New member saying Hi ! ..............

Hi all,

New member to this fantastic community ( been reading stuff all night ! )

I'm based in central France, but that's OK as I speak English fluently, so there won't be any 'Franglais' ! I'm working on a prototype headlight system, a quad headlight system specific to a certain vehicle. In the last couple of years I've learned prototyping, mould making and vacuum forming the parts with my vacuum forming machine.

My workshop lacks a CNC machine ....................... that's where you lot come in ! A CNC machine 'off the shelf' like the ones available through 'ooznest.co.uk' won't foot the bill, so it looks like I'm going to have to design and build my own.

I've got much to learn, so there'll be lots of dumb questions I'm afraid ................ so where do I start ? mmmmmmmmmmmmmm


TURK

 

Hi Rick, and congratulations on finding my post ! I can't even find them !? You would of thought that a 'new' post would be in the 'New Posts' section, but they don't show up ! It's no wonder I haven't received too many answers.

Anyway mate, yes I did look at their machines ................... spent days looking at the differences between the models, I've also emailed them. I've also downloaded their assembly instructions of the 'Workbee' model, as I'm pretty sure that would suit my needs. But, there's a 'but' ! I'm not milling or cutting a flat piece of material ..............
I need to profile an ABS plastic headlight part. And because of the shape of the part this is where it gets complicated.

Imagine a plastic part with one section lower than the other ( overall hight of workpiece is 120mm ), headlight units are generally off-set, high beam further forward as an example. The bed of the CNC machine isn't the issue, the issues really lies on the 'Z' axis, or rather the 'Z' axis extrusion' section. The bottom of the spindle motor ( and the Z axis extrusion assembly ) will come into contact with the part that needs machining.

I've been working on the idea of buying the 'Workbee' and modifying it, I think for that to work I would need to lower the cutting bed, extend both Y plate supports ( whereby raising the height of the 'X' Gantry ) and mount the spindle motor as low down as possible.

I'll see if I can upload some pictures of what I'm trying to achieve.




TURK