OXcalculator - Bill of Material and Cost calculator v1b006 (xls + ods)

Thanks Mark for resubmitting my OXcalculator AND, most important, for adding the discussion tab to resources. This will be most handy for people to make talk about problems, enhancements, etc. in regards to the resource. It will be just like a "soft" build.

You're the man !

 

A suggestion. Add a "check box option list" at the top of your spreadsheet or perhaps even for each axis. Using the "option list" users could select parts to fine tune their design. Such as "wheel selection", gantry plate thickness (for correct screw selection) etc..

Also your should insert a revision number or release date somewhere so users can see at a glance that they are using the latest version.

One more thing - leave this for the end - add a print report macro button so that users can print a clean easy to read one page summary of the parts needed for their build.

 

You are reading my mind. As I had mentioned in the 'build' version of what his now this resource, I am working on the menu like approach so OXcalculator lets one Pick 'N Build their rOX. Plates, the wheels, the steppers, etc. where some I was targeting to put on the 'menu'.

I like the screw length adjustment I was about to do a minor update to change the M5 x 8 mm to 10 mm (assuming 6 mm plates). The other length seem OK. But, yes, to have the calculator react to plate thickness and such would be great ... just a question of time. I have to play with lookup tables and such. It's getting into some fancy logic and formulae ... loving it already !

I didn't even think of a printout format ... niiiiiice ! It will be for (towards) the end. But duly noted.

I started this as a build and was just deleting the old and uploading the new. I figured the date was as good I release number as I would come out with, especially during the initial stages of alpha and beta. I guess it would be good to start tacking on some form of version/build identification at this point ...

Next release will be 1.0, the first 'complete' OXCalculator. 2.0 will probably kick in with the Pick 'N Build menus with 3.0 starting the printout format. What could 4.0 add ?

 

Serge E. updated OXcalculator - Bill of Material and Cost calculator with a new update entry:

BoM-TCE rOX builds : version 1 build 000

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

Looking good Serge. I'll take a better look this evening.

 

Thanks ... If nothing else, it is certainly helping me with improving my spreadsheet skills.

All add the rev reference in the spreadsheet itself as well, just in case someone renames the file and looses track of which rev they have.

 

Serge E. updated OXcalculator - Bill of Material and Cost calculator with a new update entry:

Added version and build indicator within the file, just in case anyone looses track (like me)

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

Serge E. updated OXcalculator - Bill of Material and Cost calculator with a new update entry:

Instead of two resources, one with both xlsx and ods files (doh !)

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

I think that's fantastic!! Absolutely fantastic job Serge. I'll definitely use it when I build my Dad's OX for him.

 

Great to hear it will help.

If you find anything I missed, maybe an error or two to fix or just suggestions to make it better still, let me know through this discussion. I'll be enhancing it some more (see list somewhere up above in this resource). There's bound to be something I'll miss along the way.

 

If I spot anything I'll be sure to pass that along to you.

 

Things I've just noticed while playing with it, without really sorting things in my head before writing

• Base
  
  • Universal L bracket (2 holes) - those are the "double" ones with 4 holes? The Ox Sketchup file uses "triple" ones?
• I'm still not sure about the axes, looks like the only axis people are sure about is Z
• Y axis
  
  • "F-Bracket" is named "5 Hole 90 Degree Joining Plate" in the OB store
• Z Axis
  
  • "Z end plate" is named "Threaded Rod Plate" in the OB store
    
  • "flexible coupling : 5 mm x 6 mm": doesn't that have to be 5 x 8 for an 8mm Lead Screw?
  • "Lead/ACME screw : 8 mm" is available in 300mm now
  • "bearing : 8 mm ID" is named "688Z Ball Bearing - 8x16x5" in the OB store
• Screws and such
  
  • Since you mention 6mm gantry plates it would be nice to know how thick the default ones are.
  • "t-nuts (economy type)" - What are the "economy type" ones?
  • "SHC screw : M3 x 45 mm" -> "M3 Cap Head Screws 45mm"
  • eccentric spacer - 6mm or 1/4" ones?
• It would be nice to have to enter recurring parts only once
• A remark row would help for notes

Thanks for putting this together, it helps a lot with figuring out what you need.

