Received SmoothStepper ESS from DashX / Warp9
I received the SmoothStepper from Warp9 (bought from DashX.com, the Canadian distributor). Delivery took about 10 days after I placed the order. I was expecting a box but received an heavy-cardboard envelope. The board itself was packaged in an anti-static bag wrapped in protective foam. I'll try to test the board / drives / motors sometime this week
Assembling the Y axis side rails
I started by buying a non-ferrous metal blade for my table saw / mitter saw, this blade is expensive but worth it
After making sure my saw was straight, I proceeded to cut both Y axis extrusions using a stopper on the saw to ensure both side will have the exact same length, I sprayed a bit of WD-40 for lubrication.
I then proceeded to tap the ends of the extrusions with 1/4-20 tap. My tap wasn't long enough to tap all the way so I resorted to a 5/16 hole 1/4" deep following with tapping. I used 3-in-1 oil for lubrication and cleaned up with compressed air.
I then cut the linear rail to 1425mm using a grinder (the rail is case-hardened and cannot be sawed).
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Received Linear rails / ball screws
I received the linear rails and ball screws from Joomen yesterday. Packaging was neat and they used a plywood to ensure screws don't get bent during transport. I received 8 SUU20 blocks instead of 4 Ballnut blocks. I didn't plan to use the ballnut blocks anyway so no big deal.
Initial review of screws shows that the overall quality is acceptable. The ball nut on the 350mm screw was a bit tight to turn. Most carriages on the 20mm rails are not so smooth, I'll look at adjusting them later (hopefully they can be adjusted). Delivery and service from Joomen was fast and I'm quite happy except for the previously mentionned issues. I also received my screws order from McMaster.
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Motors Kit for CNC Mill
I received the motors/drives/power supplies from Wantai
I decided to order from Wantai instead of StepperOnline mainly due to shipping costs (45$ vs 108$) and the 2 x 350W power supplies vs 1 x 400W, both 36V. Wantai also throws in a breakout board which provide opto-isolated outputs for the drives. Packaging is neat and everything is in good shape.
Linear rails and ball screws are expected this Friday, stay tuned!
CNC Mill – Update
I worked on the design of the machine this week. I will probably replace the mechanical limit switches with optical sensor from digikey - I feel they will be more precise and reliable
I received some shipments over the week for the CNC Mill project
From TNutz.com :
Received t-nuts for the Series 15 extrusion along with double inside corner angles. I planned to saw / drill the corner angles from strock aluminium angle but at the price tnutz sell them...
From CPIAutomation.com :
Received a 65lbs worth of extrusions! Quite happy about the quality of their product. I was worried about the X axis not being rigid enough but now that I received the 3x3 extrusion, lets just say I don't think this is going to be an issue
Linear rails / leadscrews ship...
3D Printer – Fixed!
I received my replacement Azteeg X5 Mini V3 today (2 days delivery from USA via DHL)
Installation was a breeze, same connectors / pinout as V2. I grabbed the latest firmware on GitHub and checked my config against new V3 (enable pins are reversed). Installed the jumper for microsteps (1/32 on all axis, 1/16 on extruder) and added heatsinks.
Everything seems to be working properly so let's try a print!
To be continued.... ;)
The other side of DIY… FIY (Fix It Yourself)
Well, after a year of trouble-free service, my 3D Printer finally broke down yesterday. It started with an airprint
https://youtu.be/QYAPWH0TTHg
First thought was a fried coil in the extruder motor : the motor is a small 0.5A stepper that need active cooling to prevent overheating. However, I was surprised to find that both coils where ok.
Next was a check on the controller driver output : I swapped the connectors of the gamma motor with the extruder (after lowering the current to 0.5). The extruder motor ran fine but now the gamma motor was dead.
So my diagnostic is that the driver failed on my Azteeg X5 Mini V2, which unfortunately have a glued on heatsink for all 4 drivers. I will contact Panucatt today about how to fix or replace the board. They now h...
CNC Mill V2 – Update
Added most screws and limit switches. I like the fact that the limit switches on the sides are under the frame and protected. I may eventually switch to optical barriers as I feel this would be more reliable / repeatable (at least for the home).
I also confirmed that MACH3/4 support Axis+/- limit switches. I also started to think of a safe way to mount the electronics inside the frame. I'm planning to use either rubber mounted or spring suspension in order to keep vibrations away from the electronic. Also planning to put at least one fan to ensure proper airflow. I'm also looking at putting the VFD right up in the mast and water pump/tank(s) under the bed which would allow for a totally standalone machine (just need to feed power and air)
Printing 3D Parts for an OX Metal machine
I took a order to 3D print the parts for an OX Metal Build (http://www.openbuilds.com/builds/ox-metal-cnc-router-mill.3681/)
I'll add pictures and videos to this post as I progress
Update Feb 12 :
All done!
Here's some videos :
https://youtu.be/C8yyEvJmFhk
https://youtu.be/vujnDj51SpI
https://youtu.be/mls0q_Qldwo