DIY milling machine from a printer. Homemade CNC milling machine. Milling on a homemade CNC milling machine

Many craftsmen often think about assembling a homemade CNC machine. It has a number of advantages and will allow you to solve a large number of tasks more efficiently and quickly.

They carry out milling and cutting of almost all materials. In this regard, the temptation to manufacture such a device is quite great. Maybe it's time to take matters into your own hands and replenish your workshop with new equipment?

CNC machines program controlled have become widespread not only in industrial production, but also in private workshops. They allow flat and profile processing of metal, plastic and wood.

In addition, you cannot do without them when performing engraving and drilling and filler work.

Almost any task solved using such devices is performed at a high level.

If necessary, draw something on the board or wooden slab, it is enough to create a layout in a computer program and transfer it to the product using CNC Milling. In most cases, it is simply impossible to perform such an operation manually, especially if we're talking about about high accuracy.

All professional equipment of this type characterized high level automation and ease of operation. Only basic skills required to work in specialized computer programs to solve simple material processing problems.

At the same time, even with CNC they cope with their goals. With proper configuration and the use of high-quality components, you can achieve good accuracy, minimal backlash and acceptable operating speed from the device.

DIY CNC machine

Functional diagram of a CNC machine.

So how to do this device? To make a CNC machine with your own hands, you need to spend time developing the project, as well as familiarize yourself with existing factory models. Following these first and most simple rules, you will be able to avoid the most common mistakes.

It is worth noting that a CNC milling machine is technically complex device With electronic elements. Because of this, many people believe that it cannot be done by hand.

Of course, this opinion is wrong. However, it must be borne in mind that for assembly you will need not only a drawing, but also a certain set of tools and parts. For example, you will need a stepper motor, which can be taken from a printer, etc.

The need for certain financial and time costs should also be taken into account. If such problems are not terrible, then produce an affordable and effective unit with coordinate positioning cutting tool for processing metal or wood is not difficult.

Scheme

Most difficult stage CNC metal and wood is the choice optimal scheme equipment. Everything here is determined by the size of the workpiece and the degree of its processing.

For domestic purposes, it is better to give preference to a drawing of a small device with the necessary set of functions.

One option could be a design consisting of two carriages that will move in a plane. Steel grinding rods work well as a base. Carriages are attached to them.

You will also need a motor and screws with rolling bearings to ensure the transmission. The CNC router will be controlled using a program.

Preparation

To automate a homemade CNC milling machine, you need to think through the electronic part as much as possible.

Drawing of a homemade machine.

It can be divided into several elements:

• power supply that supplies power to the motor and controller;
• controller;
• driver regulating operation moving parts designs.

Then, to build the machine yourself, you need to select assembly parts. It is best to use available materials. This will help minimize the cost of the tools you need.

The base is usually made of wood, plexiglass or metal. It is important that no vibrations occur during the movement of the calipers. They will lead to inaccurate operation of the device. In this regard, it is necessary to correctly develop their design.

Here are some tips for choosing parts:

• rods with a diameter of up to 12 mm are suitable as guides;
• the best option for a caliper would be textolite;
• SD is usually taken from printers;
• The cutter fixation block is also made of textolite.

Assembly instructions

After preparing and selecting the parts, you can begin assembling the milling unit for processing wood and metal.

First of all, you should check all the components again and make sure that their sizes are correct.

CNC device diagram.

The order of actions during assembly looks approximately as follows:

• installation of caliper guides, their fastening to the side surfaces of the structure;
• grinding in the calipers as a result of their movement until a smooth ride can be achieved;
• bolt tightening;
• installing components on the device base;
• securing lead screws with couplings;
• fastening to the screws of stepper motor couplings.

All electronic components should be located in a separate unit. Thus, the likelihood of failure during operation will be minimized. This type of placement of electronics can be called the best design.

Features of work

Once the CNC machine has been assembled with your own hands, you can begin testing.

The actions of the machine will be controlled by software. It must be chosen correctly. First of all, it is important that the program is working. Secondly, it must maximize all the capabilities of the equipment.

Kinematic diagram of the device operation.

The software must contain all the necessary drivers for the controllers.

You should start with simple programs. During the first starts, it is necessary to monitor each cutter pass to ensure that the width and depth are processed correctly. It is especially important to control the three-dimensional versions of such devices.

Bottom line

CNC woodworking devices have various electronics in their design. Because of this, at first glance, it may seem that such equipment is very difficult to make on your own.

In fact, do-it-yourself CNC is a feasible task for everyone. You just need to believe in yourself and your abilities, and then you can become the owner of a reliable and efficient milling machine that will become the pride of any master.