 

Thanks for the great feedback. I'm adjusting the spreadsheet and commenting your post as I go through the suggestions.

Yap, I probably got some of the lingo messed up. So I'll correct. I guess I figured 'double' times '2 holes' makes '4 holes'. As for the 'triple' shown in the SketchUp, I believe the parts list refers to the double since, as in the case of the base, it's only 20x40 V-slot being used. The triple brackets would be for 20x60 and stick out of the 20x40. That is if I'm not way off ... base.

Kinda sorta since the distance from the work surface and beneath the X beams is 'fixed' in a normal OX (not myOX). Making Z longer just means it will, in a standard OX, try to penetrate deeper into the table if there are no limit switches... myOX, as I have mounted it on its workbench, could go down good 20+", reaching for the bottom shelf or even all the way down to the floor. However, I know, as designed, the Z would be real sloppy before it even reaches that far down (ie. not even the shadow of the hope to have any precision at all).

I called them "F brackets" because I liked the shape given by ... Robert in his kit, an upside down F ... if memory severs me right. In the regular OX build, yes they are the ones you named. That's why it shows "F bracket // 5 hole plate". I was trying to keep it to one line. I just expended the description, dropping the "F" for now. Once I get time to have 'menu' mode in working order, one could pick the 'kit' they want from some sort of 'pick N build' menu which would then change such names on the fly as needed, maybe even give a blurb to help/guide through the available options.

But they are not 'threaded' , are they ? They do hold the threaded rod (ACME/lead screw) ...

Got me there, yes, it should be a "flexible coupling : 5 mm x 8 mm" to match the 8 mm lead/ACME screw. Did I mention I tend to be randomly dyslexic ? That's how I ended up receiving M3 screws when thinking I ordered M5. But the order and shipment was ... right and I was ... well ... in a dyslexic moment at time of placing order. So, I try to read and write as much as I can to catch myself as much as possible. You probably didn't notice that last part, eh ? Someone has to laugh about it, might as well be me !

Ya, I like to think the 300 mm length is thanks to my suggestion to Mark when I was looking for such a piece and all he had was bent 1000 mm lengths, way back in June or so. "Hey, all we need is about 300 mm. Why don't you try to salvage at least 300 mm lengths out of those ?" was my 2 cents at the time... And that's the story I'll stick too. OBPS started chopping the 1000 mm lengths more recently though. I'm still sticking to my story.

So I just made that field, on the 'order' side accept a user value between 300 and 1000 mm, inclusive. The 'Pick N Build' version will allow to pick only from the two valid values : 300 and 1000 mm, when the time comes.

I'll squeeze the full bearing description as well. Makes more sense as well.

Not certain how thick the regular plates are, 3 mm ? Yap ... actually says 3 mm AND 1/8" (really 3.175 mm). So I added the comment.

The 'economy type' T-nuts are the ones sold on OBPS and pretty well all the distributors and other DIY CNC sources. Basically a sliver of metal "punched" to receive what looks like an insert for thread. My herculean strength when tightening things comes up with thread like pieces and ... I'm the one screwed. They also need to be used in the proper orientation. I tended to have them with extended part outward so screw catches it easier. That looks like a bad idea !

The other type of T-nuts are way way more expensive, whether drop-ins or nice T-nuts... The 'economy' are sold by the bag of 25 while others are priced quantity 1 ! It can get expensive real quick. The trick is not to over tighten properly oriented economy T-nuts using a proper length screw (the 10 mm instead of 8 mm).

Yap, "SHC" or "cap head" screws seem to be one and the same. "Cap screws" is a very generic term, apparently, which could refer to a few different type of screws (check this out), such as the socket cap screw we want to refer to here. While 'SHC' is a more specific type: "a socket cap screw, also known as a socket head capscrew, socket screw, or Allen bolt, is a type of cap screw with a cylindrical head and hexagonal drive hole". Sorry, in addition to being randomly dyslexic I also tend to be randomly too precise with use of terms. You don't want to be in my shoes (size 8, although some brands differ ... oops ... there I go again). I actually though the "H" stood for "hex", so there you go, I was wrong again.

