4th Axis Customizable

thingiverse

This is a highly customizable fourth axis for a CNC machine with several design goals: maintain a low profile for stability and accommodate CNC's with limited Z travel; handle small stock; use as much of the stock as possible with small jaws; glue on disposable jaws for stability and grip; and utilize mostly printable parts with only a few extra components (Nema17, 2x bearings, GT2 belt, and pulley). This project incorporates a pulley designed by droftarts thing:16627. The concept involves printing the small jaws specifically for each stock needed to be milled and gluing them on at both ends. These customizations can fit round or rectangular shapes and also include a jaw that goes 2mm into the stock, accommodating irregularly shaped stock. On top of each buffer is a slit for aligning the endmill. A ramp with the same height as the center of the stock is located at the end of one buffer. You can find related videos on YouTube by searching for "CNC fourth axis" or checking out the links provided in the description. In one video, you can see the stock moving slightly up and down due to an imperfection in the cutting process. In another video, a loose belt is demonstrated, showing the need for breaking it in. If needed, software alternatives are available on Thingiverse, such as Leo69's project found here: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1877336. Print Settings: When printing the gears and jaws, ensure that your first layer does not get squeezed out to maintain proper star grip. Printing the gear with one outer layer is also recommended for maximum detail in the gear. The rest of the components are not sensitive to print settings.