EcoDesign: A Retrofit Design Concept for 3-Axis Gantry, Compatible to Nd: YAG Based Pulse Laser
Year: 2011
Editor: Chakrabarti, A.
Author: Deshmukh,Bhagyesh; Khond, Mohan
Section: Eco-Design, Sustainable Manufacturing, Design for Sustainbility
Page(s): 506-513
Abstract
A wide range of precision Laser Machine Tool is available in international market. Majority of these have a part positioning system of a range of 200 × 200 × 50 mm and resolution of 50–100 micron. The initial cost of the machine is not permitting its use to SME’s. It is highly essential to minimize the cost of machine by keeping the same functional utility in mind. Hence an attempt is made to design machine by Retrofit approach than radical approach. In this approach, components are selected from salvage considering its sustainability in terms of topology, accuracy and repeatability to build a 3-axis gantry since major cost in the machine is of gantry system. Economical and Ecological “EcoDesign” is presented in this paper by End of life use of the components those are taken from thrown out equipments. Nd:YAG based pulsed laser workstation is conceptualized with high resolution precision, X-Y-Z Gantry system. Precision slides for X-Y movements are taken from out-of-order dot matrix printers. Precision Z-axis slide is taken from out-of-order petrological microscope slide. The system provides a retrofit design concept that is compatible to a 250 x 250 x 50 mm pulsed laser workstation
Keywords: Laser workstation, X-Y-Z Gantry, End-of-life, EcoDesign, Retrofit