Post by oldtech on Apr 25, 2022 15:28:44 GMT
A couple of years ago I upgraded my Power Route to linuxcnc with a new control box and a 2.2kw water cooled spindle. Last month when I saw that the cable used to move the y axis was fraying and making noise, so I decided to see if I could get rid of the cables and add a second motor to the y axis.
It turned out to be easy except for having to work underneath the machine. What I did was move the existing center axis to one side and added a second ball screw (10mm pitch 800mm length) on the other side along with a second limit switch. I also put both motors at the back of the machine.
Configuration was easy. I did find that because of the rigidity of the gantry, it is important to line up the limit switches on both sides so that the x and y axis are approximately square. Then I measured the actual squareness of the gantry after homing, and adjusted the home offsets to allow for auto squaring the gantry on homing. If adjustment is more than a couple of millimeters you need to adjust the limit switches.
Now the noise is gone, and the y axis sounds like the x and z axis.
It turned out to be easy except for having to work underneath the machine. What I did was move the existing center axis to one side and added a second ball screw (10mm pitch 800mm length) on the other side along with a second limit switch. I also put both motors at the back of the machine.
Configuration was easy. I did find that because of the rigidity of the gantry, it is important to line up the limit switches on both sides so that the x and y axis are approximately square. Then I measured the actual squareness of the gantry after homing, and adjusted the home offsets to allow for auto squaring the gantry on homing. If adjustment is more than a couple of millimeters you need to adjust the limit switches.
Now the noise is gone, and the y axis sounds like the x and z axis.