MRMC Precision Track MRMC-1182-06 User manual
ii
Precision Track Quick Start Guide
Product code: MRMC-1182-06
Last updated on: 23 March 2022
© 2020 Mark Roberts Motion Control Ltd. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, or translated
by any means — graphical, electronic, or mechanical — including
photocopying, recording, taping, or storage in an information retrieval
system, without the express written permission of Mark Roberts Motion
Control.
Although every care has been taken to ensure that the information in this
document is accurate and up to date, Mark Roberts Motion Control
continuously strives to improve their products and may make changes to
the hardware, firmware, and software described in this document. Mark
Roberts Motion Control therefore cannot be held responsible for any
error or omission in this document.
All product names mentioned herein are the trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective owners.
Contact information
Mark Roberts Motion Control Ltd.
Unit 3, South East Studios
Blindley Heath
Surrey
RH7 6JP
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0) 1342 838000
Web: www.mrmoco.com
www.mrmocorentals.com
Precision Track Quick Start Guide
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Precision TrackQuick Start GuidePrecision TrackQuick Start Guide
Contents
Chapter 1 Assembling the track ..................................................... 1
Safety........................................................................................1
Overview ................................................................................. 1
Before you start .............................................................1
Laying the first track section ................................................5
Anchoring the track...............................................................7
Using Weight Plates with Bolt X on Track..........................9
Number of plates...........................................................9
Laying the First Track Section – Bolt X on Track
(with Weight Plates).............................................................12
Laying the Second Track Section – Bolt X on Track
(with Weight Plates).............................................................15
Laying subsequent track sections.......................................16
Mounting the bearing rail joints ........................................18
Multiple Lengths of Track...................................................19
Mounting Bolt (family of robots) on the track.................23
Mounting Bolt on the track bearings.......................23
Attaching the track motor pinch wheel to Bolt
(Family of Robots) On Track ....................................26
Mounting the bumpers on Bolt (Family) of
Robots on Track..........................................................28
Removing the trolley wheels from Bolt (Family
of Robots) On Track...................................................29
Mounting a Milo or Titan on the track.............................32
Mounting outriggers on the track ............................32
Mounting a Milo or Titan on the track
bearings........................................................................33
Attaching the track motor pinch wheel to a
Milo or Titan ...............................................................36
Mounting the bumpers on a Milo or Titan .............37
Mounting the Limit Switch and Datum Switch
magnets on the rack.............................................................39
About track limits.......................................................39
Mounting the magnets...............................................40
Mounting the weight wings and buffers ...........................42
Mounting the buffers without weights..............................44
Mounting Buffers on Narrow Rail............................45
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Appendix 1 Specifications............................................................... 49
Precision Track .....................................................................49
Narrow Rail...........................................................................50
Appendix 2 Cleaning and Maintenance.......................................... 51
General Care.........................................................................51
Cleaning ................................................................................51
Rail................................................................................51
Bearing Rail .................................................................51
Feet Bolts and Anchor Sleeves ..................................51
Joiner Pieces ................................................................52
Track Bearings.............................................................52
Appendix 3 Mounting the rack ....................................................... 55
Mounting the rack ...............................................................55
Precision Track Quick Start Guide
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Precision TrackQuick Start GuidePrecision TrackQuick Start Guide
Chapter 1 Assembling the track
Safety
•Due to the size and weight of track sections, it is recommended that
you use at least two people to assemble it.
•Motion control rigs have powerful motors that can injure, so take
care not to get near the rig while it is switched on.
•Do not step over the track when the rig is switched on — walk
around it instead.
Overview
Thank you for using Precision Track from Mark Roberts Motion Control
(MRMC). The track is designed to help you achieve pixel-perfect
repeatability of your camera moves by supplying smooth, rigid support
when using large, heavy motion control robots such as the Milo, Titan,
and Bolt over long distances.
Before you start
When deciding on the location and orientation of the track, keep in mind
the following important points:
Before laying the track, assess the site to see how level and
firm the ground or floor is. You might need to use boards,
bricks, or crates to create a level surface or stop the track feet
sinking into soft ground. If you will be laying more than two
track sections on a reasonably level floor, laying the middle
section first and working outward can help prevent any
unevenness of the floor from accumulating from section to
section, beyond the ability of the track height adjustment range
Precision Track Quick Start Guide
2
to cope. Beyond this range you will need to use additional
supports to keep the track flat and level.
The track is not reversible due to the rack, which has teeth on
one side. You must lay all sections the same way around. If
your track does not have the rack installed yet, look at the rack
clips on the track, which will grip the rail on the teeth side
when you install the rail later.
