CNCRouterParts

V-Con Linear Motion System

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:47:21 -0400

Introducing the

V-Con^* Linear Motion System

from CNC Router Parts!

^*patent pending

The V-Con Linear Motion System is the basis of the new PRO CNC line of CNC Machine kits and components from CNC Router Parts, offering a new level of robust design that allows users to build machines with higher speeds and better accuracy while making assembly and component sourcing easier than ever before!

The heart of the PRO line is our new V-Con clamp, which simplifies construction of linear motion axes by converting a commodity cold rolled steel bar into a 45 degree V-roller rail:

V-Con = Simplicity

Using commodity cold rolled steel for linear motion, V-Con eliminates the need for custom rails:

V-Roller Bearing

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:53:48 -0400

For use with our V-Con clamps, these standard W2 V-roller bearings feature dual angular contact bearings for both radial and axial load capacity. With a 3/8" bore, we offer these bearings with a variety of bushing options for both imperial and metric configurations.
Price: $9.50
New in: PRO Linear Motion Parts

PRO Gear Rack, 52"

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:39:47 -0400

Our PRO gear rack offers the same 20 pitch, 20 degree pressure angle gear rack used in our standard rack, but now features a welded mounting flange for easier installation, greater stiffness, and a lower profile than our rack clamp systems. Better yet, the flange spaces the rack off of the mounting surface by 0.125", allowing the full 1/2" face of the gear rack to engage with our rack and pinion drives for higher load capacity and longer gear life.

The gear rack sticks out just beyond the mounting flange, and is milled on the ends, allowing you to splice together multiple lengths for virtually unlimited travel.

For easy fastening to aluminum extrusion, choose our fastener option below, which includes roll-in t-nuts and M8 x 12mm button head cap screws. These allow you to quickly and securely attach the gear rack to your machine frame.

CAD Files and drawings coming soon.
Price: $70.00
New in: PRO Rack and Pinion Parts

Ballscrew Z Axis

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:29:31 -0400

Our ballscrew z axis provides higher resolution, greater speed, and higher load capacity than our standard ACME axis in a pre-assembled unit.

The unit is based on our own custom extrusion and our V-Con linear motion system, and has the following features:

5mm pitch rolled ballscrew for smooth motion and payloads of up to 25 kg.
Available stroke lengths of 8", 10", and 12"
Compatible with both Nema 23 and Nema 34 frame motors
40mm series t-slots for integration with our router and spindle mounts or other brackets for custom applications
Mounting holes for both new PRO kits and for retrofits onto any previous CRP kits using a high z plate

CAD files and drawings coming soon.
Price: $599.00
New in: Ballscrew Axis Parts

V-Con Clamp

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:33:33 -0400

Our V-Con clamps are at the heart of our newest generation of low-cost, high precision linear motion systems. These innovative clamps are used to hold a piece of 1/2" cold rolled steel at a 45 degree angle for use as a V-bearing way. Different cross sections of steel can be used for different applications. 1" x 1/2" steel provides clearance for our rack and pinion drives, while 3/4" x 1/2" steel can be used for low profile applications.

Kit Includes:

V-Con clamp
Locating pins (installed)
Roll-in t-nuts and screws for attachment to 40mm or 15 series extrusion

Drawings and CAD models will follow shortly.
Price: $7.50
New in: PRO Linear Motion Parts

Flange Nut M8

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:14:10 -0400

Used for attaching things to a M8 Bolt.
Price: $0.17
New in: Fasteners and Brackets

PC 7518 Router Mount

Fri, 03 May 2013 14:16:21 -0400

CNC Router Parts is pleased to offer a mount for the Porter Cable 7518 3.25 horsepower router. Machined from solid 2" thick aluminum, these mounts offer excellent rigidity and strength.

The mount comes with our router base adapter plate to connect to 15 series or 40mm series extrusion, and offers easy adjustability to tram your router -- just shim behind the locating pins on the base adapter plate. Also includes t-nuts and mounting hardware.
Price: $104.75
New in: Router and Spindle Mounts

Jason's CRP2448

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:57:46 -0400

Jason has built one of our 2448 kits, using our low inductance motor package, cable track kit, and Hitachi M12VC router mount. One of his first work pieces is an incredible 3D spider -- this was cut in multiple fixture setups in a program that ran almost 6 hours. He built his own wooden table and mounted in on a mobile caster base.

