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Author Topic: Boxford Tooling Plate, 4th Axis & CoolJet  (Read 10537 times)

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Re: Boxford Tooling Plate, 4th Axis & CoolJet
« Reply #10 on: April 17, 2009, 07:42:29 PM »
My DF4 is running an E-Sky receiver, Super Skids, Acro 280BB main motor, tower Pro servos and a 10C 2200 ma battery.
Still running a Plastic rotor but not the DF one.

Offline Dan13

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Re: Boxford Tooling Plate, 4th Axis & CoolJet
« Reply #11 on: April 18, 2009, 02:07:32 AM »
Simon,

Thanks for the details!

Wow... and that tiny rotor core... is it nice... Well done! I liked id. Was it fully made on the 4th axis with one setup?

How do you generate the gcode for the 4th axis?

What is the bore diameter through spindle? Did you make the housing out of steel?

I plan do build a 4th axis as well (to be used with my Emco F1), but I want to design it such that I can mount it both vertical and horizontal. I want the horizontal mounting mainly because I had to machine large disks few times, that were beyond the travel of my F1's Y axis (100mm).

What belt tooth profile did you use? I used Gates GT2, 5mm pitch on my Compact 5 servo spindle, and was stunned to discover it had backlash. I don't know if it's the way it should be. You can actually see the air gaps between the meshed teeth of the belt and pulley, which is not the case with MXL belts for example.

Daniel

Offline SimonD

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Re: Boxford Tooling Plate, 4th Axis & CoolJet
« Reply #12 on: April 18, 2009, 07:13:42 AM »
Daniel,

Yes the rotor core is made in one setup on the mill. The blank is turned onthe lathe to prepare the bottom diameter and that is used to hold it for all the other operations.
The whole core is roughed with a larger cutter and then finished with a 2mm slot drill. even the holes are drilled using the slot drill, the backlash on the mill is good enough to make even 2.5 or 3mm holes acceptable.

I haven't really generated 4th axis GCode. The GCode is "per side" in subroutines and I just rotate to the correct side, then call the subroutine, then rotate again and then call a different subroutine etc.

The spindle is not through bored. The housing is made from aluminium plate. I thought about making the spindle "universal" but decided to dedicate this to horizontal. It is in quite a nice position. Even at the extents of travel the chuck of the 4th axis only just touches the main spindle, so it is fairly "safe" and does not get in the way for any other operations, I can leave it on and don't need to set it up, it just sits there ready for use on a different machine offset.

The belt I used is Syncroflex T5 (5mm pitch) I have not tried to measure the backlash, there certainly doesn't "feel" to be any but I am sure there is some.

Thanks
Simon


Offline Dan13

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Re: Boxford Tooling Plate, 4th Axis & CoolJet
« Reply #13 on: April 18, 2009, 02:37:37 PM »
Simon,


Yes the rotor core is made in one setup on the mill. The blank is turned onthe lathe to prepare the bottom diameter and that is used to hold it for all the other operations.



It proves what a powerful tool a 4th axis is! Think could make the part without using a 4th axis?

I would really like a through bored spindle and I prefer a one that I can mount a chuck on. Know where I can find such?

If you say aluminum housing works well for you, then I think I'll go for aluminum as well.

Daniel

Offline SimonD

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Re: Boxford Tooling Plate, 4th Axis & CoolJet
« Reply #14 on: April 18, 2009, 03:24:56 PM »
I used to make the core with a manual 4th axis but it was very laborious as you had to be at the machine all the time to turn the part between each operation.

I don't know of any bored spindles for sensible money.
I have a 2 morse taper chuck adapter which could be mounted in the same way and a conventional 3 or 4 jaw screwed on. They are quite common as most of the small rotary tables have a 2MT hole in the middle.

Simon