Making a machine from a printer is not difficult. To do this, it is enough to have equipment that you don’t mind disassembling for spare parts. A CNC machine can be made with a stepper type electric motor. It can be used to mill or engrave various workpieces made of wood, plastic, and some metals. Homemade units from a printer (CNC) capable of providing high speed materials processing – up to 2 mm per second.

What will serve as the basis?

Making a homemade CNC machine from a printer is possible using matrix-type equipment. You can use any that is available, regardless of the manufacturer's brand. Also for quality management and efficient work units, it is necessary to remove other parts from the printer - motor, carriages, toothed belts, guides, various gears.

Required materials and tools

To make CNC machines with your own hands you will need the following materials:

• plywood (used for the body of the device, so it must have a thickness of at least 15 mm);
• aluminum corners that have a shelf length of 20 mm;
• self-tapping screws for connecting the main elements of the unit;
• bearings 608 (3 pcs.);
• M8 bolts with a length of 2.5 cm (several);
• M8 pin;
• rubber hose;
• M8 nuts (2 pcs.);
• Dremel;
• bearings linear type(4 things.);
• bracket 80;
• glue.

A milling machine will not work if you do not prepare some tools - pliers, a screwdriver, a vice, a hacksaw, a file, side cutters. If you can find an electric drill, the work will also be much easier.

Manufacturing technology

1. It is necessary to cut out the walls of the case from plywood - side 37x37 cm, rear 34x37 cm, front 9x34. These elements should be fixed using self-tapping screws, making small holes with an electric drill.
2. Along the Y axis, corners can be used as guides. They are attached to the side walls at a distance of 3 cm from the bottom. For more precise installation V in the right place a 2 mm tongue is made. The corners themselves (recommended length 34 cm) are screwed using self-tapping screws.
3. The working surface should be formed from corners 14 cm long. One bearing is attached to them from below, and two from above. When performing this operation, you must observe high accuracy, which will ensure the correct movement of the tabletop.
4. At a distance of 5 cm from the bottom, a hole for the motor with a diameter of 2.2 cm is drilled on the Y axis. A hole of 7 mm in size should also be made on the front wall of the housing. It is necessary to install the propeller support bearing.
5. You can make the travel screw yourself from a construction pin.
6. A rubber hose coupling is installed. It dampens vibration from the propeller and increases the service life of the motor bearings. To make a coupling, you should select a hose that has the same diameter as the motor axis. At one end it is put on the drive pulley and glued. On the other hand, the hose is attached to the stroke screw.
7. A screw hole with a diameter of 2.5 mm and an M3 thread is made on the nut. After this, it is screwed onto the axle.
8. Guides from the printer are installed along the X axis.
9. The finished carriages are installed on the axle.
10. To obtain the Z axis, you should make a base of 6 mm thick plywood, which is made using PVA glue. Subsequently, bearings are installed on it using epoxy resin. They also make a running nut using the same pattern. The guides are from the printer.
11. Instead of a spindle, a Dremel with a bracket holder will be installed in a homemade machine. This unit is secured to the Z axis using self-tapping screws.
12. Supports for the carriage along the Z axis are also made of plywood (base 15x9 cm, bottom and top 9x5 cm). A hole is made on the top board for the bearing, and on the bottom board - for the guides.
13. After assembling all the Z-axis elements, they are mounted on the body.

In order to make a CNC machine from a printer with your own hands, you will need the following available materials:

• spare parts from several printers (in particular the drive and pins);
• hard drive drive;
• several sheets of chipboard or plywood, furniture guides;
• controller and driver;
• fastening materials.

1. The base is a box made of chipboard. You can take a ready-made one or make it yourself. We immediately take into account that the internal capacity of the box must accommodate all the electronic filling, so the height of the side is calculated from the height of the board with parts, fastenings and reserve to the table surface. The base and frame are assembled from chipboard using self-tapping screws. In this case, all parts must be level and secured at right angles.

2. The machine axes must be secured to the base cover. There are three of them - x y z. First we attach the y axis. To make the guide, a furniture runner on ball bearings is used.

It is better to use two guides for two horizontal axes, otherwise the axes will have significant play. For the vertical axis, the role of the guide is played by the remains of the hard drive, the part where the laser moved.

The rod from the printer is used as a lead screw. In this case, threaded screws with a diameter of 8 mm are made for the horizontal x y axes. For the vertical z axis, a threaded screw with a diameter of 6 mm was used. Drives from old printers are used as a stepper motor. One drive per axle.

3. The pin is attached to the plane using metal corner.

The motor shaft is connected to the stud through a flexible coupling. All three axes are attached to the base through a chipboard frame. In this design, the router will only move in vertical plane, and the movement of the part is carried out due to the horizontal movement of the platform.

4. The electronic unit consists of a controller and a driver. The controller is made on Soviet K155TM7 microcircuits, for this case three were used.

