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ShopBot PRS Gantry Tool

Table Assembly Guide

Intro

This guide will walk you through the mechanical assembly of your ShopBot PRS Gantry tool. It does

not include instructions for wiring, software training, troubleshooting, or maintenance. Additional

documentation is available at www.shopbotdocs.com.

Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27.Docx

Summary of Contents for PRS

Page 1: ...h the mechanical assembly of your ShopBot PRS Gantry tool It does not include instructions for wiring software training troubleshooting or maintenance Additional documentation is available at www shopbotdocs com Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot Tools Inc ...

Page 2: ... position 17 Add the middle legs This step is not needed if you are setting up a 48x48 or 60x48 table 17 Add the final set of legs 18 Level and square the table frame 19 Level and square the front table side 19 Level the rear table side 21 Square the rear table side 22 Mount the rails 24 Place the gantry onto the rails 25 Place the YZ car onto the gantry 27 Replace the lower wheels 27 Adjust the l...

Page 3: ...e management without an E chain 50 Install the X axis E chain 51 Install the X axis upper E chain bracket 52 Install the chain 52 Install the dust skirt Error Bookmark not defined Connecting to the dust collection system Error Bookmark not defined Grounding the dust skirt Error Bookmark not defined Mount the table surface for non vacuum tables 53 Base layer 53 Spoilboard 54 Assemble Your Shopbot P...

Page 4: ...inet grade plywood When choosing plywood keep in mind that a higher number of plys typically creates a more stable board that is less likely to warp in other words don t use cheap 5 ply utility sheathing Tables larger than 96x48 will require more material per layer in order to cover the entire work area Note If you are installing a vacuum table please see the separate document titled Installing a ...

Page 5: ...ere are a few other electrical precautions you should be aware of Motor connections DO NOT connect or disconnect your motor cables while the control box is powered on This can damage or destroy the motors or drivers Induced currents AVOID moving any axis by hand when the control box is powered off If you must push pull an axis by hand do so very slowly Spinning the motors can generate an electric ...

Page 6: ... hardware before fitting the corresponding component into place Use caution when lifting boxes and assembled components out of the crate There are several assembly steps where having an assistant will make things much easier In particular you will need assistance unpacking the crate and lifting the gantry onto the table rails Do not attempt to lift the gantry without assistance Assemble Your Shopb...

Page 7: ... the path of travel for the X axis The table sides and related components are included in the long cardboard package secured to the top of your crate The assembly that rides along the table sides is called the Gantry The gantry consists of an extruded aluminum beam which has been fitted with V rails for wheel bearings and gear rack This forms the path of travel for the Y axis The blue plates on ei...

Page 8: ...which connects to your PC through a separate USB cable Control box The control box is the brain of your machine and contains a control board motor drivers and numerous other electronic components that allow the tool to move with precision accuracy and power It connects to your PC through a single USB cable Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot Tools Inc ...

Page 9: ...erm is the XY home position which is indicated here and on your table drawing at the back of this guide For a detailed explanation of your machine s coordinate location system please reference the full user s manual For now just make sure that you understand the directions of travel for the X Y and Z axis as well as where the XY home position is located Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 0...

Page 10: ...ol the table layout may look a little different fewer or more legs different shape etc For specific dimensions reference the table drawing included in the back of this assembly manual Please note It is critical that you assemble your tool according to the measurements in the table drawing Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot Tools Inc ...

Page 11: ... guide to table parts and hardware Except for the table levellers all of this hardware is included in the small box marked table hardware Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot Tools Inc ...

Page 12: ...to the table Legs Screw a leg leveler into the bottom of each Table Leg then thread a 5 8 hex nut onto the leg leveler Leave this nut loose for now Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot Tools Inc ...

Page 13: ... the table legs as shown here Hold a framing square against the leg and the extrusion while you tighten the bolts Repeat this process with the other table side You should have one leg on each table side at this point Next temporarily attach a second table leg to the outside of each table side this will allow you to slide the rest of the components down the table sides without the legs getting in t...

Page 14: ...rder of 1 2 hardware hex bolt and flat washer on one side flat washer lock washer and hex nut on the back side to secure the lower support to the first set of table legs Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot Tools Inc ...

