My New Baby (my works new addition)

[BAZMick]

G'day Rodm,

Haven't heard of VCarve Pro, sounds like a ripper with the graphics. We've got some old Masterwood machine that have to be programmed in gcode, you really see the difference timewise compared to th graphical machines.

We have a flatbed machine here made all the way near you in WA, just to compare your gantry drive system our machine runs a rack and pinion on either side of the gantry and keeps to two sides parallel by a shaft with timings belts running off the pinion gears. This machine also runs THK type linear guides and bearings.

Just looking back at my update on the 5th Aug "full production tomorrow" HA!! Three days have passed and I'm still fixing air leaks!! Have replaced three today and four contact relays. We got about three hours of production out of her yesterday and about 4 hours today. Hopefully get a new record tomorrow (maybe Cat Stevens or a Buddy Holly!!)

Cheers to all

Bazzy

[rodm]

Bazzy

At least you are improving run times each day and on the bright side you probably know that machine inside and out now so if it has a breakage on a critical production run you have a better chance of getting it going again.

Yeah rack and pinion or belt drives seem to be the way to go for large machines. Running a shaft between the sides and connecting the pinions is something I hadn't thought of. The R&P machines I have seen run on two motors with one slaved to the other. I prefer the design you describe as they are kept parallel by mechanical means.

Luck for tomorrow.

[BAZMick]

G'day all,

6 Hours production today!! Had a small sensor problem this morning but we zipped out to RS Components and replaced it with another. Worked like a ripper!! She's bloody quick too!!! Late in the arvo had a motor cutting in and out irregularly, propably a dirty contact somewhere, will clean it tomorrow morning.

Rod I've seen a machine that functions with the slaved motor, it was bloody strong and very quick, an Anderson I think from Taiwan. The entire frame looked like it was on steriods, was definately built to last and be stable.

Cheers to all

Bazzy.

[MrFixIt]

China: Yes to operate it you don't need a tradesman, but to program it you need someone skilled. Bazzy

I think perhaps that "skilled" is not the correct word here. Clever, smart or intelligent maybe, but "skilled" to me is more appropriate to manual dexterity and the ability to learn manual working methods.

Then perhaps even the "bloke" that would operate this machine is not required? It may very well be programmed via a CAD program All the machine needs is care and feeding

Some CAD draftie in a remote office draws a set of kitchen cabinets, downloads the data to the machine, which in turn absorbs several sheets of MDF (placed there by the care and feeding person) and disgorges all the bits for a kitchen cabinet, at the output end.

A similar machine I know of does a complete set of kitchen cabinets and actually labels them for the assembly personell

The next step will be stacks of various size/thickness of MDF from which such a machine can "feed" itself and produce the same output from the input of a truck driver (delivering the MDF)

I have a friend in the (heavy) steel construction industry. They have a special "profile cutter" for ACCURATELY cutting steel plate. The machine monitors itself and communicates with IT"S OWN manufacturers factory. ie the profile cutter communicates with the profile cutters maker and tells them somewhere in Italy or Germany, that is has a problem.

The next thing the users know is, there is a guy (he's JUST flown in) from Europe standing at the door with some parts to repair the machine, before the users even know there is a problem!

The same thing happens with major (computer) hosting sites. Many servers (computers) with MANY hard disk drives. They montor themselves and have built in redundancy. If one fails, the device emails the support people (HP in my example) the email describes the problem and useually specifies the replacement part(s) required.

An HP technician comes out with the required part - 24 hrs a day service - lets himself in replaces the part and goes away again.

[Harry72]

"I have a friend in the (heavy) steel construction industry. They have a special "profile cutter" for ACCURATELY cutting steel plate. The machine monitors itself and communicates with IT"S OWN manufacturers factory. ie the profile cutter communicates with the profile cutters maker and tells them somewhere in Italy or Germany, that is has a problem.

The next thing the users know is, there is a guy (he's JUST flown in) from Europe standing at the door with some parts to repair the machine, before the users even know there is a problem!

The same thing happens with major (computer) hosting sites. Many servers (computers) with MANY hard disk drives. They montor themselves and have built in redundancy. If one fails, the device emails the support people (HP in my example) the email describes the problem and useually specifies the replacement part(s) required.

An HP technician comes out with the required part - 24 hrs a day service - lets himself in replaces the part and goes away again."

Yep my work has a lead moulding machine that does that self diagnosis... send me the parts please, here tweak this a little will ya!
But of course you'd expect that for a $25million+ machine!