I am a lighting manufacturer that is trying to build a mach3 controlled  x axis manual kick punch press.  I need to measure the length of the door frame with some type of sensors and then determine what length it is, then get the spacing of the holes required and move the product in the x axis to the 1st location and stop while I punch the hole. (like a tool change)  Once punched I need to tell it to go to the next location  (like a tool change) and then punch the next hole. and on....
http://fineartlight.com/cncpunch/cncpunch.jpg

My door frames have holes 7- 9" O.C depending on it's length and have lots of various size.  for example my 12" has two holes,  18" with three holes, 22" with three holes...  etc.....

Each part has a tolerance of +- 1/8"  of it's size and floats in the opening of the light.  When attached to the x axis I do not have an accurate way of attaching this each part needs to be measured and then moved to the correct starting position.

Any ideas on how to do this?

David Munson
FineArtLight LLC
Manchester, MO
David.Munson@FineArtLight.com

Do you want the machine to actually move the part or do that yourself?

If it were mine i would be looking at some type of linear motion - a beam with a sliding member on it connected to a belt maybe, the belt would be driven by a stepper motor for ease of build, once calibrated as to the position of the moving part which also has an end-stop on it, you just slide the metal in tell it to go to the first stop, push your stock up against the end-stop, punch, the punch process would trigger the next index move, you then slide material against stop, punch, repeat.

Its just an indexing end-stop, would only need one axis, could possibly be done with a PLC, but Mach would allow you to load files with preset stop positions in it - just load file press start and throw the metal at it all day.

Or if you want the machine to pull the metal in, then you need a little more power maybe, plus add an air gripper to the indexing stop, now you can just load a bar of stock, press run and watch. Naturally, what happens when the punch jams or takes a dump or whatever has to be dealt with too And you will certainly want two-hand start buttons for safety.

Nice little project

I originally thought the idea would be to "measure the part" and then "move the part" but due to the difficulty of holding the part maybe your idea of moving the end stop and me moving the part would be better.  I will have to ponder that one.

Thanks for the idea......

David Munson