New in: CNC Router Parts Kit Builds

Cut2D CAM Software

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:42:34 -0400

Cut2D is designed to help Hobby CNC machine users convert CAD DXF and graphics designs into GCode / CNC Toolpaths for machining parts and components.

Priced for the Hobby user, Cut2D is affordable, easy to use software that's very functional and creates high quality CNC toolpaths for virtually all CNC machines.

Automatic cutter diameter compensation, machines designs precisely to size without having to worry about manually offsetting geometry for the cutter being used.

Fantastic, high quality colour shaded 3D Preview with realistic material types that show exactly what the job will look like when machined.

Cut3D is perfect for the following applications:

Automatically converts CAD drawings and Graphic designs to GCode / CNC Toolpaths.
Opens most industry standard 2D vector drawing formats DXF, EPS, AI & PDF file formats.
Pocket Machining with either raster or offset machining patterns, plus the option to ramp the cutter into the material.
Profile Machining-running the cutter around the outside, inside or on the selected geometry, with the option to ramp the cutter into the material.
Automatic cutter diameter compensation for toolpaths ensures parts are cut to the required size. Simply select the shapes and Cut2D compensates for the cutter diameter and shape.
Interactive Tab / Bridge placement to ensure parts are securely held in place when cutting from sheet material.
Automatic calculation for Outside and Inside cutting when multiple shapes are selected.
The option to Ramp the cutter into the job is very important when cutting hard materials because it reduces the load on the bottom of the cutter.
Drilling with option for Peck drilling cycle.
3D Colour and 2D wireframe toolpaths Previews shows exactly what the part will look like when machined.

Links:

Price: $149.00
New in: Software

Dirk's CRP4896 Build

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:27:14 -0400

Dirk has done an extensive build log and a complete video series on his build. Check out some pictures of his machine and the work he has done with it below, and visit his website, www.21stcenturywoodworking.com, for more pictures and the complete video series.

New in: CNC Router Parts Kit Builds

Ethernet SmoothStepper

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:17:06 -0500

If you wish to utilize a computer without a parallel port to control your CNC machine, our preferred solution is the Ethernet SmoothStepper.

This product provides a DSP (digital signal processor) that handles the precise timing of step and direction signals to motor drivers, and sits in between your PC and any breakout board you might use to communicate with your motor drivers and other IO (relays, sensors, etc.). It does not require any special software drivers, simply utilizing the standard ethernet driver provided by your operating system.

The Ethernet SmoothStepper supports up to (3) 25 pin ports worth of IO (simulates 3 parallel ports), interfaces nicely with the PMDX-126 card in our Nema 34 electronics systems, and comes with a convenient plugin for Mach3.

The Mach3 plugin can be downloaded at www.warp9td.com .
Price: $200.00
New in: Nema 23 CNC Electronics, Nema 34 CNC Electronics

3-Axis DIY Nema 34 Kit

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:21:57 -0500

For industrial users and the hobby builder who appreciates pro-grade equipment, CNC Router Parts is proud to introduce our new Nema 34 DIY kit.

This kit features top-grade components suitable for heavy machines, high-speed rapids, and deep cuts. Individual 7A rated Gecko drives are matched perfectly to our 7A motors, and our cabling solution makes for a polished and rugged connection system. The kit features the following:

3 960 oz-in Nema 34 motors for X, Y, and Z axes
3 Gecko G201x Motor Drivers
3 7A rated shielded motor cables (three 12' cables)
3 bulkhead connectors to mount in your own electrical enclosure
21A 48V power supply
NEW! PMDX-126 Multifunction breakout board. Details on this board are available here.

Note, this kit does take more wiring than a G540 based solution. We encourage you to give it a shot, and we're happy to offer advice on wiring, but you can also contact us for a quote on a pre-wired system, complete in a metal Nema enclosure. These take longer to produce (and cost more as well), but are available for those uncomfortable with the electronics side of CNC.