Some rigs have a sense of Forward and Reverse on the track. A
Bolt High-Speed Cine-bot, for example, executes moves going
Forward. Because its track motor gear is on the front left
underside of the rig, the teeth of the rack are on the left side as
you look in the Forward direction down the track.
Keep in mind where the umbilical cable comes out on the rig
(if this is important for your shot) and whether you can change
it by re-routing the cables on the rig. For example the umbilical
cable on Bolt comes out on the same side of the track as the
track motor gear (which is the same side as the rack teeth).
Umbilical side
Clip
Teeth Smooth
Rack
View looking
“Forward” down the
track with the gear
teeth on the left:
Precision Track Quick Start Guide
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Each Precision track section has ten feet for supporting and
levelling the track, and four anchor brackets for holding the
track down if you are using a high-speed rig such as Bolt.
If you are using a fast rig such as Bolt On Track then you must
hold the track down. You can either anchor the track to the
floor to get the best repeatable stability (page 7), or if this is not
feasible you can use weights on the ends of the track to give
you the safety margin that you need to perform the shoot (page
42). Anchoring the track to a concrete floor involves drilling
holes in the floor. If the floor is wood you can screw directly
into it. The anchor hole spacing is shown below but it is more
accurate to drill through the anchor brackets once the track is
in place using the procedures later in this guide.
Foot, which takes the
weight of the track and
rig Anchor bracket, which
holds the track down
on the ground.
Joint
873
1562 1562
1429
millimetres:
Precision Track Quick Start Guide
4
If you are using a fast rig with a long arm such as Bolt X on
Track and anchoring the track to the floor is not feasible then it
should be mounted using weight plates.
Weight plates
1562
Precision Track Quick Start Guide
5
Laying the first track section
1. Lay the first track section on the ground, on its feet.
2. If you will be using a fast rig such as Bolt and the floor already has
anchor holes from a previous installation then you would obviously
put the track anchor brackets over the existing holes.
3. Raise the six middle feet of the track section (three on each rail) and
the four threaded anchor sleeves so they do not touch the ground,
leaving the rail to rest on the four corner feet.
Note
This procedure applies to laying first track section for all large rigs
except Bolt X on Track. For laying precision track for Bolt X on
Track, use the procedure on Laying the First Track Section – Bolt X on
Track (with Weight Plates) on page 12.
Lock nut
4
Height
adjustment
bolt
2
5
Middle feet
Anchor sleeve
3
6
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4. Level the track in both length and width directions using a spirit
level, by adjusting the four corner feet of the track. Make sure all
four corner feet are touching the ground (no wobble).
5. Tighten the lock nuts down against the track on the corner feet,
being careful not to change the height.
6. Lower the six middle feet until they touch the ground (finger tight
against the ground) and then tighten the lock nuts on them.
Hint
The four corner feet also determine the track height. If you are
laying track on a level floor, try to use the middle of the height
adjustment range so that subsequent sections have some leeway
(in their feet) to cater for any unevenness in the floor.
Precision Track Quick Start Guide
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Anchoring the track
If you are using a fast rig such as Bolt On Track you must either hold the
track down with weights (see page 42) or secure the track to the floor by
using bolts or screws through the four track anchor brackets. Anchoring
the track to the floor gives you more repeatable stability than using
weights. The following procedure tells you how to anchor the track to a
concrete floor.
2. On one of the track anchor
brackets, screw the sleeve all
the way down to the floor,
finger tight.
3. Insert the drill bit and guide
into the threaded sleeve on the
anchor bracket, so the drill bit
is against the floor.
4. Put tape around the drill bit 5
cm above the guide. This will
help you gauge the depth of the
hole in the next step.
5. Drill a hole 5 cm deep into the
concrete. When the tape reaches the top of the guide, drilling is
complete.
6. Remove the drill bit and guide from the sleeve and clean the hole.
1. Put the drill bit into the drill guide and attach
the bit to the drill. (The cutting end of the bit is
too large to fit through the guide, so you must
insert the other end into the guide, then into
the drill.)
1
Guide
15 mm drill bit
Guide
Sleeve
2
3
5 cm
Tape
4
5 cm
4
5
Precision Track Quick Start Guide
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7. Put the drop-in anchor insert,
threads upward, through the sleeve
and into the hole in the concrete, all
the way to the bottom.
8. Insert the anchor spreader tool into
the drop-in anchor insert.
9. Hit the top of the anchor spreader
tool with a hammer until the anchor
is fully spread in the concrete, being
careful not to hit the track.
10. Remove the anchor spreader tool.
11. With the sleeve still finger-tight
against the floor, insert the retaining
bolt through the sleeve and into the
drop-in anchor insert, and tighten.
7
Anchor
spreader
tool
Drop-in
anchor
insert
8
9
11
Precision Track Quick Start Guide
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12. Repeat steps 2 to 11 for the other three anchor brackets on the track
section.
