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3rd September 2011, 09:17 PM #1SENIOR MEMBER
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- Sep 2009
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- Newcastle
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Strength of aluminium extrusion / profile (AME)
I'm building a moving gantry router.
1100mm long, 600 wide, ~500 tall
Working area: 900-950mm x 450mm x 150mm
I'd been planning on a mostly MDF build (and have in fact got a torsion box for the working table drying, but it was very difficult to build with limited tools and no flat surface, so I'm dubious as to the quality and flatness of the end product)
I initially thought aluminium extrusion would be much too expensive, but www.amesystem.com.au have reasonably affordable gear.
I will be using aluminium plate (10mm) for the gantry uprights and a few other bits.
I have a chinese spindle which weighs 5-6kg.
Single X ballscrew in centre under table.
I have two things I need to work out:
1. I have SBR16 rails from Chai (Linearmotionbearings2008) which have a hole spacing of 30mm - I think this means I may have trouble connecting straight to series 30 (30mm wide) extrusion from AME. Thoughts?
2. How strong is this stuff? My longest span is 1150mm. The 40mm extrusion costs twice as much as the 30mm extrusion series (notably it is twice the weight).
I have a couple of designs in my head:
1. 60x60 for the 1150 long on the bed with 30x60 for cross beams (spacing of ~18cm between centres). Two 60x60 for the cross beam of the gantry. Issue is whether SBR16 can be attached easily. (~$200)
2. Same proportions as 1 but using series 40 pieces - twice as expensive, definitely can attach SBR16 easily. (~$400)
3. 40x80 for 1150 span for X rail mouting. Run a 30x60 1150 span inside it and use 30x60 cross braces joined to this (probably use an end plate to join the 40x80 and 30x60). 2 lengths of 40x80 for gantry cross brace (~$300)
4. All series 40, but use 40x40 for table crossbraces. Would 40x40 be as strong (deflection resistant) as 30x60 (orientated vertically).
Any help is appreciated, I just don't know how strong this gear is. (And I'm no engineer)
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3rd September 2011 09:17 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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4th September 2011, 01:37 PM #2old Country Member
- Join Date
- Jun 2009
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- SE Qld
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- 20
I am ATM building a new boom for my machine,its not finished or tested but it may help you .I went thru' all the alloy extrusions bit and it seemed they were all too expensive for me -and got heavier as well!
I'm using a part of a builders plank,which is about A$30 per metre,is light and strong,surprisingly pretty straight, if it will hold a stack of bricks it will do what I want to I reckon.
The only MDF in my machine is the bed,I used that as its supported underneath,same as Rods early ones and cheap to replace after battle scarring.I've used and still using MDF in the stuff I machine,I'd never use it anywhere that shouldn't move or warp as its really only compressed cardboard in my opinion.
I'll try to upload some pics to give you an idea,I don't post much as don't know what I am doing,nor explain things very well typing.
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