[Bearhawk LSA]

Hello All,

I am considering buying an Avid Pro 4896 or 60120 and have a few questions. I already have some Clearpath Steppers and an S30 tool change spindle. My main use is to cut thin aluminum sheet for homebuilt airplane parts. Not a Bearhawk LSA as my name suggests but aircraft of my own design. Anyhow my main concern is the inaccuracy of the rack and trying to include rivet holes in some parts. Due to the inaccuracy, I would only add rivet holes to one side and not on the mating piece so that they can be match drilled using the cnc rivet hole as the guide on the other part. If the racks linear accuracy is as bad as I see on other straight tooth racks then I think this is a no go. However Dark aero is getting by somehow.

Another option would be to run linear encoders and I have some Renishaw RGH22 encoders lying around but seems no way to get the software to work with position maintenance and running to linear encoder counts. Unsure even if the Centroid Oak Controller would do it. The clearpath steppers are just step and direction Pseudo Servos but still better than stock steppers.

In my research I also found Atlanta drive systems which has a very accurate helical rack and matching low backlash gearhead. Anyone omit the AVID drive system and go with this? Anyone try their racks machined on the linear rails?

Anyone trying to cut thin sheet aluminum and can pass on any advice or lessons learned?

Thank You,

Marc

[koenbro]

I cut 1/8” 6061 all the time with an Avid pro 4824. Works well, use onsrud 1 flute cutters.


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