Using Weight Plates with Bolt X on Track
If you are using a fast robot with a long arm, such as Bolt X on Track, it is
recommended that you hold the track down by bolting it to the ground as
above. If that is not feasible, use the weight plates to lay under and then
bolt the track on to the weight plates.
They are not a full substitute for a rigid fixing to a ground anchor and will
not provide the same stability. Caution should therefore be exercised
when using weight plates alone to stabilise a system.
MRMC have empirically tested the Bolt X to a maximum speed of
180deg/s on Joint 1 of the rig. A 6-plate system will provide the required
safety at this speed.
Note that this speed is highly unlikely to be practical in normal operation
of the rig with weight plates only due to the movement which will occur,
making it unsuitable for filming.
To avoid any significant gaps in the weight plate system for longer runs
greater than 6 lengths an additional 1 plate per length of rail is required.
Number of plates
Two plates for each 3m section of precision rail up to 3
sections.
For systems with more than 3 sections of 3m rail 6 plates
should be used up to a maximum of six sections, spaced evenly
For more than 6 sections 1 additional plate per section is
required
For systems with less than 3 rail sections additional stabilising
weights must be used, equivalent to 6 plates.
Note
If you are not laying the track for Bolt X Track, for further
instructions, proceed to Laying subsequent track sections on page 16.
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Rail Sections Plates Required
Upto 3 Equivalent of 6 plates
3 to 6 6
More than 6 One plate per rail section, spaced
evenly
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1 section = 6 plates or equivalent
3 sections = 6 plates
5 sections = 6 plates
8 sections = 8 plates
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12
Laying the First Track Section – Bolt X on Track
(with Weight Plates)
1. Carefully, 2 persons lift a weight plate from the crate and lay it such
that it is perpendicular to the position of where the first track
section is to be installed. (The position of the weight plate should be
decided bearing in mind that the floating centre retainer on the
floor plates would be directly under that first pair of anchor screws
on the track.)
2. Similarly, 2 person lift the second weight plate centred to the
approximate position of the second pair of anchor screws on the
track. The second pair of anchor screws on the track section are
1542 mm from the first one.
1542mm
1542mm
Floating retainers
Precision Track Quick Start Guide
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3. Lay the first track section, placing the 4 x anchor screws on the track
directly above the 4 x floating retainers on the floor plates.
4. Level the track in both lengthways and widthways using a spirit
level, by adjusting the four corner feet of the track. Make sure all
four corner feet are touching the ground (no wobble).
5. Tighten the lock nuts down against the track on the corner feet,
being careful not to change the height.
6. Lower the six middle feet until they touch the ground (finger tight
against the ground or the weight plate) and then tighten the lock
nuts on them.
7. Screw one of the anchor sleeves all the way down to the floating
centre retainers on the floor plate, finger tight.
Hint
The four corner feet also determine the track height. If you are
laying track on a level floor, try to use the middle of the height
adjustment range so that subsequent sections have some leeway
(in their feet) to cater for any unevenness in the floor.
Floating retainers
Anchor sleeves
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9. Repeat Step 7 and 8 for the remaining 3 anchor sleeves for the first
track section.
Laying the Second Track Section – Bolt X on
Track (with Weight Plates)
1. Again two-person lift the third floor plate in position next to the
first track section such that the floating retainers of the third weight
plate are 1429mm away from those of the second one.
2. Lay the fourth weight plate parallel to the third one with floating
retainers of the two 1542mm apart.
3. Add the second track section and follow steps 3-9 in the Laying the
First Track Section – Bolt X on Track (with Weight Plates) on page 12
section.
4. The subsequent instructions for laying tracks are similar as that for
other large rigs except that each track section require two floor
Note
If you are using only one track section, use the above procedure to
lay the track section and the weight plates and then place additional
two weight plates across the weight plates already laid as additional
weight.
Additional weight plate
Precision Track Quick Start Guide
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plates to go under first. Follow the subsequent sections in this Quick
Start Guide for further instructions.
Laying subsequent track sections
1. If any of your track sections already
have a rack installed, loosen the rack
clips so you can temporarily slide the
rack along the track and out of the
way when you are joining the track
sections.
2. Lay the next track section in line
with the previously laid track section
and as close to it as possible, making
sure it is the right way around (see
the notes on page 2).
Again, if you will be using a fast rig such as Bolt and the floor
already has anchor points from a previous installation, put the track
anchors as close as possible to the existing holes.
3. Raise the middle feet and anchor sleeves of the new track section so
they do not touch the ground.
Note
Once the track is secured using weight plates, no other weights need
to be added to the corners of the track.
1
Clip Rack
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