Machine Placement

Discuss Thermwood 3-axis Machinery, Controller, and Software.

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Paul Rollins
New Member
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu, Aug 02 2007, 8:04AM

Machine Placement

Post by Paul Rollins »

Can I get some feedback on machine placement in the shop? Where did you place yours and how much clearance around the machine did you use? I am trying to place a 45-510. The machines that I have seen in person are indexed on the right front of the machine. Are the indexing pins movable to the other side of the machine? Can I index my panel stock on the left instead of the right? If so, is it a huge hassle?

Thanks,
Paul
Pete Riddle

Re: Machine Placement

Post by Pete Riddle »

Paul Rollins wrote:Can I get some feedback on machine placement in the shop? Where did you place yours and how much clearance around the machine did you use? I am trying to place a 45-510. The machines that I have seen in person are indexed on the right front of the machine. Are the indexing pins movable to the other side of the machine? Can I index my panel stock on the left instead of the right? If so, is it a huge hassle?

Thanks,
Paul

Paul

I'm only addressing your placement pin question, as machine placement is up to you and your shop.

Is it possible to remove and re-install your placement pins to a new location? Yes. It requires very little in the way of modifications, as far as the software is concerned, to allow for this and you can do it all yourself once you understand Control Nesting and its settings. Physically moving the pins is a bit harder to address, since I don't know what kind of pin configuration you have on your machine. It may be as simple as drilling new holes and moving the pins to the other side or it may require moving wiring and air lines, if you have automatic pop-up pins. Either way the only thing that is critical is the rails for the flip operations. These have to be shimmed so that they are perfectly square with the linear axis in which they are mounted. In the case of the X axis, there are 2 rails and both of these have to be fit along the axis directly inline with each other. This will require shim stock and a dial indicator so you can measure off a fixed point on the gantry, bridge or Z axis of the machine as you move it along the axis parallel to the rail.

It's really pretty straight forward, but if you have an questions about the mechanics of it you can contact Tech Support. Or, if you have questions about making the correct changes to Control Nesting you can contact Program Support here at Thermwood.

Thanks,
Mark Hesketh
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Company Name: Paris Kitchens
Country: CANADA
Location: Paris, ontario

Re: Machine Placement

Post by Mark Hesketh »

As far as machine placement goes, you need to ensure that you have enough space around the machine to easilly load and unload materials/parts. I find that I walk around the machine all the time to get parts from the other side.

Watch where you place the vacuum pumps. The exhaust should not be pointed directly at the controller... makes the ac unit work overtime. The exhaust can be quite heated, especially over a long day, so even the blowback from a nearby wall can raise the temp at the controller quite a bit. We have one of our pointed into the shop, away from the controller, and our second one is pointed at a door we usually keep open.

Other than that, it is pretty much just your own preferences as to how much space you like, or can afford to give the machine. :beer:
Paul Rollins
New Member
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu, Aug 02 2007, 8:04AM

Re: Machine Placement

Post by Paul Rollins »

Thank you both for your input. The advice about the pump is much appreciated. I would rather have too much space than not enough. The shop is only 8000 sq ft including offices and finishing and I have to be careful with space.
jerry johnson
Junior Member
Posts: 90
Joined: Wed, Dec 26 2007, 7:52PM

Re: Machine Placement

Post by jerry johnson »

My shop is only 4000 square feet so I located the router close to an outside wall, put my pump outside, and built a cover to keep it out of the rain and sun.
Will Williamson
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Company Name: Williamson Finewoodwork
Country: UNITED STATES
Location: Capac MI
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Re: Machine Placement

Post by Will Williamson »

I also set mine up along the wall but in the near future I am going to move out so that I load and unload from either side and I,m moving the control to the home position side That way you can do manual changes and dust hood removal without walking around or moving the head to the other side
Will

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