Experienced people will tell you that 3D printers and other industrial manufacturing tools are the best combination, which can be repaired and changed infinitely. Dan and Andrew both know this trend very well, and therefore have produced the DIY Rift Valley CNC machine - Rift "RIFTS", which relies on numerous 3D printed parts to achieve precise cutting results.
As Dan explained, the brothers have been planning for a CNC machine for several years. "My brother was a little boy and wanted a CNC machine. At that time I was still climbing trees, crazy, he I’m already working on the electronics and components that I’ve removed from my old scanner. In fact, he knew how to make a stepper drive with recycled parts seven years ago. Needless to say, having a CNC machine is My brother’s childhood dreams,†Dan recalls.
Although they had some early attempts at a young age, they recently decided to use all their knowledge to make a perfect machine. The first attempt made with medium-density fiberboard, mediocre results, so they turn their attention to the 3D printing technology, they decided to use it to produce a CNC machine tools.
This time, the brothers decided to use all metal and plastic, only the bed was made of medium density fiberboard. Dan said: "This work is very low cost, but the performance is also very good."
The parts used in this work, including the large NEMA 17 stepper drive used on the X and Y axes, are reset at a ratio of 3.75:1, while the Z axis uses a relatively small NEMA 17 stepper drive with 8mm Pitch screw. “The X and Y axes are driven by a 6mm GT2 belt. I am very happy with this design. The 3D printed parts are very precise and easy to equip, and the aluminum and drill rods provide rigidity and strength for this piece,†Dan said.
Finally, the machine was cut to an area of ​​about 10"x10"x2" (x, y, z), although from a 3D printing point of view, a 2-inch Z-axis seems to be small, but Dan found that The use of a spindle with a 1/8" collet takes up a lot of space, but when it is cut into a flat shape, it does not require more space. By the way, they don't cut casually, but do a reasonable depth cut.
In addition, the two brothers found their machines quite strong: "Traditional skeptics may think that DIY CNC support rods, printing bushings, and printed brackets and fittings can cause fragile CNC machines, but in fact this machine is extremely strong. "Dan said.
In order to create the appearance of the machine, the brothers made the shell with pine and plywood, so that the machine has a sliding glass door, in order to make it more perfect, they also added glass windows to its sides. "Glass windows are really the finishing touch, I can't imagine that there are no windows when using the machine (that would be wood chips everywhere!)," Dan said. To ensure that dust does not fly around, they also add a small vacuum box that connects to the head of the machine.
In order to complete the final step of this machine, the brothers also simply added a giant arduino and slanting board. “We can use BCNC on the computer to control this machine,†Dan said. “Of course, it also includes a huge red stop button – this is a must-have for every CNC machine.â€
So far, they say, RIFTS - the name because it can tear the wood strongly - confirms the perfect performance of this machine. Although some further improvements are needed, including a proper vacuum attachment, the brothers are already very happy, although they have not yet created a 3D printed model for their Rift CNC machine.
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