Stig's 2.x build

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Stig's 2.x build

Postby StigOE » Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:00 pm

I guess it's time I start my build log as well. Seems it's the latest thing to do... :)

I bought a chinese laser cutter from eBay, but during my search for information, I stumbled upon buildlog.net and wanted to build my own since it has a lot bigger work area than my readymade unit.

One thing I found was that Misumi parts are a lot more expensive in Europe than in US. The value is the same, but the currency is Euro versus dollar, making the parts about 50% more expensive in Europe, and that is before sales tax... I was in England for a few days this summer and had the extrusions sent to my hotel. This way I managed to avoid having to pay sales tax since I brought the parts into the country myself.

Misumi parts
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Found a lot of missing pre-assembly nuts in the assembly manual, causing me to have to dismantle the frame occasionally to insert missing nuts, but finally the frame was finished.
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After a trip to work, the kits I ordered from Bart was waiting for me when I got back home.
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Bart must have used some old drawings when he made my skins, because the extra holes for the cable carriers were missing in the bottom skin. After I noticed that, I found from the drawings the distance between the two sets of holes, measured them up and drilled new holes.
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I watched Tim's video on how to glue the rails and did similar. I used Loctite superglue, but I managed to get a tiny gap on one of the rails, but judging from other comments I think it won't cause any problems.
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Didn't have much problems with the Z-lift, but I found it was easier to remove the Z-table to install the belt. Also had some problems finding out how the tensioner was assembled, as I couldn't find any drawings and the assembly manual only said 'install belt and tensioner'. I ordered some 1/4" honeycomb from EasyComposites in England so to be prevent trapped gases and smoke, I then got some perforated steel plate for the Z-table. Unfortunately, it's mild steel , so it was somewhat rusted, so later I removed it again and grinded it with an angle grinder and a flap disc(?).
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I also ordered a rotary engraver attachment with shoes. I assembled it to find out how it would be installed. When using it, I plan to remove the honeycomb, so I need to modify the shoes a little bit, since they are meant to be mounted under the Z-table. Otherwise I would loose too much height.
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Next came the laser gantry, but when I started to assemble the end brackets, I suddenly had a problem.
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Woops, I had two right end brackets... I emailed Bart and he sent me a new left bracket, but so far it hasn't arrived yet.

Fixed up the perforated plate for the Z-table so it wasn't so rusty.
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I used Edmond's idea for an interface panel plate, but I did a couple of changes.
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I want to use the emergency stop not as a laser enable, but similar to an on/off-switch, so I plan to use an SSR connected to the emergency stop switch to control mains to the laser. I used my chinese laser to engrave and then cut the interface panel and then painted the lettering before I removed the protective paper.

Since threaded rod might not give the best result when using pulleys, I got some stainless steel rod and turned it down to a tight fit for the pulley and bearing. I also had some couplers for 5mm shaft already. I couldn't get 1/4" rods, so I got some 8mm rods instead.
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Since I didn't have both gantry ends, I had to use a box of nuts to support the other end of the gantry so I could see how it looked.
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The honeycomb came as a unexpanded block of aluminium.
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I don't know what they used to cut it with. It looked like they had used a plasma cutter or acetylen torch to cut it, as one side was mostly fused together. This caused some problems expanding it until I remembered I could use an electrical saw to cut off the end. This made it a lot easier to expand the honeycomb. I used a piece of wood with nails and pulled out a part of the block, enough that I got enough honeycomb for the table. I think I managed to get it fairly OK.
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Populated the interface panel and that's about as far I have gotten.
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Now I need to start to install the electronics on the electronics board. I'll make a new back plate since I have a retinaengrave card and I don't want it sticking out the back. And of course, I need to wait until I get the end bracket so I can finish the gantry, install the belts and square up the gantry.

Stig
StigOE
 
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Re: Stig's 2.x build

Postby BenJackson » Wed Sep 21, 2011 10:29 pm

Argh, we made and carefully double checked a spreadsheet of T-nuts. I guess none of us put it back in the build document. This forum software search sucks so if anyone remembers where that other google doc is feel free to post a link!
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Nuts

Postby bdring » Wed Sep 21, 2011 10:34 pm

Let's use the Wiki as the latest source on T-Nuts.

http://www.buildlog.net/wiki/doku.php?i ... e_assembly

Anyone can edit it.
Bart
"If you didn't build it, you will never own it."
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Re: Stig's 2.x build

Postby StigOE » Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:06 pm

How do I manage to make clickable images, with thumbnails in the post instead of the big pictures? I know how to get only thumbnails or only big pictures, but not the clickable thumbnails.
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Re: Stig's 2.x build

Postby bdring » Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:12 pm

The best way to use images is to "upload attachment". This makes everything work better and the images are always available.

I also suggest making smaller posts. Use only 3-5 pictures per post. Use a new subject for each post if appropriate.
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Re: Stig's 2.x build

Postby awesomenesser » Fri Sep 23, 2011 5:42 am

BenJackson wrote:Argh, we made and carefully double checked a spreadsheet of T-nuts. I guess none of us put it back in the build document. This forum software search sucks so if anyone remembers where that other google doc is feel free to post a link!


The shared doc is here, if somebody wants to transfer the data to the wiki feel free.

