¶ Introduction
Please note: This guide is based upon building a 1000x1000 StrongHold PRO.
Measurements for the 1000x1500 and 1500x1500 machine sizes are provided in the relevant steps.
It is strongly recommended to assemble the base frame on a known flat surface (such as a solid table, work surface or similar). Assembling the frame on a carpeted floor, or other non-flat surface, can cause the finished frame to not be square. This can cause issues with quality and performance.
¶ Step 1 - Prepare the machine base extrusions & brackets
- 2x 1216mm 40120 Extrusion
- 1716mm for the StrongHold PRO 1000x1500 or 1500x1500
- 3x 1050mm 4080 Extrusion
- 1550mm for the StrongHold PRO 1500x1500
- 2x 488mm 4080 Extrusion
- 738mm for the StrongHold PRO 1000x1500 or 1500x1500
- 16x 4040 cast corner assemblies
- 4x 4040 extruded corners assemblies for the spoilboard
¶ Step 2 - Assemble the front & rear 4080 extrusions
- 1050mm 4080 Extrusion
- 1550mm for the StrongHold PRO 1500x1500
- 4040 Cast Corner Assembly
- Install one corner assembly onto each end of the 4080 extrusion as shown. Tighten the M8x16 screw to secure them.
- Ensure the corner assemblies are flush and square with the ends of the extrusions after tightening the screws
- Repeat these instructions for the second 4080 extrusion
¶ Step 3 - Assemble the middle 4080 extrusion
- 1050mm 4080 Extrusion
- 1550mm for the StrongHold PRO 1500x1500
- 4040 Cast Corner Assembly
- Install corner assemblies onto both sides of each end of the 4080 extrusion as shown. Tighten the M8x16 screw to secure them.
- Ensure the corner assemblies are flush and square with the ends of the extrusions after tightening the screws
¶ Step 4 - Assemble the central frame support (x2)
- 488mm 4080 Extrusion
- 738mm for the StrongHold PRO 1000x1500 or 1500x1500
- 4040 Cast Corner Assembly
- Install corner assemblies onto both sides of each end of the 4080 extrusion as shown. Tighten the M8x16 screw to secure them.
- Ensure the corner assemblies are flush and square with the ends of the extrusions after tightening the screws
¶ Step 5 - Assemble base frame ends (x2)
- Front / Back Assembly from Step 2
- Central Frame Support Assembly from Step 4
- Position the central frame support in the middle of the front or back assembly as shown
- Tighten the marked M8 cap head screws to secure the extrusions together
- Repeat these instructions for the second base frame end
¶ Step 6 - Assemble the base frame - Part 1
- Middle Assembly from Step 3
- 2x Assemblies from the previous step
- Position the three assemblies as shown
- Ensure that the ends of all three 4080 extrusions are aligned
- Tighten the marked M8 cap head screws to secure the extrusions together
¶ Step 7 - Assemble the base frame - Part 2
- 1216mm 40120 Extrusion
- 1716mm for the StrongHold PRO 1000x1500 or 1500x1500
- Align the each of the 40120 extrusions as shown
- Ensure that the ends of both 40120 extrusions are aligned with the ends of the frame
- Tighten the marked M8 cap head screws to secure the base together
¶ Step 8 - Prepare the base frame end plate parts
- 2x Rat Rig StrongHold PRO CNC - Motor Plate
- 2x Rat Rig StrongHold PRO CNC - Idler Plate
- 12x M12 Washer
- 12x M12x45 Cap Head Screw
- 8x M8x25 Cap Head Screw
- 8x M8 Washer
- 8x 4040 Drop-in T-Nut - M8
¶ Step 9 - Assemble the front idler plates
- Rat Rig StrongHold PRO CNC - Idler Plate
- M8 Washer
- M8x25 Cap Head Screw
- 4040 Drop-in T-Nut - M8
- Loosely thread a 4040 T-Nut onto each of the M8x25 screws. Do not tighten them at this point.