As for the eccentrics, good question ! 1/4" is 6.35 mm so there is a substantial difference. I would say the 1/4" to match the aluminum spacers on the other wheels. Then again, one could adjust the aluminum spacers to match the spacers We'll have to look into that one I guess. So for now, ya, 1/4" is them. The OXcalculator is now updated with that little detail as well.

Yap, the recurring parts will eventually be entered just 'once' or at least feel like it. It's part of the 'Pick N Build' menu thingy I need to work out. Not as obvious as one (or at least I) would think. So obvious for us humans less evident to 'program' especially in a freaking spreadsheet (at least for me, I managed to stay away from them for ... about 30 years until more recently). The OXcalculator gets me into the other side of spreadsheets - "programming".

A remark/note 'box' ? Why didn't I think of that ! I seem to have locked people out of the surrounding fields as well ! So, build 2, the one about to go up, now has this new and improved amazing box at the bottom : "myNotes". It should resize itself height wise as user fills it with his/her notes.

No, thank you for giving it such a close look and, more important, giving me the needed feedback.

As I learned long ago, there is always room for improvements ...

 

Serge E. updated OXcalculator - Bill of Material and Cost calculator with a new update entry:

Names of some items use commonly used terms, room for your notes.

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

I'm used to "Beta-Testing" software and such, so I just list things I stumble upon while going through .

Ah yes, I remember there was a video where Mark updated the Ox from 20x40 to 20x60 because he decided against the vacuum table. That's probably where my confusion came from.

I was mainly mentioning that, because I still mix up the X, Y. A lot of people seem to be unsure about that.

I didn't know there was a different part made by Robert. So that's ok.

Well. They hold the "Threaded Rod". I don't know how they got the name, I was just looking for the part in the shop

Things like that are hard to spot, because usually you just go: yeah. that's the part and later wonder why it doesn't fit

Yeah, that "Inches" has to go. Everywhere.

Thanks for clearing that up. I knew the "T-Nuts" and "Drop-In-T-Nuts", but didn't know there were "nice" ones too.

Yeah, I have that minor form of OCD myself, that's why I watch for things like the name used in the shop in comparison to your part list so closely. Also it should be called CDO - so the letters are in the right order ;-). As for shoes - won't fit. I'm an 11.

Perhaps Mark could clear that up for us. He should know which spacers are required in which order - in mm.

 

I have watched too many videos of too many builds to pick up on such details. Must be the dyslexia which blurs everything into single 'build', keeping just what it thinks I need to know. It actually comes in handy at times by giving me a global perspective on things.

Being a southpaw, remembering the axis is (I think) easy for me : hold your left hand out in front of you and make a corner with your thumb, index and forefinger (squaring them is not critical). The thumb should be pointing up (Z+), index points away from you (Y+), leaving the fore finger pointing to the right (X+)... unless you have something very special about the forefinger of your left hand. From there, I forget if it's the clockwise rotation of your left forearm which becomes A+ (rotation about Y, typically limited to no more than 360 degrees) and doing a forward flip is B+ (rotation about X, flip as often as you want = trace thread as with a lathe) since I've never been too good at gym (actually got medical notes out of it during high school years).

Robert, or at least I think it's him, has a full kit of plates and such these days. Instead of a square with a corner chopped off, he did a design of some sort and ... wait ... he might be using 20x60 for the base. Oh sh...oot !! I'll have to go through the posts and check again At this stage, It's just a label and I think I changed it to the regular OBPS name.

That's right the "Threaded rod plate" are the plates for holding the threaded rod and not a threaded 'rod plate'. Could I blame semantics or dyslexia for that mis interpretation on my part ? "It's all so confusing, please make it stop !" What was that stuff they tried to teach in math class and computer science ... reverse Polish notation ? A very wise way of keeping all things in proper 'stacked' order for processing formulae and logic - if my very long term memory serves me right, short term works fine as it's extremely short !)