Edit: I don't have time to transfer the table now but I did post a link on the wiki to my table. If somebody has the time to transfer the values over feel free otherwise I might be able to get to it this weekend. (I finished my build and had the perfect number of t-nuts)
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Re: Stig's 2.x build

Postby StigOE » Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:29 pm

Here's the long awaited sequel to the saga "Stig's 2.x build" that you've all been waiting for... :)

After I received the correct bracket from Bart, I could finish the gantry. When I installed it, I had to move the righthand side extrusion about 3mm to the side to be able to fit the gantry properly.
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Gantry installed

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Gap between extrusions


The nice thing about not being the first to build something, is that I can use tweaks and improvements made by others before me, so I used tiewraps on the belt ends to hold them together. I also mounted the laser PSU on the front of the frame using a couple of pieces of steel.
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Tiewraps securing the belts

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Laser PSU installed


The idea of making a groove for an O-ring in the laser head to protect the focus lens sounded like a very good idea, so I put the part in the lathe and made a grove for the O-ring.
IMG_0226.JPG
Laser head with O-ring


The good thing about having a working laser cutter, is that I can make various parts for this build. Instead of 3D-printing a holder for a laser pointer module, I cut one from acrylic and another piece with a 1mm hole in the center to help align the mirrors before I put in the laser tube.
IMG_0229.JPG
Laser align tool
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Re: Stig's 2.x build

Postby StigOE » Fri Oct 28, 2011 12:02 pm

And now! Coming to a browser near you: The third episode of "Stig's 2.x build"! :)

Since it's always difficult to know exactly where the beam will hit, I wanted to put in a beam combiner so it's easier to see the beam. I bought a lens and holder from Guyovad on eBay and he also threw in a laser pointer with holder. With the hel pof a lot of measuring, drawing, cutting some parts and testing, I managed to make a mont for the two mirror holders. I have 2 of the Thorlabs mirror holders so it would have been easier to make a mount using two f the same holders, but I don't have any 1" mirrors.
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Mount with mirror and beam combiner

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Laser pointer for the beam combiner

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Another shot at the mirror holder and beam combiner


Finished up the rotary adapter with some braided sleeving and a DB9-connector.
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Rotary adapter


I don't know if it is actually needed, but I installed a limit switch for the Z-axis. I made a holder out of 5mm acrylic and installed the switch in the back of the machine. I also made a quick connect for the rotary adapter in the front of the machine. A toggle switch selects between the regular Y-axis and the rotary adapter.
IMG_0235.JPG
Z-axis limit switch

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Y-axis / rotary adapter switch
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Re: Stig's 2.x build

Postby StigOE » Wed Jan 04, 2012 4:32 pm

Long time since last update, but my laser is mostly finished.

I don't know if I need to wind the laser PSU negative lead around the HV lead, but so far I haven't done so. I installed the sense resistor inline with the negative lead and fastened them on the upper frame extrusion.
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Tried to make the wiring look not too much of a mess. So far, I think it looks fairly ok. Since I use a RetinaEngrave card, I installed a Belkin mini-USB B socket in the back plate and cut off a mini-USB B plug and spliced them together so I ended up with a cable of a suitable length. The solid state relay is connected in series with the emergency stop, so when the emergency stop is pushed, it removed power to the motors and laser.
IMG_0239.JPG
Electronics installation


I made a mounting bracket for a flow meter from Futurlec and installed the flow meter just before the input to the laser tube. The plan is to make a small board which will read the flow and if it is sufficient,it will close a relay connected to WS on the laser PSU. The board will also read the temperature of the cooling water, control the red laser pointer and an extra exhaust fan.
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Water flow sensor


Wired up the HV and ground wires to the laser tube, which was a bit of a PITA and wrapped them in self-amalgating tape.
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StigOE
 
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Re: Stig's 2.x build

Postby StigOE » Wed Jan 04, 2012 5:26 pm

My pump came without any adapters that would fit the tygon tubing, so I made one in nylon and epoxied it in place. The water pump is a 1500l/h model, which I measured to give approx 0.8l/m, which I think is a little on the low side, so I ordered a 2400l/h pump instead, but I haven't had the chance to install it yet. This also has a higher hmax than the old pump, so hopefully it will increase the throughput.
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Water pump with adapter


The laser has been moved to it's final work space. The laser is so deep compared to the work bench that I had to use a couple of pieces of wood to rest it on. The exhaust goes a couple of meters, then through an inline fan and out. I also plan to install a 24V axial fan at the back of the laser to help remove the smoke. This fan will be controlled from a monitor board I have made.
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During mirror alignment, I noticed I got a lot of reflections back from the laser head and it hit just to the side of gantry mirror. I figured the laser head was not 100% perpendicular, so I rotated it just a touch.
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Reflections from the laser head


Modified the air assist nozzle slightly to remove a few grams of weight and installed it on the laser head. Had to put a small piece of paper under the last mirror to get the beam out of the opening in the air assist nozzle.
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All the panels are on.
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After these last pictures were taken, I have made the monitor board, which monitors water flow and temperature of the water, as well as let me turn on and off the laser pointer and extra fan and provide power to the mA-meter. I have cut out an opening in the top panel for a LCD and some switches, but I don't have any pictures of that yet. I will have to take them when I get back from work in a couple of weeks time. I also had problems reading the water flow sensor, but a different sensor worked, so I have ordered a new sensor. I just expect it to be a PITA to get the old sensor off the tubing without destroying the tube...
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