DIY Fiber Laser Cutter V2 | Part 4: Z-Axis, Belt Drive System, Drag Chains

If you want to build your own fiber laser cutter, join our Patreon group: / diyfiberlaser
Today we finish the mechanicals on my DIY fiber laser cutter V2! We build the Z-axis assembly, install the belt drive system, and prepare for wiring by adding the drag chains.
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Thank you to PCBWay for sponsoring all of the custom aluminum milled parts for the project! Order from their website using this link pcbway.com/g/s... and receive $5 of "New User Free Credit" for PCB manufacturing, CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet metal fabrication, and injection molding services. Stay Tuned…at the end of the project, once I can verify my custom design works, I will be sharing a link where you can order all of my custom machined aluminum parts from PCBWay!
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If you need laser components for your project, check out Sky Fire at alleriastore.com
You can still receive a 5% discount on laser components use the code: “FROMTRAVIS”
(this discount applies to all products except for the laser machines)
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Product Links:
2060 Extrusion: amzn.to/4b51LDL
MGN12 linear guide rails: amzn.to/3z56Ezo
SFU1204 Ball screw 300mm: bulkman3d.com/...
FK10 + FF10 Ball Screw End Supports: bulkman3d.com/...
GT5 x 15mm Timing Belt: www.phidgets.c...
20T Pulleys: amzn.to/3z2fPAo
605RS Bearings: amzn.to/3VP9ZLR
8mm to 14mm Motor Shaft Coupler: amzn.to/4ermg0f
Drag chains: amzn.to/45AGUXB
5:1 reducers: www.omc-steppe...
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My website: www.id3ntitycr...
My design portfolio: www.id3ntitycr...

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

Doing the CAD design proves out with the super slick alignment of all the parts and holes. I can see a LOT of thought went into this design, and is brilliant 🙂

[@diyfiberlaser]

Thanks, several months of design went into it...luckily I've only come across a few small tweaks I'd make to the parts.

[@moki123g]

Btw, a carbide end mill will cut right through those hardened rails. You could have cut them on your mill. So far it's looking great.

[@diyfiberlaser]

Thanks, next time I will try that!

[@ianeliason8890]

26 years ago, I tried stainless lined Cevlar belts on a Plasma machine, didn't work over a a distance of 4.2 metres. There was too much slack on corners. Would not think it will not take the speeds you appear to work with. It may may work on the shorter distance you are working. But I like what are trying to do.

[@diyfiberlaser]

The belts do seem to work fine over this short distance, I would probably go to gear rack and pinion for anything larger.

[@3dkiwi920]

@14:50 You REALLY need shoulder bolts here, so the inner race of the bearing is on a shaft, not a thread. Later in the video you can see off-axis rotation and in general you should never run a thread through the ID of a bearing. It may seem insignificant but it will manifest in lost motion/backlash/wobble.

[@degreeless_engineering]

I was thinking he could mod the bracket design to incorporate a captive hardened steel pin that can drop in through the top and maybe a set screw through the side to keep things from turning.

[@3dkiwi920]

@@degreeless_engineering Essentially a shoulder bolt haha. Not as precise but this is clearly not a precision machine; but either would be an improvement. Swapping the planetary gearboxes with belted reductions would be better for backlash too.

[@degreeless_engineering]

@@3dkiwi920 I've found that hardened steel dowel pins have tighter diameter tolerances than shoulder bolts, but you're right, if he used a 6mm shoulder bolt he might be able to save the bracket by installing an M5 threaded insert where the current threads are, assuming that's an M6 screw. I would think you'd want as much precision as possible. I don't have any experience with CNC stuff, can you make adjustments in the software to accommodate for backlash on specific axis?

[@diyfiberlaser]

Thanks, I appreciate all your feedback...let me see if I can source some proper shoulder bolts to replace them...I'm always learning new things thanks to you guys!

[@diyfiberlaser]

I can also add backlash compensation in the software, but that reminds me, I was going to test if the reducers are even needed...I ordered them to have on hand in the event that the 400w motors didn't have enough torque, but I forgot to test how they performed without them....hold please...I have some testing to do.

[@tbrun1000]

a shop tour is needed, casually drills part with that moveable arm

[@EricBrummer]

thats a tapping arm. He talked about it in previous videos. Intended to get it earlier but it arrived after one of the projects he intended to use it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJSsopifiJ51lassi=1R4D_3d0XvDwuzQ3&t=303

[@wickedprotos1937]

Centroid ACORN is a nice industry standard yet low-cost controller!!

