I've had a blast building my very first CNC with the excellent help of the wiki and the gracious folks at Inventables. Thanks!
Managing your servo cables is where the assembly wiki gets kinda vague and requires you to use some of your own ingenuity. Here's what I came up with:
Aquarium tubing! (Well, that's what I'm calling it. I scrounged around my shop and ran across some extra tubing from my PCB bubbler kit.) The tubing has the perfect amount of flex and support. The tube running from the y motor to the back corner has some spare 4-conductor ribbon cable I'd bought for LED strings. Perfect for servos as well.
Oh! And I couldn't resist. Took some snapshots in stereo. (Just cross your eyes and converge the images to view.)
Enjoy!
a simple Shapeoko cable management solution
a simple Shapeoko cable management solution
Last edited by mmorlan62 on Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
Shapeoko 2 + Bosch Colt mount . PreciseBits ER20 1/8" & 1/4" collets . stock electronics in a custom control box.
Re: a simple Shapeoko cable management solution
Looks good.
I just did something similar with spiral wrap, I have Cable carrier / drag chain but wanted to save that for when I scale up my Shapeoko 2, the only problem is that the spiral wrap combined with the heavy gage stepper motor wire that I used, is a little stiff, and it does tug at the wires a bit were the wires are attached to the terminal blocks that I use, even when using zip ties to restrain the wire, so I worry about the wires and about the wires coming lose during use, from what I have read that could be disastrous for the stepper motor driver.
I might try some split loom tubing next to see if it allows for more flexibility.
I just did something similar with spiral wrap, I have Cable carrier / drag chain but wanted to save that for when I scale up my Shapeoko 2, the only problem is that the spiral wrap combined with the heavy gage stepper motor wire that I used, is a little stiff, and it does tug at the wires a bit were the wires are attached to the terminal blocks that I use, even when using zip ties to restrain the wire, so I worry about the wires and about the wires coming lose during use, from what I have read that could be disastrous for the stepper motor driver.
I might try some split loom tubing next to see if it allows for more flexibility.
Re: a simple Shapeoko cable management solution
What diameter is that tubing? I'm planning to order some sleeve and not sure what size to pick.
Shapeoko2 #3702:
DW611, arduino uno, gshield v5, NEMA23's on X & dual Y, NEMA17 on Z with ACME rod, 9mm belts, Mean Well NES-350-24V power supply, re-inforced gantry rails.
Soon to have inventables spindle mount and 1M X axis.
DW611, arduino uno, gshield v5, NEMA23's on X & dual Y, NEMA17 on Z with ACME rod, 9mm belts, Mean Well NES-350-24V power supply, re-inforced gantry rails.
Soon to have inventables spindle mount and 1M X axis.
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Re: a simple Shapeoko cable management solution
Elegant!
One concern --- I'd suggest that you move the wire bundles off the motors, which can get fairly hot.
One concern --- I'd suggest that you move the wire bundles off the motors, which can get fairly hot.
Shapeoko 3XL #0006 w/ Carbide Compact Router w/0.125″ and ¼″ Carbide 3D precision collets
Re: a simple Shapeoko cable management solution
will1384: The tubing plus cable ties = zero movement of the wires coming out. Very stable. Also, it provides a very graceful strain and bend relief.
Chomdh: I'll measure the ID on the tubing and post here.
WillAdams: Thanks for the note about hot servos. I'll reposition those wire loops away from the motor bodies.
Chomdh: I'll measure the ID on the tubing and post here.
WillAdams: Thanks for the note about hot servos. I'll reposition those wire loops away from the motor bodies.
Shapeoko 2 + Bosch Colt mount . PreciseBits ER20 1/8" & 1/4" collets . stock electronics in a custom control box.
Re: a simple Shapeoko cable management solution
Meant to get back sooner. The tubing I used is 1/4" I.D. I'm pretty sure you can find it at Home Depot and Lowe's.
Shapeoko 2 + Bosch Colt mount . PreciseBits ER20 1/8" & 1/4" collets . stock electronics in a custom control box.
Re: a simple Shapeoko cable management solution
Nice! I have a lot of that stuff lying around but need more like 30 feet for the new machine.
Modified Shapeoko 2: 1500mm fully supported y-axis, 1000 mm 4060 x-axis, ACME Belt Drive Z-axis, Dewalt DNP611, full aluminum t-slot table, 4x NEMA23 180 oz/in stepper motors driven by a G540