LaserCutZAxis

From RepRap
Revision as of 04:14, 26 November 2011 by Glenn (talk | contribs) (+ Category:Mendel)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to: navigation, search

General

This page and its peers should guide you through assembling a RepRap Lasercut Mendel from the TechZone kit, or from parts you have lasercut which are the same as the TechZone parts. It is a work in progress, and needs some help, feel free to edit this document to add comments of you your own, or contact us [here] and send us messages asking us for better clarification or details.

I am starting by posting the pictures I have, and over the next few days, I will fill in the instructions and detials (6 April 2011)

Thanks,
Lambert (TechZone R&D/Support/Documenter)


You can access this page and it's peers (for the other parts of the Lasercut Mendel assembly from the TechZone Lasercut Mendel Page


The Z Axis should be put in after the frame and Y axis have been squared, and trued. Information about how to do that can be found here. You should have tightened all nuts and used threadlock on them if you are going to (I recommend that you use threadlock). If you perform the following steps before squaring and trueing up the frame and Y axis, it will be in the way and will make that process more difficult.


Drive Rods

Photo of the parts used in Y 180 side
An assembled Huxley Z Drive Rod
On the left is a picture of the parts used to assemble and prepare the drive rods for the Z axis. On the right is an assembled and prepared Z Drive rod




Install the X Axis onto the Z axis

Photo of the parts used to Install the X Axis
You will need the Frame, the assembled X Axis, the two threaded drive rods from above, the drive cogs, and two smooth bars, along with the 3mm bolts, nuts and washers.



Install the X Axis
Start by placing the X Axis into the space where it will be, put the top of the X Axis towards the top of the Frame. You want to put the motor end on the correct side of the machine, or you will end up with your parts mirrored on the X axis. The motor side of the X axis goes on the same side as the Z combo unit. Once you have it sitting in place you can slide the smooth bars down through the clamps in the top unit then through the X axis and into the holes in the Z combo and Z driven unit for the smooth bars. You want these close to parallel (we will get it exact later) so that the X axis can move smoothly for the next steps.


Add the drive rods
Put the Drive Rods through the Z driven unit, and the Z Combo unit and thread them into the nuts in the Z Nut Retainers on the X Axis. Thread them in close to the same amount on each side to reduce how much adjusting you will have to do later.


Add the drive rods
Align the bearings into the spaces in the Z Combo unit and the Z driven unit. Then use 3 of the short 4mm bolts on each side with nuts and washers, go ahead and make these fairly snug.


Add the drive Cogs
Finally put the drive cogs onto the end of the rods. Add a drop of threadlock if you wish (I recommend it).

When you are done with this step, your machine should look something like the top right picture of this section.


Aligning the Z Axis

Aligning the Z axis can be a little tricky, because the assembly of the X axis is affected.

I start by measuring the distance between the Z smooth bars at the bottom. I want to adjust the Z smooth bar clamps, until the top of the bars are the same distance apart as the bottom. If you left the X axis smooth bar clamps loose enough they should slide to allow this adjustment. If the X axis is too tight you may have to adjust its spacing at the same time to keep from bending the bars. You want to adjust both clamps in or out the same amount to keep them equal distance from the vertice. After you have the distance correct check and make sure that your clamps are the same distance from the vertice on both sides. If not adjust them both together until the spacing is equal. Check the distance between the bars one more time to make sure you didn't get them off while adjusting the clamp to vertice spacing.


Once you have the smooth bars spaced and clamped in place it is time to adjust the spacing on the X axis. The X360 side will stay put on the bar, so adjust the spacing such that the 180 side has the bearings centred on the bar. Once you have it centred move the X axis up and down and make sure the bearings stay centred. Now tighten the clamps on the X axis smooth bar down to lock it in position.