Upper limit of weight for Gantry and Y-car assembly

[Sheldon Dingwall]

Does anyone have an idea of the upper limit for combined weight for the gantry and y-car including spindles?

Or even how to calculate the limit?

[Gerald_D]

There is no limit....http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/clipart/happy.gif

There are 3 main factors for this consideration:

1. Acceleration and decel. rates that the operator would be happy with. If you can live with a slowly accelerating gantry and a long stopping distance, then the gantry can have a high inertia or mass.

2. The increased friction on the rails caused by the heavier mass.

3. whether the motor system has the torque to overcome the inertia and friction mentioned above.

You can always accept more mass if you can boost the torque. For a given torque, you can increase mass until the system becomes too sluggish for your taste, or until the friction bogs it down altogether.

Calculating it for a given system is a waste of time. Rather just load dummy mass (bricks, whatever) onto the system and see what it copes with.

[Sheldon Dingwall]

"Calculating it for a given system is a waste of time. Rather just load dummy mass (bricks, whatever) onto the system and see what it copes with."

I was thinking that might be the best way to go.

Thanks Gerald.