Nowadays, low-duty CNC machines use the conventional belt-driven system, which works well for relatively small machines. However this design brings several complications the engineer has to account for: creep; backlash; complex assembly and more importantly the limited stiffness of the belt. This limited stiffness results in belt stretch and induced vibrations, which ultimately reduces the final accuracy of the manufactured product. In order to compensate, the accelerations are limited, which is a very important factor for fast manufacturing. High speed and fast positioning is hard to achieve with the current belt-driven design used in for example 3D printers and CO2 laser cutting machines. For that reason a different motor type is considered: direct-drive technology. These motors cost minimally 700 euros per meter stroke when outsourced.
In this thesis presentation the design and optimization of a low-cost direct-drive motor intended for low-duty CNC machines is presented. The motor is able to achieve up to 10 [m/s^2] acceleration and a speed of 1 [m/s], with an accuracy of a human hair. This should help boost the effectiveness of low-duty CNC machinery. Smart design choices, and low-cost components further reduce the total cost down to under 100 euros per meter stroke.