Appreciate the very specific and well thought out feedback, Louie and Gerry.
I tried my best to merge some of the changes that you guys suggested as well as some of my own geometric refinements.
So, here is the 2nd version of the design...
Front view:
http://i.imgur.com/Ik9s7uV.jpg
Attachment 366286
Back view:
http://i.imgur.com/iKuChuA.jpg
Attachment 366288
Below are the changes I made:
- Most important of all, altered the geometry so that the rails and ballscrews are protected. This also simplified the Gantry side plate design a lot!
- Gantry side plates now are 20 mm thick (instead of 15 mm).
- Strengthened the X-axis (i.e., the horizontal "gantry axis") by using 80 x 160 mm aluminum profile instead of 40 x 160.
- Replaced ballscrews with 20 size (instead of 16), and linear bearings + rails with HGH20 size (instead of HGH15).
- Added a fixed bearing block (with AC bearings) for Z-axis ballscrew (previously it was fully floating beneath the shaft coupler).
- Added two more linear bearings (HGH15) for Z-axis.
Feedback?
I hope this one is OK to start assembling!