RE : RE : [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] new picture on home page ?

> -----Message d'origine-----
> De : CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com] De la part de John Dammeyer
> Envoyé : mars 7 2007 17:27
> À : CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
> Objet : RE: RE : [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] new picture on home page ?
>
>
> How are you adjusting your rails so they are perfectly
> parallel in both horizontal and vertical planes?
>
> John Dammeyer

Woodworking techniques and basic geometry. I'm not set up for metalwork, a
rectangular board placed between the rods will keep them parallel. The
supports at both ends are precisely drilled using a jig, that takes care of
vertical alignment. I have about 0.001" difference between both ends of
those 30" rods, I'm quite satisfied with that.

Another board placed at 90degrees across the width of the first board will
align the next axis. I am only concerned with keeping the X and Y true to
each other. They will be suspended upside down in a frame. The alignment
for the Z axis will be done using basically the same technique. This should
give you a better idea of what I am planning:
http://www.xavierkamial.com/CNC/3%20axis%20v2.JPG

Alignment relative to the base is the easiest part. Just shove a router bit
on there and flatten the surface by jogging all over the place. I'm not
worried if the out-of-bounds areas are slightly not true. They're only
going to be used for holding clamps, tool changers and stuff like that.

The red translucent plate is the Z axis. I inverted the motor mounting
technique relative to the X and Y axis. The motor will move along with the
Z with the nut anchored on the back green support. The idea was to keep the
engine totally shielded behind the Z plate in case of an unexpected
projectile, but that idea is still theory at this point. It might just be
better leaving the motor on the green support and have some sort of case
over it, that would make for less moving cables (every moving cable adds the
possibility for trouble).

The Z axis will be a base plate with 4 corner pins (fixed threaded bushings
or something of the sort). Separate tools will be placed on plates with
matching holes and will be interchangeable. That way I can change from a
drilling spindle to a router to an engraver and so on.

I have an idea for a pick and place tool using soldering tweezers. I
thought of first passing on each pad with a standard iron that would melt a
drop of solder from a roll of tin. Then switching to the tweezers that
would pick the part and melt the solder as it places the part. A 2-step
operation might simplify things a lot more than trying to do everything at
once.

I want to play with as much automation as I can, profitability is not really
a concern. I just want to experiment all the different possiblities with a
multitool machine, making this come true is another reality. It is meant to
be a light duty CNC; wood, plastics and possibly soft metals with 16" of
travel for X and Y and 6" for Z. One thought is to use this machine to make
the parts for a much stronger one, but I'll start by version 1 and see how
things fly.

At least, that's the plan, one step at a time.

Robert
:)