Page 15: ...o the other pair of table legs leaving approximately 3 16 between the leg and the upper cross support for the gussets Insert a gusset between each table leg and upper support Attach this to the leg using 1 2 hardware hex bolt with a flat washer on one side and then a flat washer lock washer and hex nut on other side DO NOT fully tighten the bolts on the upper support You will need some room for ad...

Page 16: ...pg 16 Your table should now look like this Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot Tools Inc ...

Page 17: ...ference the spacing from the middle leg according to your table drawing Complete the middle leg installation by attaching the lower support to either side of the middle leg pair Attach two 5 16 hardware assemblies 5 16 hex bolt lock washer flat washer and T nut to each end of a cross support beam Then slide the T nuts into the bottom channels of the table sides and slide the cross supports into po...

Page 18: ...upper support to the leg followed by the lower support Your table should now look like this Before moving on to the next step check to make sure that you don t have any leftover cross supports or gussets We have included extra pieces of all your table hardware so don t be too concerned if you have a few extra nuts and bolts left over Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopB...

Page 19: ...ng the longest level you have 6 or 8 feet is ideal set the level on the front table side and adjust the leg levelers until this table side is level Do the main adjustments with the end legs as the middle leg is primarily just there for support After those are level make sure that the center leg properly supports the beam and does not cause the table side to bow or sag Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gan...

Page 20: ...are to the FRONT table side only Adjust if needed and then fully tighten the bolts on this side Repeat this step with the next cross support until everything attached to the front table side is square Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot Tools Inc ...

Page 21: ...own to the next set of legs TIP When checking a long span a longer level will give a more accurate reading We recommend using a level that spans the entire width of your table If this is not possible you can still place a shorter level on top of a straightedge Whatever you use for the straightedge make sure that it is actually straight with parallel sides Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015...

Page 22: ...surface If your measurements are different you will need to adjust the rear table side Before continuing check the bolts holding the cross supports onto the rear table side and ensure that they are loose enough to slide within the grooves The example shown here is exaggerated to illustrate the correct method of squaring your table Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot ...

Page 23: ...or a hammer and protective block of wood to knock the table into square Starting at the one side of the table check the cross supports against the rear table side with a square Fully tighten the bolts as you go and re check the diagonal measurements frequently as you work down the table When the table is square you are ready to mount the table surface Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 ...

Page 24: ...on the table side Orient one of the rails so that the V track is facing the outside of the table Guide the rail onto the table so that the T nuts fit into the groove on the top face of the table side Do not fully tighten the bolts on either rail Push the rail assembly towards the inside of the table so that it sits flush with the inside face of the table side Start at one end of the table and tigh...

Page 25: ...ace the gantry onto the rails according to the image shown below All four V wheels on the inside of the end plates should sit on the rails Detail of V wheels engaging with the rail Mount a clamp onto one of the rails to prevent the gantry from rolling off the table during the next few steps Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot Tools Inc ...

Page 26: ...l that floats above the rail at any point this needs to be corrected before you move on The most likely issue is that the rails are not perfectly parallel causing one of the wheels to ride up This can be corrected by loosening and carefully adjusting the rear table side s rail If the problem is constant throughout the length of travel first check that the rails are still level with each other Then...

Page 27: ...r tilt the entire assembly back towards you so that the bottom of the YZ car plate is pulled 1 2 away from the beam Notice the marks on the face of the lower wheels The wheels are eccentric meaning that they are mounted onto an off center threaded stud Place the wheels back into the holes on the YZ car plate so that they are pointed straight up 12 o clock position This places them in the lowest po...

Page 28: ... the nut on the wheel stud Test the wheel engagement by rolling the YZ car back and forth across the gantry Grab the wheel with one hand using light to medium pressure If the wheel stops and skids along the rail tighten the wheels slightly Do not over tighten the wheels The YZ car should glide smoothly across the gantry if you feel it binding up at any point then loosen the wheels slightly until i...

Page 29: ...iper kit includes 4 wiper caps with foam inserts and mounting hardware Use caution when opening the individual bags so that you don t lose any of the small mounting screws Place the foam inserts into the wipers and saturate with lightweight machine oil not included Secure a wiper assembly over each wheel on the YZ car with the included mounting screws Do not overtighten Assemble Your Shopbot PRS G...