Mach3 XML Configuration Files
Price: $1,257.10
New in: Nema 34 CNC Electronics

PRO Rack and Pinion Drive, Nema 23

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:27:49 -0500

We've taken our hugely popular rack and pinion drive and made it even better! All of the important interfaces in the system have gotten an overhaul to make these drives easier to use and more accurate than before. Changes and updates include:

Gear drive spindles now feature super oilite bearings with matched precision ground shafting for higher accuracy.
We've replaced the plain bronze bushings at the pivot with a larger 3/4" diameter needle roller bearing and matched ground shaft to eliminate backlash and provide precision alignment with the gear rack.
We've replaced the spring and turnbuckle tensioning system with our new PRO tension system, which moves the tension spring further out on our carriages for easier access and greater control.

Better yet, we've made all of these changes compatible with existing drives -- if you already have one of our R&P units, and want to upgrade your drive to a PRO drive, just purchase a PRO upgrade package .

Package includes:

Rack and Pinion drive plate
Needle roller bearing pivot and precision ground shaft
Motor pulley (select from 1/4" or 3/8" bores below)
Super Oilite bearing drive spindle, with 20 tooth gear and 60 tooth timing pulley and matched precision ground shaft
Timing belt
Motor mounting screws and nuts
Pro-tension kit

Motor not included.
Pair this drive system with our 320 oz-in 2.8 mH Nema 23 Stepper Motor, 3/8" Shaft for superior machine performance.
(our 1/4" shaft Nema 23 Stepper Motors are also available)

Gear Rack:

Our R&P drives interface with 20 pitch, 20 degree pressure angle gear rack, which we offer in convenient spliceable sections:

Simply mount rack to the extrusion underneath the rail using our innovative rack clamps and combine lengths of rack to get the travel you desire.

Price: $104.50
New in: PRO Rack and Pinion Parts

PRO Rack and Pinion Drive, Nema 34

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:27:02 -0500

Gear drive spindles now feature super oilite bearings with matched precision ground shafting for higher accuracy.
The new spindles also now feature a 64 tooth pulley, offering higher resolution and incredible low end torque via a 3.2:1 reduction. With two of these drives and our Nema 34 960 oz-in motors, your machine will put out over 600 pounds of force at low speeds.
We've replaced the plain bronze bushings at the pivot with a larger 3/4" diameter needle roller bearing and matched ground shaft to eliminate backlash and provide precision alignment with the gear rack.
We've replaced the older Nema 34 tensioning options with our new PRO tension system, which moves the tension spring further out on our carriages for easier access and greater control.

Better yet, we've made all of these changes compatible with existing drives -- if you want to upgrade your R&P drive to a PRO drive, just purchase a PRO upgrade package or individual PRO components.

Package includes:

Rack and Pinion drive plate
Needle roller bearing pivot and precision ground shaft
1/2" bore Motor pulley
Super Oilite bearing drive spindle, with 20 tooth gear and 60 tooth timing pulley and matched precision ground shaft
New 275 mm timing belt
Motor mounting screws and nuts
Pro-tension kit

Motor not included.
Pair this drive system with our 960 oz-in Nema 34 Motor for superior machine performance.

Gear Rack:

Our R&P drives interface with 20 pitch, 20 degree pressure angle gear rack, which we offer in convenient spliceable sections:

Simply mount rack to the extrusion underneath the rail using our innovative rack clamps and combine lengths of rack to get the travel you desire.

Price: $149.75
New in: PRO Rack and Pinion Parts

Josh's CRP2448 Machine

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:02:33 -0500

Josh has completed a 2448 build using our 2448 kit, our 4 axis electronics kit, and our cable track. He's made his own unique guide tray system for the cable track, along with a classy wooden base for his machine. Check out more photos below!

New in: CNC Router Parts Kit Builds

Mike's Custom 4 x 8 Machine

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:59:06 -0500

Mike has built a 4x8 machine of his own design using a lot of our parts, including our Nema 23 rack and pinion drives, linear carriages, and Nema 23 electronics package. He's making some interesting parts already!

