The vertical-mill stage : design of a vertical movement stage for surface machining

Abstract

To allow the widespread use of three dimensional patterns on walls, the manufacturing cost must be reduced. The goal of this project is to design a machine for vertical axis movement which can be measured and controlled. The key issues addressed in this thesis, are the motion past obstacles in the extrusions, a lightweight mechanism that is stiff with minimal horizontal deflections, can adjust to different heights and can support its own weight. The design favored consisted of a chain drive designed to travel 3 meters in 10 seconds at a weight of 30 Kilograms. The machine is kept in place by five points of contact, including a fixed sprocket and four sliding V-grooved rollers. The machine was tested for stability, stiffness and its ability to traverse the entire chain without problems.