twizzstyle wrote:Bloefeld wrote:
Then I control them with PLC's and a cheap desktop computer. With thermo-couples inserted into the centre of my fiber matrix and ramp up each section of each zone on each side until I get to my optimal cure temperature and then start the ramp down. It would even be possible to control the ramp-down by running water through fluoro-carbon tubes that would also be inserted into the aluminium. This could all be easily automated so that once you start up your system, you could walk away and forget it (unless you burn your shop down).
Am I mental or what?
I think my eyes just went crossed. You could also just blow the side of your cattrack with a heatgun for 10 minutes.
(don't laugh, I did that once when my old blanket wasn't long enough to reach the tail of a friend's ski)
But don't get me wrong, just building that crazy cassette sounds like a project and a half! And that's why we do this right? (heck, I'm starting to build a very large CNC router, when I don't really make that many skis each year... a project is a project)
Here are a few links that may help in your quest to build a CNC router. I've built quite a few robotic tools for plants. These are good sources that can move you along pretty easily. You may well be aware of all of them, but what the heck, its just a few bytes.
These guys can get you from a home built to a buy it off the shelf system. They have some great resource books that are free.
http://www.technocnc.com/
These guys sell just about everything, including lots of linear components. Their quality is very high and the service is great. Pricey on some stuff, dirt cheap on others.
http://us.misumi-ec.com/
It takes a lot of skill to build bases for these machines out of steel and then welding them together. Although cheaper, the results can mean a lot of time trying to fix very small errors in geometry.
This product is quite expensive at first glance, but allows you a lot of flexibility in changing design on-the-fly and so long as you have a chop saw that cuts dead square in every orientation, you can build just about anything with it. I have made giant radial arm saws (26 inch blade), 5 axis coating spray systems, and the biggest multi hole drill device you have ever seen. All for less than 1/4 the cost of having an actual automation company come in and do the design and build for me. In fact the 5 Axis paint unit cost to have a robotic company do it was $500,000. I did it all for less than $60,000. It was complicated and had a big foot-print.
http://www.item24.com/en/
They also have a bunch of linear actuators that can be made very accurately.
Take a look at Bishop-Wisecarver too.
http://www.bwc.com/ They have a lot of good and less expensive linear guide material too. They also have boat-loads of different ball and roller ball screws to give you highly precise drive. Helpful engineers when you get yourself confused.
Good luck on this project. Do keep a journal on it, maybe up the anti a bit and go to 5 axis!
Cheers,
Bloefeld
