| Author |
Message |
    
Steve M
Unregistered
| | Posted on Sunday, December 11, 2005 - 07:29 pm: | 
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Wayne Cordrey
Registered
Username: Waynec
Post Number: 7
Registered: 07-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 07:52 am: |
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Is there any particular reason to make the gantry a horizontal beam, as shopbots and the Mechmate does? By horizontal I mean that the gantry has two crossmembers that span the Y axis, and no posts at either end. The crossmembers form a box that rides on the plane of the X rails.
I notice that many heavy duty CNC routers use a single crossbeam mounted to a pair of posts. The resulting structure forms a vertical plane, perpendicular to the X axis plane.
I was thinking to make a vertical beam, mounted to posts at either end. The posts, of course, are attached to a base that rides the rails. I wanted to use two rectangular HSS tubes, and attach the Y rails to these. Essentially, it takes the horizontal box of the MechMate and rotates it 90 deg into a vertical plane, perpendicular to the X axis plane. The result would be a very solid mount for the Y car, and good Z axis clearance.
Any thoughts on one design over the other? I'm no engineer, so I often miss the benefits of one design over another.
Wayne |
Gerald_D
Registered
Username: Gerald_d
Post Number: 179
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 06:11 pm: |
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Wayne, think of a chair, or a table. The further the feet are apart, the more stable it becomes. Wide-splayed feet/legs are the most stable. The twin crossbeam gantry gives the y-car a wide support base. |
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