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Too darn hot

A project log for MultiBot CNC v2

A low cost 3D printed CNC that can be built with minimal tools yet is capable of great things.

david-tuckerDavid Tucker 06/07/2021 at 04:000 Comments

The temperature outside is over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 C) here in Tucson, Arizona and so now I get to see how well my machine holds up in extreme heat.  I measured the garage at 98 F (37 C) today around 2 pm, that should be the peak temp for the day.  It was hot enough that my stepper motor drivers were a bit unstable, when powering up the machine they tended to get stuck in a runaway oscillation between two poles.  However once I got that settled down the machine ran just fine.

More interestingly the plastic parts on the machine seem to be holding up well. I printed everything out of PLA rather than using a higher temp filament like PETG or ABS so I'm a bit worried about it all warping in the extreme summer heat.  However I can't see any evidence of warping or cracking and nothing is loosening up even. 

I do have some separation on my electronics housing, however this was made too small and I have a lot of thick cables crammed into the housing with only the force of the lid keeping it all in place.  Coming up with a better way to manage the electronics is on my list, but not high enough yet.  At some point in time I would like to have a 5th stepper motor, maybe then I will come up with a better way to house the electronics.

The spindle on the other hand got up to 135 F (57 C) when running.  It held that temp consistently over the hour I ran it but still it is quite warm.  That may not lead to a long lasting motor, time will tell.

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