you are doing whatever it is.

Graham