New in: Other / Custom Builds

Oldham Zero Backlash Couplers

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 18:47:20 -0500

CNC Router Parts is pleased to introduce our new zero backlash Oldham style couplers. These couplers offer higher load capacity than our helical couplers, while still providing zero backlash and compensation for angular misalignment. Two clamping style aluminum hubs fit snugly around an engineered plastic core for customizable input and output shaft sizes to meet your needs.

The units fit in all CNC Router Parts acme axes, and measure 32mm in diameter by 39mm in length.
Price: $21.50
New in: ACME Drive Parts

David's CRP4848

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 09:20:36 -0500

David has built our CRP4848 machine using our leg kit, cable track kit, and Nema 23 electronics. He's also done a nice job installing dust collection and a t-track table for work hold down.

New in: CNC Router Parts Kit Builds

Rich Wands' CRP4896

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:48:09 -0500

Rich Wands has quietly built one of our CRP4896 kits, and is using it and our 4 axis Nema 23 electronics kit to make some great workpieces, including stamps, storage boxes, and some very intricate furniture. Check out more of his work and some pictures of his router at Rich Wands Designs.

New in: CNC Router Parts Kit Builds

PRO R&P Instructions

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 10:23:09 -0500

These instructions go through the steps required to assemble your CNC Router Parts PRO rack and pinion drive. While the majority of the photos shown are for our Nema 34 rack and pinion drive, most of the same steps apply for the Nema 23. Any special cases that apply differently for the Nema 23 are shown separately.

If you are using the PRO drive with CNC Router Parts extended linear carriages, the first step in setting up your rack and pinion drive is actually to modify the extended carriage to which it will mount. This requires simply replacing one of the bolts through one of the fixed (non-adjustable) bearings, as shown in the photos below. Remove the 30 mm bolt, and replace it with the supplied 40mm bolt so that it sticks out the back of the carriage. This bolt provides a mounting point for the EZ-tension system included in the PRO drive. Once this is done, install the carriage on your machine as normal before proceeding with the rest of these instructions.

Once your carriage is configured, the actual R&P installation can begin. The next step is to mount the supplied pulley to your motor.

You will want to set the height of the pulley such that it aligns fairly well with the mating pulley on the drive spindle (combined gear and pulley component) when installed, and so that it does not stick out so far that it risks interfering with a rack clamp. Approximate positions of the Nema 34 and Nema 23 pulleys with respect to the motor boss are shown below:

Nema 34 pulley spacing

Nema 23 pulley spacing

Once the pulley is installed, you can attach the motor loosely to the rack and pinion drive plate. First, align the hex nuts in the slots on the back side of the rack and pinion plate, and place it on top of the motor.

Once these are in place, install the socket head cap screws into the hex nuts. Do not tighten them completely at this time, as the motor needs to be able to slide freely to install the belt.

Next, place the drive spindle spacer washer on top of the drive plate. Note, for the Nema 34 system, this is a thin flat washer, while for the Nema 23, this is a thicker lock washer – see pictures below:

Nema 34 Spindle Washer

Nema 23 Spindle Washer

Place the drive spindle on top of the washer, and install the belt around both the motor pulley and the drive spindle.

Next, install the drive spindle shaft using a large flat head screwdriver. Note, this shaft needs to be tightened all the way down until no more rotation is possible. For the Nema 23 spindle, there will be some resistance to spinning the drive spindle until the shaft is fully installed, which will flatten out the lock washer.

Nema 34

The PRO Nema 23 spindles use a washer near the head of the spindle shaft.
This washer is not used with the Nema 34 PRO spindles.

Nema 23

At this point, it is time to apply tension to the belt. A quick clamp can be very helpful here, and will allow you to apply tension to the belt and hold it in place while you tighten the mounting screws underneath.

You are now ready to mount the drive to your linear carriages or other linear bearing system. To do so, align the PRO pivot with the tapped hole in the carriage for the pivot bolt, and then insert the pivot shaft and tighten with a wrench.

