Desktop size CNC milling machine from scratch

Description

I have built a CNC milling machine mostly from hardware store parts. My machine is more than just a proof of concept; It is compact, easy to work with and surprisingly precise, with a accuracy of 1/20mm. The machine is precise enough for milling PCBs and strong enough for milling wood, plastic and soft metals. A comprehensive youtube series about my machine finished as well, see links in the details below.

Details

Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Part 4:
Part 5:
Part 6:
Follow-up #1:

Follow-up #2:

- work size: 160 x 160mm, Max. height: 25mm

- Milling-tool: Proxxon, 20000rpm

- typical milling speed: 1-5mm/sec

- max. jogging speed: 10mm / sec

- milling materials (tried so far): PCB, plastic, wood

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- Motors: 3x NEMA17, 1.7A, driving 8mm M8 stainless steel rods

- Stepper drivers: 3 x Big Easy Driver

- Power: USB-Hub for the arduinos and all other 5V devices, 19V 3.5A laptop power supply for the stepper drivers

- Control: two Arduino UNO; both can control the stepper drivers. One runs GRBL and can process G-code commands from the computer. The other one runs my own software and is attached to the keypad and the LCD. This arduino gives a live feedback of the machine position via the LCD, even when the other arduino took over the control.

Hardware-ToDo: Connecting the GRBL-Arduino to the border switches (was not yet necessary) but will be needed for auto-leveling

- Manual control software:

- Moving in X/Y/Z direction: different speeds and different distances. The movement can be cancelled all times. Smallest moving step is 1/20mm.

- External mode: Live-feedback of the movement controls from the GRBL arduino, Internal mode: Manual control

- Homing/max loop, present table (moving table to foremost position), border-switch test

ToDo:

- Memorize position when system is switched off (no idea yet how to do that)

- G-code based Bed level test and auto-leveling

Files

CNC_jogger.ino

Arduino-based software for manually controlling my CNC machine. Niew, slightly improved version (December 2016)

x-arduino - 25.80 kB - 01/07/2017 at 12:08

Download

analogKeypad.h

The header of the analog-keypad library used for my machine

x-chdr - 956.00 bytes - 07/24/2016 at 15:37

Download

analogKeypad.cpp

The .cpp of the analog-keypad library used for my machine

x-c++src - 3.00 kB - 07/24/2016 at 15:36

Download

numericDisplay.h

The header of the arduino-library for showing my position numbers

x-chdr - 569.00 bytes - 07/24/2016 at 15:36

Download

numericDisplay.cpp

The .cpp of the arduino-library for showing my position numbers

x-c++src - 3.74 kB - 07/24/2016 at 15:35

Download

Components

3 × NEMA 17 stepper motor, 1.7A

3 × Big Easy Driver stepper motor driver

3 × Stainles steel M8 rod

6 × M8 nut Hold the M8 axles in the bearings

3 × 5mm/8mm motor coupling

Discussions

joekutz wrote 07/31/2015 at 09:17

My youtube video series is complete! Enjoy :)

Are you sure? yes | no

joekutz wrote 07/24/2015 at 14:42

.. And now, Video 5! (Where everything gets together)

Are you sure? yes | no

joekutz wrote 07/23/2015 at 10:52

Video 4 is online! Enjoy.

Are you sure? yes | no

Brian wrote 07/23/2015 at 02:11

I love your approach to video documentation. You're doing this very well.

Are you sure? yes | no

Phil701 wrote 07/22/2015 at 21:55

Great CNC. But please no video, do a write-up in plain text with some pictures.

Video is a slow media and heavy for such thing.

Are you sure? yes | no

joekutz wrote 07/23/2015 at 05:35

Hmm, most people including me prefer videos as documentation. My video series is also more of a "impression sorce" than a how-to. For the schematics a figure is in fact better, I guess I will draw one soon and upload it somewhere, together with the CAD drawing and the source-code.

Are you sure? yes | no

joekutz wrote 07/22/2015 at 16:28

Answer is in preparation .. in form of youtube clip Nr. 4. I will upload it tomorrow. Using a raspPI as sender is my next idea - that would make my machine be independent and I could put a g-code file on the SD-card and let it run, pretty much like in a 3D-printer.

Are you sure? yes | no

dave.landry wrote 07/22/2015 at 15:51

Great CNC! Could you post some details in how you have the 2 arduinos talking to each other? I have a RaspPi running bCNC connected to the Arduino running GRBL. But I am trying to build a pendant with LCD.

Thanks

Are you sure? yes | no

Desktop size CNC milling machine from scratch

Description

Details