Dual Router Setup

Here’s an interesting scenario
Create a Dual Router setup.
One concept as displayed below open for interpretation as this is simply the ideation phase.

One Idea is to incoporate a SeaSaw mechanism which rotates via a stepper motor.
The 2nd router locks into place once down into position.

LR2_DuelRouter_v3
Lock mechanism

Thoughts on this would be appreciated as it’s early days…

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You are creating a pretty big lever and creating a mechanical disadvantage at the wrong end. I think you would have some deflection issues using a router this way. Also getting the 2 routers aligned would be tough and require custom gcode.

That said I could see something similar working with markers or something light weight kind of like a typewriter that all swing to a central spot.

Yes some type of rail system perhpas that moves one router into position & drops down perhaps on a rail.
The main feature is the ability to drop the router into position. This could be via a rotating carrosel arrangement.

The element I’m working on here is Dual Routers which I feel is achievable but the extra weight might be against such a system… or is it ?

Technically you only need to move one router the other could be fixed as long as your moving router moves down at least a bit length

This is true… you could have one router as is & the slave router fixed but within a sleeve that slides up/down on a cog and tooth rail, just like what the Makita housing uses.

HEre’s the Makita housing… with gear and track ready to go. All that this requires is a motor to the gear knob.

Just looked at my LR with a makita clone. Your idea with the lift could work but you would need some kind of gearing as a nema 17 isn’t going to turn that screw. Also there’s a fair amount of play in the unlocked mount as it’s not designed to be a lift. There’s also the weight to consider. With one router I get about .5mm of deflection in the middle of my span not sure how bad it would be with 2 routers.

Not sure why you want 2 routers but here’s the easiest way that I can think of…

Build a lowrider with 2 gantrys park #1 at y max and #2 at y min. Run them independently first #1 then park and trigger #2 .

You could also build a tool changer that could swap routers on the fly. I seem to remember someone trying that on the mpcnc. Not sure how it figured out z between tool swaps though. On the lr I thinks it’s too tight to attempt.

Personally I would just add a pause in my gcode and load a second router rehome z and continue but i rarely run 2 tools so you must have a reason.

I have to say I really like this idea. I think it could be rigid if there were few, beefy points of articulation. Maybe a single see-saw with a hinge at the base, something like this:
image

I think it could also be possible to have a strong locking mechanism without a strong motor or gearing mechanism if you set up the geometry correctly. Like a human knee for example does not require a lot of strength to hold body weight when it is straight. Your changing mechanism only needs to hold two positions so it could be something like a crank like this (just a concept):

This way the motor does not need any strength to hold the router in position if the force on the linkage is collinear with the axis of the actuator. The linkage joints themselves and the supporting structure for the actuator needs to be beefy and not have any play, which is by no means trivial, but should be doable.

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I’d love to see the link to that tool changer… that’s what I’d love to buid here for the LR2. Some way to flip out the bit but the only way I feel its achievable with a RT0700C router based is to flip routers.

I like your design Jamie with the rocker style pivot. I’m thinking to get the rocker to roll over the gantry could move to a specified area on the table where a rod or long pin might push the rocker over to the other side or release a trigger

@Mickman, just search tool changer it was actually @jamiek s post

Like this ??

Or this perhpas…

DONE !

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Is your shop actually that clean in the background? :wink:

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I can only wish for such a shop… I’m lucky to finally have a single garage… but hey its mine all MINE !!!

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I have a couple of really beefy Sail boat servos that I might put to use.
The main problem I forsee here is not so much the rocker and locking machanism but this setup will take a little extra space making the distance between X axis tubes wider… so better to run them parallel ot the tubes


The Makita spindle is 65mm in dia.

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You could also put them on a small rotation. I am thinking of the angle of a centrifuge:

Then the only axis they are allowed to move is the rotational axis. If you were just doing two, you wouldn’t have to support the entire range of motion. Just enough to lift one bit and drop the other.

I like what I’m seeing so far. I’m not sure what you’re using as a pivot. If it were me I might try a roll pin as a hinge, either a long one or two coaxial roll pins. Since they compress into the hole they should have zero play.

Also I the location of your servo actuator might have some mechanical (dis)advantage. The loads will be higher, leading to less stiffness at the tool, and any play would be amplified compared to an actuator that is farther away from the pivot.

Food for thought.

There was a printer like that at mrrf a few years ago.

Jamie - in your loose diagram you placed the bearing low. Is this to avoid play on the change in rotation ?
Am not sure what you mean by placing an actuator further away ?

Do you feel the servo will be strong enough to hold the router down in place ?

note: I have an old Prusa i3 Printer so some spare parts include a couple of Nema17s _ Linear bearings & rods.