[Kroko]

I think that this machine needs its own thread.

My first machine was described here. But I think it is better if I start new thread. After all, everything will be new.

I received MIG welding machine for last Christmas so I decided that main frame will be from steel. Other parts will be from aluminum because it is easier for me to machine them. Like always I'll try to make everything myself. There are some parts on this machine that will be made by someone else.

Main design guides were:

• linear rails
• ball-screws
• servo motors
• working table size 600mm x 900mm
• rotational 4th axis
• heaviest piece must have less than 100kg so that two persons can carry it
• biggest piece must be go through 80cm wide door
• there must be room for automatic tool changer
• must be possible to use different motors without big modifications
• assembly must be easy with all screws accessible
• alignments and tuning must be easy with clear reference points

Machine will be controlled with new CNC USB Controller from PlanetCNC.

[Kroko]

It started with welding of steel frame.

[Kroko]

10mm thick steel is welded to main frame. This will be grinded later so that X axes will be level and parallel.

[Kroko]

Support for tabele is welded. First time I wasn't careful and it twisted because of heat. Second one was better.

[Kroko]

This is second table which is straight now.
Whole thing will be heated in big oven and slowely cooled down to release any internal stress. I think this process is called annealing.

I must also start working on new CNC USB Controller which will be used with this machine.

[awerby]

That certainly looks like a heavy-duty table! But how does it accomodate the rotary 4th axis? Combination 3 and 4-axis designs I've seen that can handle the largest stock pieces usually have an open channel down the middle so that the travel of the Z-axis is used most effectively, with the rotary axis running close to the surface of the table. If you just mount the rotary table on the surface, you take up half of your effective cutting area unnecessarily.

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

[Kroko]

You're right. This will actually be 3 axis machine with optitional 4th axis mounted on surface.

[Kroko]

PCBs for new controller. They look great in red color.

[Kroko]

After heat treatment frame is painted with base color.
I don't know why frame is upside down on all pictures :-)

[jsheerin]

Any more details on the stress relieving (heat treating)? I want to do this on my mill. Most people here ignore this step if they weld their frame, so if you can provide more details I'm sure people would be interested.

[Kroko]

I can't really tell much about stress relieving. This was done by a company which is specialized for this www.steel.si

[mcphill]

Call a heat treating facility, they should be able to help you out for a couple hundred bucks.

[Fish4Fun]

Kroko,

WOW! Looking GREAT! I have MIG, TIG, Plasma, but as a hobbyist, my welds NEVER look that good! I want to do what you are doing SO BADLY, but right now my "shop" is a 40' shiipping container already full with other things, but in a couple of years I hope to build a 50ft x 100ft shop that I can work on COOL machines like you are building. For now I am the recent owner of a small 8inx11in CNC router that I hope primarily to do PCB work with, but when I "dream", I dream about a full 9' x 5' cnc plasma table with a 10"x50" Bridgeport cnc mill and a 13"x60" cnc lathe.....(as a hobbyist LOL). The good news is I have the land, the bad news is I have another 2 years of college to pay for so my son will have a good opportunity of chasing his own dreams.

NICE WORK! I look forward to following your thread!

Fish

[Kroko]

Thank you all for your support.

Thicker steel, that was welded on frame, is milled. This was done in machine shop with VERY LARGE mill. Machine is moved indoors to its designated spot.
Everything should be square or parallel now.

Linear rails for X axis are mounted and everything is measured.

You also can see my small BF20 mill on images. It will be used to make other parts for this machine. And when this machine is finished I'll convert it to CNC.

[zool]

The base and frame, and the way you construed it and then heat treat shows great attention to detail.

I like it.

Look forward to seeing the rest!

[zool]

This is a good introduction to heat treating welds, both pre-weld and post-weld.

What The Welding Inspector Should Know About Preheating And Postweld Heat Treatment

[Kroko]

I use my BF20 mill to make parts from aluminium.

[Kroko]

What a mess...

[voltsandbolts]

Mess, Where? That's clean and neat compared to my shop.

Nice build.

[Kroko]

Parts for X axis ball nut.

I used masing tape on nut so that balls don't escape. I heard it is very hard to put them back in.