What were we talking about ?

QED // QEF

But those are the ones that normally jump at my mind's eye like a fly to a fresh pile of ... manure. So, I'm still kicking myself in the butt for not even noticing it early on. I can usually spot someone's typo from 1.609344 km !

Is that how I ended up with a bunch of M3s when I should of had M5s ? I'll find something to do with them M3s ... they actually did help to fix the plexiglass shield to the Y plates. So there , what mistake ?

I came from a metric background (at birth nonetheless, where a pound, being metric, was 500 grams, not 454 grams), to be raised in a SAE world (I still can't figure out how many inches there is in a mile, or why there are dry and wet ounces, ...) to return to quasi-metric (darn pound is still only 454 grams). Well, at least I never had to go through weighting stuff in stones... Just how many stones are in a [SAE] pound anyways ? Me thinks it depends on the size of your stones... While on that subject, why is the US still using the British measurement while using "cc"s in medical and other fields which require 'precision' when there was a squabble over tea and metric is - let's just say, no good and so confusing ?

Let's see if that old memory still works : a liter of pure water fills a cube with 10 cm (that's 1 decimeter or dm for fans of metric system) sides to weigh a kilogram (cube being weightless ?) The water should be pure AND at 4 centigrades (that's Celsius, again for the fans). Now, how easy is it to remember something anywhere close to this, even if at different scales, in SAE ? Why, well try to get a fairly nice estimate of the weight of your pool's water or how much water will run through the meter to cost a fill up ... Or, if you need to estimate volume of an odd shape object : just fill it with water, weigh the water and ... tada ... you should be pretty close to finding its volume.

Metric is not so bad after all, eh ? Just move that decimal point around, no dividing by weird numbers like 1/64" of an inch. Last time I've checked, I had ten fingers and ten toes. Where did these 4, 6, 8, ... come from anyways ? And don't get me into shoe sizes, any system !

"Nice" t-nuts is about as technical as I can get to describe them, short of relatively way too expensive for me to consider for myOX, at least at this stage. I'll just have to get a hair cut, like Samson, and not tighten those things so much. Maybe Santa should bring me a torque wrench ?

I don't get it ... oh, wait ... [OCD mode : off] Good one ! [CDO mode : on]

It was my initial intent but then I somehow got side tracked into the rOX (reference OX) concept which imbedded ideas from various builds along with some of mine which are not even in myOX (yet) and, well, it all sort of got muddle from there.

OBPS does have 6 mm aluminum spacers. not sure what would happen if the design would go full metric ... there might be a few tight spots, especially with the X carriage where myOX had to sneak in an extra shim because my SHC/cap screws are pretentious with their "big" heads.

Oh wait ... myOX is off a mm (somewhere) ... could that be it ?!? Nope, no spacers of any kind used where I have my misalignment

Now I have to make up for time gone by ... I just don't see it coming or going, lucky for me bills exists to set my clock at least monthly !

 

Great resource. It really helps me get things in line for planning a build.
Of course, when I really got into it, I wanted to change it to fit me. I would like to re-arrange the columns, add subtotals, edit the number to buy column, add a column for "ordered", etc. But I can't because it is locked up tighter than *^*%$. Open Source this ain't. I understand the desire to keep people from doing stupid stuff, so I suggest a compromise. Keep it locked but supply the password so that those of us who want, can take real aim at our feet.

Thanks!

 

Good points and well taken. It's a work in progress and I just don't want to get the formulae messed up at this point since they may not be as near perfect as they should. As I grow the thing, I tweak some formulae, blabla. In fact, I messed it up a few times myself to date. Some of the cells just don't like being moved around ... I'll most likely change the approach, as indirectly suggested by an other poster - adding a 'report' such as a 'shopping list'. I think that would satisfy your needs : customize the report, and mine : manage the formulae.

What I'll work on in the meantime is to unlock all around the formulae so one should be able to add columns and feed off main section. This should work to a nice compromise. There should be a point where one will be able to copy the values into an other sheet/page and mess with there own formulae, reorder the columns, drop some, add some, etc. without too many risks other than maybe having to redo their part if I do anything too drastic at my end.