Next, install the tension system brackets. Attach the drive tension bracket to the R&P plate using the supplied bolt. Attach the carriage tension bracket to the extended 40mm bolt using the supplied hex flange nut.

Drive tension bracket

Carriage tension bracket

Lastly, install the two M8 washers and tension spring onto the tension shaft, and connect this arrangement through the carriage tension bracket into the threaded portion of the drive tension bracket.

Your completed assembly should look something like the following:

Once you install the system on your machine, tighten the tension bolt until you get solid engagement between the rack and the pinion gear. The amount of tension you apply depends on the mass of your system, the acceleration settings you use, and the torque of your motors. More tension will provide more resistance to the pinion gear popping out of the gear rack, but can also accelerate wear on the pinion, so make sure to leave at least some travel in the spring.
New in: Instructions & Configuration

Grunblau Platform CNC Parts Bundle

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 16:08:46 -0500

CNC Router Parts has teamed up with Grunblau Design to offer our newest parts bundle for Brian Oltrogge's Platform CNC 48" x 30" router!

When Brian set out to design the Platform CNC, he wanted to make a simple bolt together, plug and play machine with an elegant solution for linear motion. He turned to us for many of the mechanical components, as well as our plug and play 4-Axis G540 stepper kit for the electronics. CNC Router Parts is also able to offer all of the required aluminum extrusions already cut to length and tapped for easy assembly in this kit.

With the components included in this bundle, the smaller parts in the supplied BOM from Grunblau, and the fabricated steel and aluminum kit from Grunblau, you can build a very robust, 30” X 48” dual drive machine.

Please note, this is NOT a complete kit, but does contain all of the parts Brian recommends purchasing from us.

What's included:

T-slot Aluminum Extrusions (tapped for easy assembly)
Gecko G540 4 axis stepper motor driver
(4) NEMA 23 320 oz in low inductance motors for increased speed
48V 12.5A switching power supply
(4) High-performance flexible motor cables: (2) 6', (1) 12' and (1) 20' cable
10 Foot Parallel Port Cable
(16) V-Groove Bearings and Bushing Kits
(8) Bearing Blocks and Covers
(4) Dumpster ACME Nuts (5 Start)
(4) Oldham Style Motor Couplers
(9) 1/2" Needle Thrust Bearing Kits
(5) 1/2" Shaft Collars
Emergency Stop Switch
(6)Limit Switches

What's not included:

The fabricated steel and aluminum components available at Grunblau Design Studio
Various fasteners and hardware outlined in the BOM (also available from Grunblau, above)
Routing spindle and corresponding mount
Computer
CAD, CAM or Mach 3 software
Cable management. We have individual cable track segments available for sale in our accessories section, but Brian is still developing the optimal solution for this kit.

For more information on this kit and its development, check out the CNC Zone Build Thread where it all started!
Price: $1,595.00
New in: Other Kits and Parts Bundles

Chuck's CRP2448

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:09:04 -0500

Chuck has built a 2x4 machine using our complete mechanical kit and 4 axis Nema 23 electronics kit. He's done a great job building a heavy duty torsion box base. His build log is available on CNCZone.

New in: CNC Router Parts Kit Builds

Proximity Limit Switch Instructions

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:55:24 -0500

Overview

Thanks for purchasing our inductive Proximity Limit Switch Kit. This guide goes through the physical setup of the switches, wiring, and setup in Mach 3. These sensors will be used to accomplish multiple functions, both as limits (if you desire) and as homing switches that allow your machine to return to a known location and coordinate system after a power down or other event that causes it to lose position.

While these switches can work with Nema 23 setups using the G540, this requires use of a terminal block and 12V power supply to power the switches, available as a Compatibility Upgrade, wiring instructions found here.

Physical Installation

The switches are intended to mount to the bumpers of your machine using the provided brackets. Position the sensors such that the face is roughly even with the edge of the rubber bumper. The sensors have approximately a 4mm sensing distance, so if they are recessed slightly from the bumpers, this will still work and will protect the sensors in the event of a crash.

