To bolt or not To bolt... to the floor...

[jeffreymcgrew]

So we're moving our shop, and in the process re-doing our table from our old wood table to a metal one. The new shop has a nice big concrete floor.

So, should we bolt our 'bot to the floor? Or not? And why? We followed the wood table plans, so it's currently mounted on guides. As long as it's still adjustable for leveling, wouldn't bolting it to the slab be better? Or would it be worse for vibration?

Even if we need to move it we could just re-bolt it down again, so that's not an issue.

[scottbot]

Jeffrey,
Bolting the new metal table to the floor will certainly not make it worse for vibration. In fact, it will make it pretty much rock solid. I would use the machine in the desired position for a while first to see if the location is going to work for you and then bolt it down.
You will still be able to adjust it for level using shims or jam nuts depending on how you bolt it down.
Whether or not it is better I can't say because I don't have my Bot yet. I do know that bolting it to the floor will really reduce any vibration that there may be. I used to work as a Millwright and have installed quite a bit of equipment. The only equipment that didn't get bolted down is the stuff that needed to be moved.
When I get my Bot I will be installing it on a wooden floor and will probably be bolting it down too.

Scott

[jhicks]

Jeff, I definately think the bolt down is the way to go as over time the vibration can cause the machine to walk a bit.
So we simply cut some plywood squares with a U shaped cut out in them that would fit snug around the leveling bolts on all corners. Then we bolted those squares to the floor to capture the legs/bolts in the bottom of the U cut out. We leveled 1st but one could still adjust level as needed and the bot is quite stable.
Not exactly how much difference it makes but it cant hurt and helps eliminate one more variable.