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ZenBot 4x8 CNC Router

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2020 10:26 am
by martyscncgarage
A few pictures of a stepper driven ZenBot 4x8 CNC Router I recently upgraded. It came with the original ZenBot "Control box" which consisted of a Gecko G540 4 axis stepper drive, and an AC "Power Brick" with an Estop button on front. Originally designed to work with Mach3. The owner met another one of my customers that I upgraded his CNC router to Centroid Acorn and it was suggested he go the same route after not being able to get Mach3 up and running.

I only reused his Gecko G540, installed a decent 48VDC switching power supply. Since we were driving the G540 to its full capacity, I added a heatsink.
The customer provided the cabinet which was designed for a G540. It was tight but I got it in. A solid state relay turns on and off the router motor. Two separate fuses, one for the control and one for the router motor. The power cord was upgraded to carry the current.

Incidentally, when the owner saw me using a wireless MPG while setting up his machine, he was sold on it. He realized where his monitor and keyboard were, he would be doing a lot of going back and forth to setup his parts.

A few pictures:
IMG_20200919_110104367.jpg
IMG_20200913_105911014.jpg
IMG_20200913_105927742.jpg
IMG_20200913_105942168.jpg

Re: ZenBot 4x8 CNC Router

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2020 4:28 pm
by Sword
Nice! I would have expected to see a shoehorn laying next to the screwdriver. ;)

Re: ZenBot 4x8 CNC Router

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2020 5:00 pm
by martyscncgarage
Sword wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2020 4:28 pm Nice! I would have expected to see a shoehorn laying next to the screwdriver. ;)
B.F.H. took care of it. :lol:

Re: ZenBot 4x8 CNC Router

Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2020 5:19 pm
by J_Foreman
What enclosure is that?

Re: ZenBot 4x8 CNC Router

Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2020 10:55 pm
by martyscncgarage
J_Foreman wrote: Sat Sep 26, 2020 5:19 pm What enclosure is that?
https://www.automationtechnologiesinc.c ... ox/g540box

Re: ZenBot 4x8 CNC Router

Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 9:23 pm
by KJNC
The controller box looks very clean and I think I might borrow your grommet idea for the DB25 cable.
I've got a few G540 setups and hand soldering DB9s is fine but doing passthrough with GX16 or the like complicates it too far for my limited skills.

Re: ZenBot 4x8 CNC Router

Posted: Thu May 05, 2022 6:26 pm
by Sawdust Steve
I see an Omron SSR in the build, what is it for and where do I see it in a schematic?
BTW - I just ordered the enclosure you gave info about.
Steve.

Re: ZenBot 4x8 CNC Router

Posted: Thu May 05, 2022 8:57 pm
by martyscncgarage
Sawdust Steve wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 6:26 pm I see an Omron SSR in the build, what is it for and where do I see it in a schematic?
BTW - I just ordered the enclosure you gave info about.
Steve.
I used it to turn on and off the router motor with M3/M5 commands. Quite simply, it is a solid state relay. They generally can support higher currents in a small package

Marty