• Step 1: Attach the Track Plates
  • Raised Bed Method
  • Extrusion-Posts Method
• Step 2: Attach the Track Extrusions to the Track Plates

Step 1: Attach the Track Plates

What's your supporting infrastructure?

Depending on your FarmBot’s supporting infrastructure, you will do different steps to attach your track plates. Below I outline two methods: attaching the track plates to a raised bed, and to extrusion-posts. Follow the right method for your infrastructure, then continue on to Step 2.

Raised Bed Method

Get your supplies ready: Track Plates, a drill, and wood screws.

Position your plates and screw them in.

Space your plates appropriately

Remember, your track extrusions will need to be fastened to your plates, so space them out accordingly. Keep in mind that the end plates will not have a second extrusion attached to them, and plates in the middle need to be positioned precisely so that the two extrusions meet in the middle of the plate.

Extrusion-Posts Method

The track plates should be screwed onto the inside of the posts using the appropriate fasteners: 8mm M5 screws and tee nuts if the posts are aluminum extrusions, standard wood screws if attaching onto wood posts. The top of the posts should NOT be flush with the top of the plates. Rather, the top of the posts should come up to cover only half of the plates.

Step 2: Attach the Track Extrusions to the Track Plates

The same from here on out

From here on out, assembly instructions apply to both raised bed and extrusion-post installations.

Lightly screw together an M5x8mm screw and tee nut to the track plate.

Slide the bottom half of a 20x40mm extrusion onto the teenut and lightly tighten the screw. Don’t worry about alignment until you have a second extrusion in place to line it up with.

Alignment is key

For Track Plates that join two extrusions together, position your extrusions tightly together at the middle of the plate. Make sure the top and bottom of your extrusions are flush so that the gantry can move across your tracks smoothly. Also make sure that your extrusions are straight, so there is no ‘kink’ in the tracks.

For track plates at the end of your tracks, use both screws and tee nuts to fasten your single extrusion to the plate.