FreeCAD Path Workbench / Post Processor

[CommunityUser5]

Hey Bill, hey Michael, hey all,

@Machinist

Generally speaking, machines that use sq. linear rails are built using custom end & side plates and off-the-shelf alum. extrusions. The linear rails are then bolted to the extrusions. And unless they have some seriously good assembly jigs to aid in assembly, there are far too many ‘degrees of freedom’ on these type of machine assemblies. Granted, it might not be much, but it’s there. And in most cases, it will be nearly impossible to make the machine assembly truly accurate without a great deal of toolmaking experience, knowledge, and tools.

Absolutely. Here in this link one can see a machine assembling with such off-the-shelf aluminium extrusion profiles (although heavy) and the usual linear rails/bearings used. I love to see Marcel build a cnc machine and see that it will be a high precision machine. But one should always also think about what it’s worth when you bill the hours – and doubt that it was done this way on every machine you can buy.

I believe the chrome-plated hardened steel hollow shafts (that also make the weight of the Onefinity) are beyond doubt. I think there could be other points to judge on, but I don’t want to reinitiate discussions here that one can search in the forum (I prefer to add own experiences when I will be ready to check the machine to put it through its paces).

With its unusual concept, on the Onefinity, the linear rails are not attached to the the axes. The rails are the axes. And the linear bearings run directly on them. And by the way, you can save the fairing that on other machines hides the quite ugly machine parts. The Onefinity is a design object.