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A project log for The Circuit Graver

Carve PCBs at home using a machine you build!

zakqwyzakqwy 10/01/2024 at 01:290 Comments

I measured center-to-center distances in CAD for nominal motor mount positions (i.e. not rotated in the generous tensioning mechanisms)

and figured I'd just start with all the pulleys being the same size, identical to the one on the spindle. That gave me calculated belt lengths of 149 mm (R), 212 mm (X), and 177 mm (Y). I planned to buy them from Misumi but shipping was at least a week out, so I found the appropriate sizes on Amazon (center-to-center plus pulley circumference; the two pulleys are the same, so I need a full 360 on one) and paid a few bucks for delivery this week (other than the last one, which is weird, since it's from the same listing). I'm worried about messing up belt sizing, so I ordered a size up, and then another size up from there:
Perhaps not the cheapest option, but I'll find use for extras, and I really want motors spinning lead screws (and spindles) next weekend! Much yet to explore once the machine is powered, and only a few weeks left to do it. At some point before then, I'll bring the lead screws in to work and cut them down before starting my day; hacksawing a few long M3 screws is one thing, but I really can't be Dremeling hardened steel lead screws in my tiny Cambridge apartment. And the general backup plan in case the belts are the wrong size: print different size pulleys, I suppose.

Oh! And! The pulleys should have integrated handwheels, so it's a bit easier to move the machine manually. The R-axis has a limit switch but I got impatient this past weekend and didn't build in mounts for X- and Y-axis limit switches, and probably wouldn't find time to install, wire, and program their operation anyway. So being able to quickly manually move axes around before powering up the steppers will be nice. Although I haven found that the 4-flight lead screws backdrive pretty well, so maybe it's a non-issue.

Oof, should I have geared the steppers down at all, and bought bigger belts? I think I did this calculation earlier; I think the lead screws travel 8 mm per rotation, so at 190 steps that means ~40 microns of travel per step. Microstepping gets me a bit further, but even without it that should be good enough for a demo, right? 

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