- Repeat these instructions for the second idler plate as shown
- Set these assemblies aside until Steps 11 & 12
¶ Step 10 - Assemble the rear motor plates
- Rat Rig StrongHold PRO CNC - Motor Plate
- The motor plates have additional holes compared to the idler plates
- M8 Washer
- M8x25 Cap Head Screw
- 4040 Drop-in T-Nut - M8
- Loosely thread a 4040 T-Nut onto each of the M8x25 screws. Do not tighten them at this point.
- Repeat these instructions for the second motor plate as shown
- Set these assemblies aside until Steps 16 & 17
¶ Step 11 - Install the front left idler plate
- Left idler plate Assembly from Step 9
- Align the idler plate assembly with the base frame as shown
- M12 Washer
- M12x45 Cap Head Screw
- Place an M12 washer on to each M12x45 cap head screw and loosely screw them through the plate and in to the extrusion
- Do not fully tighten any of the M12 or M8 cap head screws at this point
¶ Step 12 - Install the front right idler plate
- Right idler plate assembly from Step 9
- Align the idler plate assembly with the base frame as shown
- M12 Washer
- M12x45 Cap Head Screw
- Place an M12 washer on to each M12x45 cap head screw and loosely screw them through the plate and in to the extrusion
- Do not fully tighten any of the M12 or M8 cap head screws at this point
¶ Step 13 - Prepare the Y-axis printed parts & brackets
- 4x 4040 Extruded Corner Assembly (For the spoilboard)
- 4x sh_pro_hg25r_end_spacer Printed Part
- 2x sh_pro_y_motor_nut_holder Printed Part
- 2x M5 Nylon Locking Hex Nut
¶ Step 14 - Install the linear rail spacers
- Base frame assembly
- Front right idler plate assembly
- sh_pro_hg25r_end_spacer Printed Part
- Insert the sh_pro_hg25r_end_spacer printed part in to the 40120 extrusion slot as shown. Slide it along the extrusion until it rests against the idler plate.
- Insert a second sh_pro_hg25r_end_spacer printed part in to the 40120 extrusion slot as shown, but leave this one at the open end.
¶ Step 15 - Install the extrusion nut holder
- sh_pro_y_motor_nut_holder Printed Part
- M5 Nylon Locking Hex Nut
- Insert the M5 nylon locking hex nut in to the printed part
- The blue nylon ring in the nut should face away, as shown
- Insert the nut holder assembly in to the 40120 extrusion as shown
¶ Step 16 - Install the rear right motor plate
- Right motor plate assembly from Step 10
- Align the motor plate assembly with the base frame as shown
- M12 Washer
- M12x45 Cap Head Screw
- Place an M12 washer on to each M12x45 cap head screw and loosely screw them through the plate and in to the extrusion
- Do not fully tighten any of the M12 or M8 cap head screws at this point
¶ Step 17 - Install the linear rail spacers & rear right motor plate
- Repeat the instructions in steps 14, 15 & 16 to assemble the other side of the base frame
¶ Step 18 - Install the spoil board brackets
- 4040 extruded corner assembly (For the spoilboard)
- Position the 4040 extruded corner assembly in the middle of the extrusion gap as shown
- The displayed measurement should be:
- 244mm for StrongHold PRO 1000x1000
- 369mm for StrongHold PRO 1000x1500 or 1500x1500
- Ensure that the top of the extruded corner assembly is flush with the top of the 4080 extrusions
- Fully tighten the M8 cap head screw to secure the extruded corner assembly to the frame
- Repeat the above instructions for the remaining 3 extruded corner assemblies
¶ Step 19 - Ensure the base frame is square
- Before continuing with the assembly, the frame must be squared and all screws full tightened
- Using an engineers square, check that the side 40120 extrusions are square to the extrusions forming the base
- On each side, tighten all of the following screws whilst continuing to check that the side extrusion remain square with the base:
- 4x M8x16 within the cast corners connected to the base
- 6x M12x45 on the motor and idler plates
- 4x M8x25 on the motor and idler plates
- Once one side is fully secured and squared, proceed to repeat the process on the other side
- After tightening all screws, check the entire frame once more for squareness. Correcting any issues now is easier than once the assembly is complete!