When installing the sensors, the physical connection of the kit should be set up such that you have 3 sensors mounted to the machine base (CRP110 assembly), and 2 sensors attached to the gantry. See the following diagram:

If your directions are defined differently, homing will still work. However, there are two key factors to insure an easy installation:

The home switches for the X axis and the X prime axis must be on the same end of the machine, as the machine will be moving both X and X prime in tandem until the switches are tripped.
Both home switches should be at the minus end of the X axis travel, as the machine will define this limit as X = 0 when the sensor is tripped.

Wiring

Once the switches are physically in place, the next task is to connect the cables to the sensors and to your electronics. The example below shows how to accomplish this with our pre-wired kits, which use our panel mountable Input Breakout Board. However, the same wiring can be made directly to the PMDX-126 card if you have a DIY kit.

The sensors included can run off of regulated or unregulated DC power, and are rated for 5-30 VDC. The PMDX-126 requires 5V logic. If you are using a pre-wired kit, 5V regulated power is wired to the Input Breakout Board from the PMDX, and should be selected by moving the red jumper on the back of the board to the “5V” position, as shown below (this will require unplugging and opening your enclosure):

At this point, it’s time to wire the switches into your system. You will be using 3 total inputs for 5 sensors. The X+ and X- sensors will share an input, as will the Y+ and Y-. The slave X sensor will have its own input – this allows the machine to auto-square. While the shared signals can be broken out into separate signals, it typically is not important to know whether you have hit a positive or negative limit, just that you have hit a limit. The shared signal arrangement makes the best use of the limited inputs on a single parallel port, as only 5 total inputs are available, and one of these is used for the emergency stop switch.

If you purchased a pre-wired kit with an Input Breakout Board, you will use the supplied 3 pin connectors to wire up the sensors. The sensors follow standard NPN input wiring color conventions:

Black = Signal
Brown = V+
Blue = GND

These wires can be inserted into the 3 position terminals supplied with your kit using a simple screwdriver to actuate the spring loaded mechanism inside the terminal. A vise or clamp can be helpful for this.

On the inputs that are shared, the wire ends of two sensors can be wound together and then inserted.

These sensors can now be plugged into the Input Breakout Board on the bottom of your control panel.

If the red LED on the sensors light up when a piece of metal is placed in front of the sensor, you have them wired correctly.

Mach Setup

At this point, you should be ready to set up Mach 3 for your new sensors, so that Mach knows what inputs are used for what purpose. A bit of background may be helpful for those unfamiliar with Mach. A normally configured parallel port offers 5 general purpose inputs that can be assigned in Mach to different purposes – touch probes, limit switches, homing switches, etc. These inputs are on pins 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15 of the 25 pin parallel port. In our pre-wired kits, pin 10 is used to communicate to Mach when an e-stop has been pressed, so only 4 inputs remain. In the screen shots below, you will see certain pins assigned to certain functions. You may need to swap these numbers depending on where you plug in your sensors, but you will always be choosing between numbers 11, 12, 13, and 15.

The first step is to assign each of the limits and home switches to pins. This can be done through the Config->Ports and Pins menu, using the Input Signals tab. To start, set your signals up as seen in the screen below (broken into two pictures, as you will need to scroll down to the slaved “A axis”:

Note that the home, negative limit, and positive limit for X all share the same pin number, and the same is true of the Y – this is because the home and negative limit are using the same physical switch, and because we have the other positive limit switch tied into the same input. If we re-assign the pin number, we need to re-assign all 3 of these.

Also note, these sensors need to be configured as “active low”, and they all need to be “enabled”.

Once you have made the pin assignments, the next step is to check our work. The best way to do this is through the Mach diagnostics screen. You can get there by hitting Alt-F7, or using the tab across the top of the Mach interface. Once here you can put a piece of metal in front of your sensors. The yellow lights on “M1++ Limit, M1—Limit, and M1Home” should light up whenever either of the X sensors (plus or minus) is tripped. Note this will also create an estop condition, so you will need to hit the reset button if you need to move the machine:

The yellow lights on “M2++ Limit, M2—Limit, and M2Home” should light up whenever either of the Y sensors (plus or minus) is tripped:

Lastly, the yellow light on “M4Home” should light up whenever the X prime sensor is tripped:

If you are not getting these results, you will need to re-assign the pins to different pin numbers until you do. Some models of the pre-wired kits were wired to different default inputs, so this may be the case. Fortunately, the changes are easy to make – just remember that for X and Y, you need to re-assign all 3 functions (positive and negative limits as well as the home).

