Micro CNC

by **Mike Everman** » Fri Apr 30, 2010 9:17 am

I think this is going to be great for watch part making! I've always wanted to make an NC with a polar coordinate system.
This is what I am building now. Can't talk about for who or what it does, but I will most certainly be making one for myself, and perhaps for others next year.
It will have a Delta Tau controller and will have a 1.5x1.5x1.5" work envelope. It can have multiple spindles, and the ones shown have 320,000 rpm(!) no-load speed.

I want to post a video, but see no attachment utility, where'd that go?

by **Paul Loatman** » Sat May 01, 2010 5:50 am

Mike Everman wrote:I think this is going to be great for watch part making! I've always wanted to make an NC with a polar coordinate system.
This is what I am building now. Can't talk about for who or what it does, but I will most certainly be making one for myself, and perhaps for others next year.
It will have a Delta Tau controller and will have a 1.5x1.5x1.5" work envelope. It can have multiple spindles, and the ones shown have 320,000 rpm(!) no-load speed.

I want to post a video, but see no attachment utility, where'd that go?

This sounds like a really great project Mike, can't wait to see that video.

It would probably be easier and simpler if you uploaded it onto Youtube.com.

You have to create an account, but it's very convenient, just upload the raw video file and youtube takes care of the rest.

by **Mike Everman** » Sat May 01, 2010 10:50 am

Hi Paul,
I'm trying to decide whether I want to show it to the wider universe, or just here for the moment. I'll host the video(s) somewhere and post links this weekend.

by **Ophiuchus** » Tue May 04, 2010 12:16 am

I would very much like to see what this looks like and how you achieved such high spindle speeds while achieving radial accuracy for useful machining.

by **Curtis** » Tue May 04, 2010 9:40 am

Hi Mike,

I'd love to see video of your new CNC project... it has captured the interests of small watchmakers (and clockmakers) here.

Cheers,

Curtis

by **Mike Everman** » Wed May 05, 2010 10:09 am

I've put something about the micro CNC on a new horology blog. Seems as good a place as any, and off the mainstream enough that I do not think it will bother my customer. I think I'd most like to sell this to watch makers after the bugs are worked out. I imagine traveling around and doing installs myself, so I can see the shops!

http://horology.posterous.com/micro-cnc-development-0

The password is "harrison"

by **Mike Everman** » Wed May 05, 2010 10:11 am

Ophiuchus wrote:I would very much like to see what this looks like and how you achieved such high spindle speeds while achieving radial accuracy for useful machining.

The spindles are air driven and meant for the dental industry. I have not tested them yet to see if they are going to be appropriate. If they are not, then I have plans for my own 100k spindle.

by **Paul Loatman** » Thu May 06, 2010 2:32 am

Thanks for the link Mike. The machine in the first video is different than the 2 pictures or the other video, is it just another design, or will these be integrated as one machine?

Either way, this seems like it would have a lot of potential, maybe if this takes off i could be an owner of one of these in the future.

by **Mike Everman** » Thu May 06, 2010 10:14 am

I've removed the simple XYZ video and explained the illustrations a bit. Basically, the one with the orange sheet metal was using my new Z stage, the device with the pink band on it. We call it DDZ (Direct Drive Z axis).

The sheet metal illustrates how the two round spuds, one on the left that is the spindle "A" axis, the one on the right, "B" and Z, having to rotate and translate through a circular seal. I omitted that sheet metal on the second more recent incarnation, and that one is using one of my more conventional linear stages down below for Z.

Next up is to show the final configuration that will be the subject of the prototype. I've got a bit of a control riddle doing this conversion from XYZ to ABZ, but it's not too bad.

by **J.K.** » Thu May 06, 2010 3:25 pm

what CAD software are you using?

by **Mike Everman** » Thu May 06, 2010 3:38 pm

Solidworks 07. I've got '10 but so far no need to change...

by **J.K.** » Fri May 07, 2010 6:58 am

cool, I thought it was solidworks but wasn't sure, I have started learning solidworks this year

I got this far

http://i43.tinypic.com/xll75w.jpg

by **Mike Everman** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 8:56 am

Hi Guys,
I've posted some pictures of the polar CNC. We are a few weeks away from control fire up.

http://horology.posterous.com/polar-cnc ... eck-photos

The password for the site is harrison.

by **Curtis** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 3:00 pm

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the update. This could be exciting news for us little watchmakers and clockmakers who might like to have a small and precise CNC machine. Of course, you'd have to want to make it available and we'd have to start saving our pennies. ;-)

Cheers,

CUrtis

by **ASWatch** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 4:02 pm

Curtis wrote:Hi Mike,

Thanks for the update. This could be exciting news for us little watchmakers and clockmakers who might like to have a small and precise CNC machine. Of course, you'd have to want to make it available and we'd have to start saving our pennies.

Cheers,

CUrtis

My thoughts exactly.