Quoted:
actually that Bosch/80-20 aluminum extrusion is EXTREMELY stable and is also VERY expensive.
so the "forces" would be Nil using this stuff.
automation cell assembly is done quite often using that material because of it's strength and versatility.
this would be the BEST material to use, if you could get it.typically from work as scrap is how it is obtained.
it is on average $20 a foot, depending on size, manufacturer and qty bought.
so aluminum extrusion is a very good platform for mounting, how it is attached to a sheet metal box is key.
I had to mount a vise on a 41" craftsman pro series box. I used a piece of 5/16 aluminum plate to spread out the
mounting of it so it wouldn't ruin the box.
if you use common sense in mounting and replace the cheesy wheels this is an excellent way to mount a press and store your tooling.
I use a stainless kobalt box for my tooling. but I don't mount a press to it.I like to keep mine mobile, but I bolt it in several different areas,
like:
kitchen, living room , dining room, or the garage. all depends on where I want it and if I need seclusion or what not.
Forces don't care about the make up of the detail parts.
Don't confuse the differences between "strong", "stiff", and "stable"; they're not the same thing, and they aren't necessarily interrelated.
If you want to argue about structural design and detailed analysis, I'm prepared as that is my professional specialty.
If the box isn't heavy and any attachments through the top installed close to the edges, it's going to make a crappy setup for a press. In the photos above, one end of the square tubes isn't attached at the end under the Dillon press, and that's only one of the deficiencies.