I've been using an adjustable angle clamping jig on my Probotix CNC(s) for a few years now. This summer I've been toying with a way to automatically set the angle of that jig with a stepper motor. I see no real need for the PC/controller to do the adjustment if I don't need to move the jig while a cut is in progress. Truthfully I can't think of any job where dynamically changing the jig angle would be useful.
Today the idea popped into my head to add a stepper controlled turntable to the center of my angle jig. If both the angle and the rotation of a clamped down part were CNC controlled then I'd have true 5-axis capability. If the turntable could be moved down or up the angle jig, then projects of different sizes could spin under the 5" of Z travel available. Hell, if the turntable position was also dynamically controlled during a cut then all sorts of projects could have extremely complex cuts under the "conventional" 3 axes of a simple CNC. I can think of many past carved furniture parts that might have become easily reproducible if we'd had such a 5 axis machine.
So @probotix if you are listening, can a 5th axis be added to your Unity controller? Does linuxCNC support 5 axis control?
I believe Fusion 360 can create 5 axis toolpaths. I'm not sure if there is a linuxCNC post processor for it though.
Many ideas have an existing solution out there. There are 5 axis machines out there. They generally appear to start with a complex spindle head that points the bit at any angle/rotation under the gantry. My idea uses the down pointing bit of a conventional CNC over work that tilts and rotates beneath it.
I occasionally do true 4 axis work (X/Y/Z and A) using the rotary axis on my Meteor. Very complex spiralling spindles can be cut with relatively simple moves of both the A axis and simultaneous X/Y/Z movement. Aspire can't make the needed toolpaths so I generally add A axis lines to my X/Y/Z g-code. I'm trying to see if fusion 360 could handle this work too.
Am I crazy?
4D
Today the idea popped into my head to add a stepper controlled turntable to the center of my angle jig. If both the angle and the rotation of a clamped down part were CNC controlled then I'd have true 5-axis capability. If the turntable could be moved down or up the angle jig, then projects of different sizes could spin under the 5" of Z travel available. Hell, if the turntable position was also dynamically controlled during a cut then all sorts of projects could have extremely complex cuts under the "conventional" 3 axes of a simple CNC. I can think of many past carved furniture parts that might have become easily reproducible if we'd had such a 5 axis machine.
So @probotix if you are listening, can a 5th axis be added to your Unity controller? Does linuxCNC support 5 axis control?
I believe Fusion 360 can create 5 axis toolpaths. I'm not sure if there is a linuxCNC post processor for it though.
Many ideas have an existing solution out there. There are 5 axis machines out there. They generally appear to start with a complex spindle head that points the bit at any angle/rotation under the gantry. My idea uses the down pointing bit of a conventional CNC over work that tilts and rotates beneath it.
I occasionally do true 4 axis work (X/Y/Z and A) using the rotary axis on my Meteor. Very complex spiralling spindles can be cut with relatively simple moves of both the A axis and simultaneous X/Y/Z movement. Aspire can't make the needed toolpaths so I generally add A axis lines to my X/Y/Z g-code. I'm trying to see if fusion 360 could handle this work too.
Am I crazy?
4D
