Sunday 10 April 2022

Try out the new motors for size

I received the 4kW 2 pole spindle motor and the 2 servo motors/drives during the week, so let's check them out. Also, a single groove 300mm pulley and single groove 71mm pulley. My original plan for a 300mm double groove pulley has been superseded now, due to a cunning plan for a 2 speed spindle.

Spindle motor and drive pulleys:

Trial fit of the 300mm single groove pulley and the "best estimate" belt. The pulley is loosely fitted and the motor is just sitting on its cradle. I seem to have got the belt length roughly right at least.


This was my first attempt at a dual pulley arrangement. Due to the design of the large pulley, there's too much of an axial gap between the vees. That isn't ideal and would likely cause belt wear.



...but if I swap the pulleys over, the vees are much closer to the spacing on the spindle pulley. That's the arrangement I'll go with, although the details will have to come later. It may even involve a manual belt change but at least I should have the option for a lower speed range.


Let's figure out where the motor needs to be positioned. It's obvious that the threaded fixing holes I made a week or so ago are in the wrong place, either due to change in pulleys, numerical incompetence or both. Using a straight edge, it's easy to see where it needs to be.



It's about 15mm too far outboard, so I'll need to tap another set of holes.


There we go.



Fitting the Z axis (carriage) servo motor:

Here's a trial assembly.


That top right screw is a bit close to the belt. But if I simply slide the pulley further away from the motor to clear the screw head, it won't have much shaft to clamp onto.


So instead I'll omit that screw and fit the other 3 fixings.


Like this:


Job done, cover back in place.


X axis (cross slide) servo motor:


Luckily the screw heads clear the belt here:


The motor is sort of exposed out the back - but this is largely covered by the capstan housing anyway. I've looped the control cables so that any fluids running down them won't end up on the connectors.


I'll try to remember to make a small circular cover plate for where the encoder used to sit. The original cover sticks out several inches and now has no purpose.


Refitting the carriage limit switch:

Before I consider refitting the enclosure, I need to ensure the carriage limit switch is refitted....


...then refit the telescopic way covers.

That's a good start - all 3 motors fitted. Nothing to drive them yet but that is another key step in the mechanical assembly / fitting process.

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