Page 30: ...w s on the pinion Save this hex key It is used later in the installation Set the pinion so that it sits flush with the end of the motor shaft and tighten the set screw s As a final step apply a little bit of the included grease to each pinion This helps to ensure smooth movement and prevent corrosion It is very important to mount each motor in its correct location Double check the markings on the ...

Page 31: ...g alone After all motors are mounted take a moment to be sure that both X and Y Cars are moving up and down the rails smoothly The motors will create some resistance but the motion should be smooth and even with all wheels riding on the rails and pinions fully engaged Note it is safe to manually move the motors when the cables are disconnected from the control box Avoid moving motors by hand once ...

Page 32: ... side Link three wire ties together to create one long tie For each motor wrap the motor cable back towards the motor housing and secure it with the linked tie This will keep the cables safely out of the way and create a stress relief point and help to prevent damage to the motor in case the cables ever snag or pull Leave the other end of the motor cables loose for now We will run them back to the...

Page 33: ...he ground screw so that it touches the router Do not overtighten This completes the router installation Skip the next section mounting the spindle and VFD and continue with the section titled Installing the Proximity Switches Spindle option Move the gantry back to the far end of the table and pull the Z axis down to its fully lowered position You will either need an assistant to hold the axis in p...

Page 34: ...n the table surface and the side of the spindle as shown here Adjust the position of the spindle as needed Once the spindle is square tighten the bolts using the pictured pattern to ensure that they are fully tightened Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot Tools Inc ...

Page 35: ...the speed of the spindle It mounts to the table frame using the hardware kit labeled VFD mounting kit Depending on the horsepower of your spindle you will have either a 10 or 16 VFD Both sizes use the same mounting hardware but placement is slightly different Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot Tools Inc ...

Page 36: ...s CIMR VU2A0040GAA The first bolded and underlined number is the voltage 2 200 240 Vac 3 phase 4 380 480 Vac 3 phase This model is a 200V model This information will not change your mounting procedure The second bolded and underlined section refers to the amperage This is the part that will determine the sizing of your VFD 10 VFD Models 09 12 and 20 16 VFD models 30 and 40 In our example this is a...

Page 37: ...le pairs Starting with the upper pair of holes thread another button head screw into the upper right corner of the VFD through the mounting strap and the table leg Secure using washer and nut Repeat with lower right corner of the VFD Use the remaining 1 4 20x5 8 flat head screw washer and nut to secure the far right side of the strap to the table leg Repeat with the lower strap This completes the ...

Page 38: ...t with the other mounting strap on the upper pair of holes Align the mounting holes at the corners of the VFD with the remaining holes on the mounting straps On the right side of the VFD thread a 1 4 20 x 3 4 button head screw through the VFD strap and table leg Secure using washer and nylock nut On the left side of the VFD the hardware will go through the VFD and strap only This completes the mou...

Page 39: ...ar table side and then plug it into the spindle Push the cord lock up until you feel it click into place The spindle fan built into the spindle housing has a separate power cord that you will wire into the control box later Connect the plug and tighten the screw that locks it into place Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot Tools Inc ...

Page 40: ...o need the 1 8 hex key that came with your pinion gears This image shows the position of the stops at the far end of the X axis away from the home position Loosely attach the included hardware to the stop blocks and then slide them into place on each end of the outside of the table sides Carefully roll the gantry to one end of the table until the wheels are resting within 1 4 of the end of the X r...

Page 41: ...alling the X axis switch targets on the rear table side Slide one of the T nuts into the lower middle groove of the extrusion Thread a hex nut onto one of the hex bolts add a flat washer and then loosely thread the bolt into the T nut Adjust the position of this assembly according to the diagram below Tighten the bolt into the T nut and then tighten the hex nut down against the extrusion Assemble ...

Page 42: ...1 16 1 2mm gap between them Roll the gantry away from the switch and thread one of the nuts onto the front side of the switch on the inside of the end plate Thread the other nut onto the back side so that the end plate is sandwiched between the two nuts To complete this step connect the X axis proximity switch cable marked with red tape by threading the nut on the connector onto the back of the sw...