¶ Step 20 - Prepare the Y-axis linear rails
- 2x 1190mm HG25 Linear Rail with 2x Carriages
- 2x 1690mm for a 1000x1500 or 1500x1500 machine
- 40x M6x25 Cap Head Screw
- 56x for a 1000x1500 or 1500x1500 machine
- 40x 4040 Drop-in T-Nut - M6
- 56x for a 1000x1500 or 1500x1500 machine
- 2x align_40120_hg25 Printed Part
¶ Step 21 - Unpack and prepare two HG25 linear rails
- The linear rails are supplied with a protective oil coating on them. It is strongly recommended to prepare your work surface with paper towels and to wear disposable gloves.
- Paper Towels
- Linear Rail
- Carefully open one end of the linear rail packaging and remove the rail. Place the rail upon the paper towels and dispose of the packaging
- The oil on the rails protects them from rusting. Make sure not to remove all of the original oil during preparation.
- The linear rail carriages are not interchangeable. Do not try to use a carriage on a different linear rail than the one it was supplied with.
¶ Step 22 - Inspect & test the HG25 linear rails
- With the rail still on the absorbent paper towels, carefully and slowly move the carriage from one end of the rail to the other
- Both carriages should move smoothly over the entire length of the rail
- Small changes in resistance are normal, but the carriage becoming very hard to push, or binding completely are not
- Repeat the previous test whilst applying a small amount of force downwards on the carriage
- The carriage will likely travel more smoothly when applying a downwards force, this is normal
- Repeat the process to check the second carriage on the rail
- If the carriage does not move smoothly, or binds completely, refer to the Linear Rail Troubleshooting Guide
¶ Step 23 - Assemble the HG25 linear rails
- Do not allow the linear rail carriages to leave the end of the rail at any point
- HG25 Linear Rail
- Insert an M6x25 cap head screw in to each of the holes on the linear rail
- Loosely thread a 4040 T-Nut on to each of the M6x25 screws
- Repeat these instructions for the second linear rail
¶ Step 24 - Install the HG25 linear rails - Part 1
- StrongHold PRO base assembly from Step 19
- HG25 Linear Rail assembly from Step 23
- Insert the linear rail in to the top slot of the 40120 extrusion, between the 3D printed spacers
- Install the two HG25 40120 alignment tools as shown, this will make sure the linear rail is positioned correctly
- Tighten every other M6x25 screw, starting from one end
- Tighten the remaining M6x25 screws, starting from the same end as before
- Remove the HG25 40120 alignment tools
¶ Step 25 - Install the HG25 linear rails - Part 2
- Repeat the instructions in the previous step to install the second HG25 linear rail to the base assembly
¶ Step 26 - Prepare the Y-axis ball screw parts
- 2x 1280mm 1610 Ball Screw (1780mm for a 1000x1500 or 1500x1500 machine)
- 2x FK12 Ball Screw Mount & Ball Screw lock nut (Packaged with the FK12 mount)
- 2x FF12 Ball Screw Mount & Circlip (Packaged with the FF12 mount)
- 2x 16mm Ball Screw Block
- 12x M5x20 Cap Head Screw
- 8x M4x20 Cap Head Screw
- 8x M4x25 Cap Head Screw
- 16x M4 Nylon Locking Hex Nut
¶ Step 27 - Assemble the Y-axis ball screw (x2)
- 1280mm 1610 Ball Screw (1780mm for a 1000x1500 or 1500x1500 machine)
- Unpack and remove all protective packaging from the ball screw
- Ball screw nut
- Do not allow the ball screw nut to reach either end of the ball screw
- 16mm Ball Screw Block
- Install the ball screw block onto the ball screw nut as shown
- 6x M5x20 Cap Head Screw
- Install an M5x20 screw through each hole in the ball screw nut and into the ball screw block. Fully tighten each screw
¶ Step 28 - Install the rear right ball screw support
- Base frame assembly - rear right corner
- FK12 Ball Screw Mount
- Insert the FK12 ball screw mount in to the motor plate as shown
- M4x25 Cap Head Screw