Don't forget, being early releases of the OXcalculator, any substantial changes from my end or the adventurous user reworking it if I did give out full access would force them to either not get the new stuff I'm adding or having to redo all of their work each released build. It is only at a stage of getting feelers from people, not of allowing forking... Subtotals are coming, as is grouping similar parts across entire rOX build, picking some options rather then being stuck into a reference OX. An example would be to allow one to pick : type of gantry plates from a list of (predefined) options with all related parts self adjusting, such as using screws of different length due to thickness of picked plates. Not something that obvious to implement in a spreadsheet approach ... at least not for me at this point in time.

The OXcalculator, even if it remains in the form of a spreadsheet, will end up with a bit of a "database" of options - probably as sheets, to facilitate changing AND adding similar options from the user's end rather then mine... It could even get to the point where it would allow some rather wild not so typical OX builds. Who knows ... maybe the user could pick "hybrid plates" or "special gantry - type n", each capable of totally changing the design.

I could of made it a web based resource, which it might become eventually ... the spreadsheet form I see only has a stepping stone to a much more complete "OXbuilder" type tool.

What we see at this stage is only the building of the foundation. Actually much more a prototype then a nearly finished product/tool.

It's a shared resource, not necessarily Open Source... yet you can still have it for free (or some version of it). I should point out the wife was surprised the OXcalculator generated ANY downloads. "You should of charged at least a little something for your trouble if of any use to others." It was never my intent. It's far from being a finished 'product' anyways .... even if already helping some people with their build.

As my wife's comment left me thinking, by the time I get 'done' with building the OXcalculator, I'm sure it could become real handy for kit resellers as well : have the buyer drop in a couple of numbers, show them the BoM and costing, click 'buy' and ... tada ... the reseller also gets a pick list to box and ship a "custom made" kit. At that stage, a web version would definitely be of value to them.

Question is : will I ever be 'done' ?

 

Serge E. updated OXcalculator - Bill of Material and Cost calculator with a new update entry:

Forgot to unlock the cells for the optional items, ..

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

Serge E. updated OXcalculator - Bill of Material and Cost calculator with a new update entry:

Forgot to unlock one other cell (K16)

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

I am looking about building this machine for my school shop. I have an corner that has a 7' wall and I would like the machine dimensions to be 72" in x and 30" in Y. the calculator give a big error for 1829mm why?

 

I would assume the error is because the V-slot extrusion is only available up to 1500mm length.

 

I'll have to look up the formulae, but I believe I had set limits given existing maximum length of V-slot is 1500 mm. I forget if I made it more of warning (change colour and such) or actually missed something which might cause an Excel type error.

I'll check tonight and probably upload a fresher version in the wee hours.

 

Good catch ! I just did a quick check and the formulae are NOT all adapted to go beyond the 1500mm maximum length of the official V-slot extrusion. My mistake ! There is a few divide by zero type errors here and there apparently . So let me go over the entire thing, possibly adding a few new features while at it.

 

Cell F16 and 17 are locked but shouldn't be.

Also, it would be useful if some of the columns at the side were unlocked so we could add our own notes next to each line rather than just at the bottom.

Otherwise a good spread sheet. Thank you for it.

 

Good points, will fix with next release ... hopefully tomorrow.

 

Actually, to go over the 1500 mm "maximum" STANDARD length AND avoid the divid by zero errors you only need to change the value of the respective cell under STD MEASURE (I13 and I14 respectively for X and Y).

The spreadsheet currently uses maximum available lengths (1500 mm from OBPS) and 'cuts' however many of those for the quantity to order for budgeting purposes. I need to work on the formulae and logic so that it allows one to order pre-cut and varying lengths ...

Sorry it took so long to get back with a "fix" which was built-in after all. So no update 'needed' for the built-in work around. Although I will release an update with a few other tweaks.

 

Serge E. updated OXcalculator - Bill of Material and Cost calculator with a new update entry:

Opening some cells for your notes, added Stepper+ calculator

Read the rest of this update entry...