To demonstrate the capabilities of the CNC Controllers, I built a custom system using some available spare parts. The design is a rigid-Z stage and a XY table. The goal is to have an actual functional system that can eventually cut some parts. The XYZ work envelope is about 150x150x125 mm. For now, it's a good test platform to try out various functions; all three Controllers (F13/F16/F46) performed well with the system.

Components of the Demo CNC system:

1. Twin linear rail and 4 slides for each axis. 12mm  (MGN12 rails and MGN12H carriages).
2. Anti-backlash ball screws. 16mm dia, 5mm pitch (RM1605 screw and SFU1605 nut).
3. Motors
   1. 3X Nema 23 1.8deg stepper motors for axes XYZ (Lin Engineering 5618)
   2. 3X Nema 17  1.8deg stepper motor. One standard for A axis, two low profiles for BC axes.
4. Drivers
   1. 3X Compumotor OEM750 stepper motor drivers (48V power supply). Configured for 125 micro-steps/full-step. This is 25,000 pulses/rev or 0.0002 mm/step . Current is limited to 2 Amp. These are driving axes XY and Z
   2. 1X TB6560 stepper motor drivers (24V power supply). Configured for 16 micro-steps/full-step or 32,000 pulses/rev. Current is limited to 1 Amp. This is driving axis A.
   3. 2X Pololu A4988 (12V power supply). Configured for 16 micro-steps/full-step or 32,000 pulses/rev. These are driving axes B and C.
5. 40x40 and 40x80 mm extruded aluminum beams
6. 10W Blue Laser Module
7. 100W Spindle motor and BLDC driver. The spindle has the ER-11A collet chuck.

The system is very rigid, suitable for cutting anything up to Aluminum; perhaps some mild steel. It should be able to handle a much larger spindle motor if needed. The top speed for the axes is conservatively set at 1800mm/min, or 150K pulses/s.

The design can be easily applied to a larger system (with longer beams, rails, and leadscrews). I am thinking about a XYZ 1000 x 500 x 300 mm system, and a beefier spindle.

What's next:

I am looking at various designs for a compact dual-rotary 4th and 5th axis table to be mounted on top of the XY table to demonstrate complex 4 and 5 axes cuttings. The goal is to have the dual rotary table to be driven by two Nema 23 motors set to 50,000 pulses/rev at the driver; each driving a 2:1 timing pulley set to yield a final resolution of 100,000 pulses/rev.