- Insert an M4x25 screw through each of the four holes in the FK12 mount and through the motor plate
- M4 Nylon Locking Hex Nut
- Install an M4 locking hex nut on to each M4x25 screw and tighten fully
¶ Step 29 - Install the right Y-axis ballscrew - Part 1
- 16mm Ball Screw Assembly from Step 27
- Position the ball screw assembly so that:
- The end with the thread faces towards the FK12 mount
- The side of the ball screw block with the screw holes faces away from the frame assembly
- Carefully feed the non-threaded end of the ball screw through the open hole in the idler plate
- Align the threaded end of the ball screw with the hole in the FK12 mount
- Whilst supporting the full length of the ball screw, insert the threaded end through the hole in the FK12 mount
- The ball screw is a precision fit into the FK12 mount. Do not force the ball screw in to the mount. When correctly aligned, it should slide in with little effort
¶ Step 30 - Install the right Y-axis ball screw - Part 2
- Check that the ball screw is fully inserted in to the FK12 mount before proceeding
- There should be no gap between the end of the ball screw thread and the back of the FK12 mount
- The screw threads on the end of the ball screw should be visible as shown
- FF12 Ball Screw Mount
- Install the FF12 ball screw mount on to the free end of the ball screw and into the opening on the idler plate
- The ball screw is a precision fit into the bearing inside the FF12 mount. Do not force the ball screw into the bearing. When correctly aligned, it should slide in with little effort
- Fully insert the FF12 ball screw mount into the opening in the idler plate
- There should be no gap between the FF12 ball screw mount and the idler plate
¶ Step 31 - Secure the front right ball screw support
- FF12 Ball Screw Mount
- M4x20 Cap Head Screw
- Insert an M4x20 screw through each of the four holes in the FF12 mount and through the idler plate
- M4 Nylon Locking Hex Nut
- Install an M4 locking hex nut onto each M4x20 screw and tighten fully
¶ Step 32 - Install the ball screw retaining nut
- FK12 Ball Screw Mount
- Ball Screw Lock Nut
- Fasten the ball screw lock nut on to the exposed end of the ball screw as shown
- When the ball screw lock nut is fully tightened, use a 2mm hex key to tighten the grub screw within the lock nut. This will prevent the lock nut from loosening
¶ Step 33 - Install the left Y-axis ball screw - Part 1
- Repeat steps 28 & 29 to install the left FK12 mount and ball screw
- Remember to fully support the length of the ball screw until both ends are secured
¶ Step 34 - Install the left Y-axis ball screw - Part 2
- Repeat steps 30 & 31 to install the left FF12 mount to the idler plate, securing the left ball screw
¶ Step 35 - Install the left ballscrew retaining nut
- FK12 Ball Screw Mount
- Ball Screw lock nut
- Fasten the ball screw lock nut on to the exposed end of the ball screw as shown
- When the ball screw lock nut is fully tightened, use a 2mm hex key to tighten the grub screw within the lock nut. This will prevent the lock nut from loosening
¶ Step 36 - Install the ball screw circlips
- StrongHold PRO Front Left Corner
- FF12 Circlip
- Using a pair of circlip pliers, install the circlip on to the end of the ball screw
- Make sure the circlip seats fully in the groove on the ball screw
- Repeat the instructions to install the circlip on the right side ball screw
¶ Step 37 - Test the ball screw installation
- Test each of the ball screws by rotating them and checking that they rotate smoothly
- Double check that all fasteners used on the ball screws and mounts are fully tightened
- Check each ball screw for smooth movement once again, before proceeding to the next step
¶ Step 38 - Next guide
- Continue with the next guide: [link|https://ratrig.dozuki.com/Guide/02.+X-Axis+Gantry+Assembly/181?lang=en]