Thread: Another chinese CNC router

Decided on the attached case layout. I don't, at this stage, have any limit/home swtiches or relays so just the components as shown plus a female IEC320 socket for the VFD and a front panel switch (added to the shopping list)
Not sure on the best location for the air flow grill front or back.

Originally Posted by snowyskiesau

Not sure on the best location for the air flow grill front or back.

My theory was to have the PSU fan blow hot air up out the top of the enclosure, and leave the bottom vent free to allow natural cool air circulation in. As i have the gecko chiller, I also tried to position it so it was blowing the least heated air over the PSU.

Russell.

Originally Posted by BoomerangInfo

My theory was to have the PSU fan blow hot air up out the top of the enclosure, and leave the bottom vent free to allow natural cool air circulation in. As i have the gecko chiller, I also tried to position it so it was blowing the least heated air over the PSU.

Russell.

Makes sense. If I keep the layout as shown and mount the power supply on stand offs, that should allow convection air flow up around the power supply when the power supply fan isn't engaged and a flow of air to the stand alone fan that blows on the back of the G540.
Should I ever need/want to mount relays or a VFD control, there's enough space available for those. The fan could always be relocated if necessary.
The DPST switch (missing from the photo) is to switch 240V to the VFD which I'll control manually for now. (I must add an extra fuse for this circuit) The 24V for the spindle pump I'll get from the existing Chinese controller. I'll disconnect everything in that controller except the power supply and pump switch.

Geoff,
Can you put the 48 vdc power supply in the other case with the 24vdc supply. If you can get all your high voltage seperated it limits any noise. Also gets one of the heat sources out of the elelctronics box.
I wouldn't have suggested this if you hadn't already said you will retain the other box.

Rod,
As far as building the controller goes, I'm following what been previously posted here by others. The 48V supply and G540 will be in one enclosure, the only high voltage component will be a fan as I had a 60mm 240V fan available. Possible addition of VFD control and limit/home switches at some future time.
I had thought of providing a 240V outlet on the back for the VFD to plug in to but that may put too much load onto a single power point so I'll leave the VFD stand alone i.e. it's own power point. The 24V supply for the pump I'll leave in the original controller I got with the CNC router.
Is this what you meant?

Hi Geoff,
The 48 supply will have high voltage to it but it is no big issue. I keep all the 240 stuff outside the electronics enclosure and just run the DC supply to it. What I was suggesting is to that into the other box which already has a power supply in it.

I'd mentioned previously that Gecko were going to supply some G540 motherboards so I could use my stash of Gecko G250 drive, they've arrived.
I'll need to work out how to mount these without the G540 aluminium case - ideas welcome.
Great value at $41 each.

This will give me three, 3 axis controllers, ones earmarked for the X2 mill so I'll have to find some thing else to CNC.

Hi Geoff,

Do you have an image of the x-axis stepper mount (axis that drives the gantry)? The stepper mount bottom bolts appear very close to the al bar bottom edge.

I'm interested how close are these bolts are to the bottom edge on your machine.

Regards
Zvon

The motor mount screws are quite close to the edge but I don't expect this will be a problem.

Hi Geoff,

Thanks for the post.
I guess that your machine has bolts close to the support edge but not this close .

Regards
Zvon

Originally Posted by zvon

Hi Geoff,

Thanks for the post.
I guess that your machine has bolts close to the support edge but not this close .

Regards
Zvon

Holy Guacamole!! That's one major mis-alignment

Russell.

The manufacturers comment was along the lines of "Don't worry she'll be alright". Hi states this bolt positioning will not affect the operation and performance of the router.

I do know the axial force is transferred by the ball screw bearing and that bolt group should transfer only torque, but this level of negligence, poor workmanship and attitude is remarkable.

Regards
Zvon

These things are made to a price and it's not enough to include quality control! And that extra 5mm of aluminium must add enormously to the cost ...

As long as the ball screw is parallel to the linear bearings, it should be OK.

Progess on mine has stalled as I'm waiting on some of these motor covers before I start on the G540 conversion.
Homann Designs also sell these but they're out of stock.

Hi Geoff,

You have stepper covers in Australia from:

NEMA 23 Stepper Motor Back Cover Kit - My Tool Store

I just ordered four covers.

Regards
Zvon