Fusion Remix of Topsie’s CNC Router

thingiverse

Topsie’s CNC Router Fusion Remix This is a remix of Topsie’s 3D Printed CNC Router (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3813481). Huge THANK YOU Topsie for creating this! I like this design and would like to build it. Since I can’t start that project yet, I decided to build and assemble it in Fusion 360 as a way to get to know the design a little better. I’m also thinking that I could replace some of the 3D printed pieces with aluminum (for increased strength and rigidity) once it is built, so having the design in Fusion makes generating the milling g-code that much easier. This implementation is shared via a Fusion export file (.f3z) and via Fusion’s design sharing service (https://a360.co/2msX988). I recommend you use the sharing service link if you can. As I was bringing the parts into Fusion I was a little lazy (I prefer to think of it as efficient). For instance, I did not bring in both the left and the right front feet. One is just a mirror of the other so I brought in only the right one and mirrored it in Fusion for the left. Same for the Top Y Axis parts. Also, I figure it doesn’t hurt anything for all the drag chain links to have a hole in them so I brought in only the screwable one. The point is that if there were differences between these parts that I did not notice, I may have introduced errors. Beware. This is definitely a work-in-progress, but I have the basic mechanism converted and assembled. The spindle mount moves in 3 axes under Fusion’s mechanical simulation. BTW the NEMA 17 steppers are from Barspin (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:83340). I did try to articulate the drag chain. It works, sort of, in isolation, but when added to the rest of the machine it brings my poor little laptop to its knees. Too many parts. Instead, I brought in short lengths of drag chain and only the curved end assemblies move with the gantry and z-carriage. Note that none of the fasteners (bolts, nuts, screws) have been included. The parts are held together by what Fusion calls joints. These joints allow movement depending on the kind of joint and the joint limits. Since I’m never going to machine individual screws and since the fasteners would more than double the number of parts (further slowing simulation), it is better to leave them out. I guess I am implicitly signing up to keep this Fusion version in sync with Topsie’s original. We’ll see how well I do with that. Right now it is in sync with Topsie’s v1.3. UPDATE 20191110: Added v1.4 components. Old cable chain supports are still in there, but hidden. New components are in red. I only added one shim as an example. To use the shims, print four and place one under each foot. For some reason the cable chains have shifted position I fixed the Y-axis but X-axis cable chain is still misplaced. I feel the need to make a comment about the new Leadscrew End Supports. In the old design alignment between the stepper bracket and the T8-Nut supports was not as critical since misalignment would just shift the far end of the leadscrew. Now since both ends of the leadscrew are fixed, misalignment will cause the T8-Nut to bind or possibly deflect the rail. This is why in some designs they warn to not capture the end of the leadscrew and in others they warn to leave the T8-Nut mounting loose. In this design with the leadscrew ends captured you should probably loosen the screws holding the nut to the nut support block. The nut needs to be able to move normal to the axis of the leadscrew but not have play along the axis of the leadscrew.