First spool of plastic down, and the mechanical elements of the x/y axes are virtually complete, as are the various brackets for the optics (mirror and laser holders).
Steps to get x/y finished:
- Design/print limit switch brackets (for microswitches)
- Tweak and re-print x-carriage plate - holes for the v-groove wheel bolts are too tight, preventing correct alignment/pressure on the rails.
- Finish design of cable-chain for y-carriage (have a basic design started, needs refinement)
- Wire it up to RAMPS board - test!
Steps to get optics finished:
- Re-design/print fixed mirror holder - current design is not sufficiently rigid; allows for some flex/vibration of the mirror
- Fit laser tube (already tested, brackets work well)
- Fit and align mirrors
- Sort out water cooling (big-ish job!)
- Wire it up, test it!
Will do another post about some of the 20x20 fixings I've developed along the way, you can see some of them in the pictures above:
- Printed nut carrier (inspired by: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:28788) - used extensively, must have made over 200 of these by now!
- Drop-in square nut carrier (for when you forget to insert a t-nut carrier and can't be bothered to dismantle the frame to slide one in!) - this is still WIP, as the current design is a right pain to use
- Snap-fitting - these do not require a t-nut (or equiv), they push into the 20x20 slot and then tighten into place with an M4 screw (you can see these on the photo of the ATX PSU brackets)
After the above, it's on to assembling the bed and associated z-axes drives.
