Hi,
I'm considering my options whilst designing a CNC router, which when I imagine what I want to create, largely happens to be in Aluminium, and largely is large! I also plan on using other materials, MDF, acrylic, etc. (No steel or hard metals!)
I want a build area of 500x500mm, and have settled on a Momus/CNCRouterParts type design using CRS and bearings. I have two main questions which I hope someone will have the answer to.
1) Will I get away with bolted Aluminium extrusions (8020 style?), or bolted steel box sections, or must I weld it, if so which method of welding?
I don't weld myself and would therefore need to outsource this.
I would hope to be able to cut through 10mm Aluminium without issues, with a decent finish and a reasonable DOC and feedrate.
2) Bearings on CRS vs Supported Rail vs Linear Guides (Sliders).
In my mind Bearings on CRS seems to be able to take the biggest load in all axes, is this right or is it the linear slides (typically speaking of course).
The hiwin rail has four rows of contact, the bearing system has four contact points but you can add pretty big preloads?
Any help would be greatly appreciated! I plan on conducting FEA but appreciate it's inaccuracies and actually how tough it is to turn values into realistic conditions. So I guess I'm more aiming these questions to mathematicians and those with experience with any of the above.
Thanks,
Tom
I'm considering my options whilst designing a CNC router, which when I imagine what I want to create, largely happens to be in Aluminium, and largely is large! I also plan on using other materials, MDF, acrylic, etc. (No steel or hard metals!)
I want a build area of 500x500mm, and have settled on a Momus/CNCRouterParts type design using CRS and bearings. I have two main questions which I hope someone will have the answer to.
1) Will I get away with bolted Aluminium extrusions (8020 style?), or bolted steel box sections, or must I weld it, if so which method of welding?
I don't weld myself and would therefore need to outsource this.
I would hope to be able to cut through 10mm Aluminium without issues, with a decent finish and a reasonable DOC and feedrate.
2) Bearings on CRS vs Supported Rail vs Linear Guides (Sliders).
In my mind Bearings on CRS seems to be able to take the biggest load in all axes, is this right or is it the linear slides (typically speaking of course).
The hiwin rail has four rows of contact, the bearing system has four contact points but you can add pretty big preloads?
Any help would be greatly appreciated! I plan on conducting FEA but appreciate it's inaccuracies and actually how tough it is to turn values into realistic conditions. So I guess I'm more aiming these questions to mathematicians and those with experience with any of the above.
Thanks,
Tom