[@IceCreams62]

@11:39 i think the ballscrew black nut need to be mount in the other way, with the machined ring part toward the ball bearing...not a big deal of course

[@3dkiwi920]

You're right, wont make a huge difference, this is not exactly a precision machine.

[@diyfiberlaser]

Ooops! You're right...I'll pay more attention to that next time. I'll probably just leave it...it shouldn't affect performance and I'm quite a bit further along on the machine, so taking it all apart would be a pain.

[@simon-pp5sm]

You might be able to save a little money by doubling up the belt clamp, and having one clamp hold both ends of the belt -- harder to install. Are you worried about it racking things differently? (This is generally very cool and helpful! I'm in the middle of my own gantry design, but for a much lower-precision and low-speed application, and this is useful.)

[@diyfiberlaser]

Thanks for the comment, I initially did design it as a single piece, then I got to thinking that it might be a little difficult to install and pull the belt tight at the same time, this way makes it a little easier

[@Arek_R.]

Damn I really wish I had a workshop to build/use this...

[@tommyfisher1435]

Awesome progress. 😀

[@undaware]

Coming along nicely. Think about going with quiet carriages, synchmotion (polymer cages) for future builds.

[@diyfiberlaser]

Thanks...interesting, I'll have to give those a try

[@dfn808]

Looking awesome 👍

[@GlassImpressions]

I want a full kit to be available!!!

[@diyfiberlaser]

Let’s see how it turns out in the end…if there’s enough interest, that’s something I’d consider exploring

[@Hollywood4Fun]

What a great looking machine. What would you estimate the frame and motors without any other electronics or hardware installed cost? This frame setup looks like it could accomodate just about anything from a plasma cutter to a waterjet. Any reason for using servo motors rather than steppers? Great stuff!

[@Mr-on2di]

Would not the backlash of

[@diyfiberlaser]

There are backlash compensation settings in the configuration software

[@DerekWoolverton]

For the covers, I might have tried to do a friction or snap fit, to save myself some hardware. But then again, I'm pretty lazy.

[@diyfiberlaser]

Good point...I'll think about that next time

[@jesseservice7828]

Muito bom !

[@Androidzombie1]

This is awesome. What CNC mill was that around 6:28?

[@diyfiberlaser]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZu1gWWsqpaLmrM

[@Androidzombie1]

@@diyfiberlaser thanks man I just found your channel and it’s awesome!

[@lylefranksaunders2113]

Why are you using the reducers and such large servo drives if you don't even require all that torque, you're building a laser machine, or it it just intentionally overbuilt? To also demonstrate your sponsor products?

[@diyfiberlaser]

The reducers are not sponsored. I bought them to have on hand just in case I needed them. I messed up and got ahead of myself and forgot to test the motors without them first, they may not be necessary. Im going to leave them on at this point, it would be a lot of work to back track, and I still have plenty of speed and ample torque

[@lylefranksaunders2113]

@@diyfiberlaser Ok I see, you also don't really need servo motors with dedicated drives for this build as you don't need to plunge a bit into anything so the amp requirements are low per motor, you can go integrated servo or stepper and still benefit from fast rapids, your jog lengths are also short . also the reducers are more for amplifying torque in subtractive operation where you need to get deeper and faster feed and speed from smaller motor and or electronics, if I'm understanding them correctly as I myself know nothing. Just my observations and current understanding so far.

[@diyfiberlaser]

Did you see my speed test short: DIY Fiber Laser Cutter V2: Speed Test kzbin.infoD6zqVzTR6aU?feature=share I’m going to see how far I can push the acceleration when I get to tuning the motors

[@Splunkzop]

Can the software handle cutting full size - say 1500 mm X 3000 mm - sheets of steel, if you increased the size of the bed the laser runs on?

[@diyfiberlaser]

I don't know of any size limitations on the software, as far as I can tell you can configure it to be whatever size you machine travel is.

[@Splunkzop]

@@diyfiberlaser Thankyou.

[@EricBrummer]

ever increasing spans mean having to factor into mechanical design: gantry beams will deflect more/need to be stiffer under load. Longer the belt more opportunity for stretching etc.

[@Splunkzop]

@@EricBrummer Yeah, the mechanical stuff is easy to work out and isn't what I was worried about. I want to be able to make steel panels 1200 mm X 2400 mm in size with different designs on them for 'artsy' type garden dividers, fences and similar or larger type silhouette cut outs and pieces to weld together for statues.