Re: WTB small 3 axis CNC for microscopic 3d inspection

Tom,

Should have thought of this before....

If you only need an inch of travel you could use micrometer barrels
for screws and they would easily be turned by very small steppers.
You could use simple springs or rubber bands to control backlash.
Linear bearings may be the toughest part since you really need
something very small. If you can work out the bearings you might
even acheave .0001" resolution.

Jack

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, Tom Hubin <thubin@...> wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> I am an optical and electrical engineer. I am developing a Mach3
plugin
> for 3d optical scanning. I am not finished with it but I am pleased
with
> how it is coming along.
>
> Due to health problems I am limited to projects that require very
little
> exertion. So I am moving toward smaller and smaller machines.
Especially
> since I like to transport them to demos and shows for training.
>
> So I want to build a very small 3d scanning system. Maybe an inch of
> travel for each axis. Maybe less than 10 pounds.
>
> http://www.thorlabs.com/thorProduct.cfm?partNumber=PT3-Z7 is
something
> like I had in mind. Weight less than 7 pounds. I don't need the
> accuracy. Probably 0.0001 inch resolution would be good enough.
Maybe
> even 0.001 inch would be adequate.
>
> This is pricey at $2k without electronics. I hope to find something
like
> this used for maybe half that price.
>
> Then add motor drive electronics and my own camera/laser
combination.
> Plug it in to the parallel port and run it with Mach3.
>
> I will be watching ebay. Any other suggestions for where to shop
for a
> small and lightweight 3 axis motorized stage for less than $1k?
>
> Tom Hubin
> thubin@...
> _
>