Page 43: ...the YZ car into each stop block and adjust the target bolt so that this hole is directly over one at each end Thread the barrel proximity switch into the hole until it comes to rest on the target Back it out several turns so that there is a 1 32 1 16 1 2mm gap between them Tighten the nuts onto the switch as you did with the X axis and then connect the Y axis proximity switch cable marked with blu...

Page 44: ...assembly kit Attach the gray Wago connector to the upper right side of the YZ car plate as shown here left The Z zero plate comes with an optional holster to store the Z zero plate when not in use To attach the holster simply remove the tape backing on the two pieces of aluminum channel and press it onto the YZ car so that the Z zero plate can slide down into it Connect the matching Wago plug on t...

Page 45: ...6 and longer also include an X axis E chain kit as standard equipment The components are not interchangeable Typically the Y axis e chain will be the shorter than the X so compare the two lengths if you are unsure which chain to use Begin by mounting the lower E chain bracket onto the top of the gantry Use two of the twist in T nuts included with the E chain mounting kit Simply drop them into the ...

Page 46: ...chain bracket onto the back of the YZ car Use two 1 4 20x1 2 socket head screws 1 4 lock washers and 1 4 flat washers The screws will pass through the bracket and thread into the YZ car Loosely attach the lower mounting bracket using two 5 16 18x5 8 flat head screws Position the bracket according to the diagram Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot Tools Inc ...

Page 47: ... position until the chain moves freely Mount one end of the E chain to the lower bracket using two 10 32 flat head screws Position the chain so that it loops towards the right when you are looking at the front of the YZ car Loop the chain up and around so that it sits on top of the Y axis upper E chain bracket Mount the chain using two 10 32 flat head screws 10 flat washers lock washers and 10 32 ...

Page 48: ...es on the side of the end plate with a wire tie to minimize any slack in the cable Open the Y axis E chain Starting at either end of the Y axis E chain use a flat head screwdriver to gently pry open the chain s access bars Use caution when moving the YZ car with the access bars open This can damage the chain Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot Tools Inc ...

Page 49: ...ain then pushing them back 1 2 1 Use a few of the included wire ties to secure the cables to the strain relief tabs at either end of the chain Once the bars are closed you will need to secure the cables using wire ties and the strain relief tabs on the top side of the chain Start with the spindle router power cord Leave enough slack for the Z axis to move through its entire length of travel withou...

Page 50: ...a 96 table or longer If you are setting up a tool with an X axis of 60 or shorter or if you had purchased this tool before 2013 an X axis E chain is not included Continue to bundle the cable rope by adding wire ties every 12 16 Move the gantry along its full extent of travel to determine how much slack is needed in the cable rope Then secure it to the underside of the table using any unused holes ...

Page 51: ...he control box The E chain itself will be located loose in the crate while the other parts and mounting hardware will be located in a labeled plastic bag These components are not interchangeable with the Y axis E chain kit E chain sized to match your table Please note The E chain will be shorter than the actual length of your table Assemble Your Shopbot PRS Gantry Tool 2015 02 27 Docx 2015 ShopBot...

Page 52: ...he table sides and adjust the position of the trough until the chain can move freely All wires and cables coming off of the gantry will be carried in the X and Y axis E chains Use this checklist to inspect your cables before closing up the chain when you are finished X1 motor cable coming through the hole in the center of the gantry beam X2 motor cable located right above the upper E chain bracket...

Page 53: ... holes Position the plywood on your table frame according to the table drawing It is imperative that you follow the table drawing on this step Clamp the sheet down to keep it from moving then use a 1 8 drill bit to drill pilot holes through the cross support holes up through the plywood It is not necessary to drill out each hole we recommend using every other one creating a checkerboard pattern ac...

Page 54: ...od glue Spread a thin even coat of glue across the entire surface of the base layer A cheap paint roller works great Have someone help you set the MDF sheet s onto the base Align this layer so that it lines up flush with the edge of the base and work quickly the glue will start to set within a minute For best results drive a handful of 1 1 2 wood screws into the MDF to clamp it to the base Be sure...

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ShopBot PRS, Assembly Manual

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