If you get the correct yellow lights as described above, you are ready to assign the homing functions. This is done through the Config->Homing/Limits tab. Set up your homing and limit switches per the screen below:

Note that the z axis is not enabled. Z limits can be configured, but the z axis needs to be reset whenever a tool is changed, so this option is not part of our kit, as this input is reserved for an auto-tool setter (coming soon).

After this, save your settings under Config->Save Settings. You are ready to home!

At this point, you can return to the main running screen in Mach. Make sure your z axis is up and out of the way, as this will not be part of the homing sequence. Now, when you press the “Ref all Home button”, the machine will home the Y axis first, and then the X and X prime simultaneously. When each side trips the sensor on its respective side, it will stop and back off the sensor. Check the squareness of your machine after homing, and make any necessary adjustments by threading the sensors in and out of their brackets, then re-homing.

Gotchas:

There are just a few things to check before homing the machine for the first time:

First, make sure you have the X prime sensor on the same side as the “A” drive motor (slaved axis). Otherwise, you can get some strange behavior, with the X axis stopping when the X prime sensor is tripped.
Make sure the acceleration and velocity are set the same for both X and slaved A axis. While normally this doesn’t matter (during operation, the A axis completely mimics the X) during homing these axes are temporarily decoupled, and Mach uses the independent settings programmed in for each.

New in: Instructions & Configuration

Proximity Limit Switch Kit

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 16:18:47 -0500

Our new NPN inductive proximity switch kits install easily on CRP machine kits or other machines, and feature a 4mm detection distance against steel and 2.5mm distance against aluminum. Each sensor has an LED to quickly indicate function, and features an M12 threaded body that provides fine adjustment of detection distance for precision homing and squaring of your machine.

The kit includes the following items:

5 sensors, intended to be used for X+, X-, Y+, Y-, and A+ on a slave axis for auto-gantry squaring.
5 pluggable sensor cables, 5 meters in length that can easily be attached to the sensor breakout board in our pre-wired Nema 34 kits.
5 adjustable brackets for mounting sensors to our X and Y bumpers for alignment with our linear carriages.

For more information on connecting these to your system, see our Proximity Limit Switch Instructions page.

Wiring instructions for the Nema 23 setups using the G540 can be found here.
Price: $129.00
New in: Nema 23 CNC Electronics, Nema 34 CNC Electronics

Why do your R&P units use a belt? Why not direct drive?

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 12:42:33 -0400

While it is possible to drive a system with a gear directly mounted on the motor shaft, there are two severe limitations this introduces.

Torque First and foremost, without a reduction (like that in our belt drive systems), you will lose the mechanical torque advantage these systems provide. As an example, for a motor putting out 300-oz*in of torque, with a 1 inch pitch circle gear, a direct drive system will put out about 37 pounds of force, compared to over 100 pounds with our 3:1 belt drive reduction. Stepper motors do lose torque as they spin faster, so reductions much beyond this are not recommended, but with no reduction much of the motor's usable power is not effectively leveraged. A smaller pitch circle gear can provide higher forces, but gears smaller than our current pinion do not effectively keep two teeth engaged with the rack, leading to backlash and lost motion.

Resolution With a 1 inch pitch circle gear, without a reduction the linear motion per rotation is pi * diameter, or 3.14" per revolution. With typical stepper motors that have 200 steps per revolution, this leads to an effective motion per step of 0.015" (0.4mm), which is quite coarse for CNC applications. While 10x microstepping reduces this to 0.0015", microstepping can't be relied upon for accurate positioning between steps, so a direct drive system will leave visibly "stepped" motion. In contrast, with our 3x reduction, these steps are significantly reduced, and because there is less load on the motor, microstepping is also more effective, leading to smoother, higher resolution, and significantly more accurate motion.
New in: Frequently Asked Questions