From each chip, wires go to the driver of each of the three motors. The driver is made on a transistor. The drive uses KT 315, transistors KT 814, KT 815. From these transistors, an electrical signal is supplied to the winding of the electric drive.

At normal operating voltage, motors may overheat due to the lack of busbars in the electronic unit. To prevent this, a computer cooler must be used for each engine.

Video: a simple DIY CNC machine for beginners.

Electronic filling

There are two options:

1. You arm yourself with a soldering iron, flux, solder, a magnifying glass, and understand the chips from the printer. Locate the 12F675 and LB1745 printer control boards. Work with them by creating a CNC control board. You will need to attach them to the back of the CNC machine, under the power supply (we also take it from the long-suffering printer).
2. Use the factory CNC machine controller. Offhand – a five-axis CNC controller. Homemade electronics are wonderful, but the Chinese are heavily dumping on prices. So, with a light click of the mouse, we order the CNC from them, because in Russia you cannot buy such a CNC device. CNC controller 5 Axis CNC Breakout Board allows you to connect 3 inputs of end motors, a shutdown button, automated control Dremel and as many as 5 drivers to control the stepper motor of a homemade machine.

This CNC is powered by a USB cable. IN homemade version The control board based on the printer chips needs to be powered from the power supply of the CNC machine.

Stepper motor for a homemade CNC machine you will have to choose a power of up to 35 volts. At other powers, the CNC controller runs the risk of burning out.

Remove the power supply from the printer. Connect the wiring between the power supply, the on/off switch, the CNC controller and the Dremel.

Connect the wire from the laptop/PC to the machine control board. Otherwise, how will you load tasks into the machine? By the way, about assignments: download the Math3 program for drawing sketches. For non-professionals industrial design CorelDraw will do.

Cut homemade machine CNC can be used on plywood (up to 15 mm), textolite up to 3 mm, plastic, wood. The products will be no more than 30-32 cm in length.

From scrap parts and materials found in a landfill, you can make a beautiful, working CNC machine. The main device will be an old printer with a stepper motor. Homemade device will cope with the production of promotional products, souvenirs and other pleasant little things.

Possibilities of a homemade CNC machine

• Dimensions work surface: 16 x 24 x 7 cm.
• Processing materials: textolite no thicker than 3 mm, plywood no thicker than 15 mm, any types of plastic, wood.
• Engraving: wood, plastics, soft metals.
• Processing is carried out at a speed of 2 millimeters per second.

Although the CNC machine is quite small and runs on a weak motor, it is suitable for amateur and professional tasks. Now let’s figure out what materials and tools you will need to make it yourself.

Parts and tools

The basis of a homemade CNC machine is a printer. It is preferable to take a matrix camera of any brand (HP, Epson, Xerox, Ricoh, Canon). Printer motors are easy to install with your own hands, durable, and quiet.

Before you buy an old device, you need to look at the motor parameters and other design details in the instructions. Some craftsmen use stepper motors from scanners.

In addition, the following details are needed:

• plywood for building No. 15;
• duralumin corners 20 mm;
• self-tapping screws;
• three bearings 608;
• several M8 bolts 25 mm long;
• construction pin M8;
• rubber hose;
• 2 M8 nuts;
• Dremel;
• 4 linear bearings;
• bracket for boards 80;
• PVA glue.

Tools:

• hacksaw;
• screwdriver;
• electric drill;
• pliers;
• vice;
• file;
• side cutters.

Assembling a CNC machine

1. We cut out two squares of plywood with our own hands measuring 370 x 370 mm for the side walls, one 340 x 370 mm for the back and one 90 x 340 mm for the front wall.
2. The walls of the CNC machine are fastened with your own hands using self-tapping screws through holes made in advance with a drill with a distance to the edge of 6 mm.
3. The guides along the Y-axis are duralumin corners. To attach them to the side walls, a 2 mm tongue is made 30 mm from the bottom of the body. Thanks to the tongue and groove, the guides are installed smoothly and do not warp. The corners are screwed through the central surface with self-tapping screws. The length of the guides is 340 mm. Such guides last up to 350 hours of operation, after which they need to be replaced.
4. The working surface is made from corners 140 mm long. One 608 bearing is bolted to the bottom and two to the top. It is important to maintain alignment so that the tabletop moves without stress or distortion.
5. An outlet for the Y-axis motor with a diameter of 22 millimeters is made 50 mm from the bottom. For the propeller support bearing, a 7 mm hole is drilled in the front wall.
6. We will make the propeller with our own hands from a stored construction pin; it interacts with the motor through a homemade coupling (details on manufacturing below).
7. Screw holes with a diameter of 2.5 millimeters with an M3 thread are made in the extended M8 nut. The nut will be screwed onto the axle.
8. We will make the X-axis from steel guides, which are found in the printer body. The carriages that are put on the axles are also taken there.
9. You will have to tinker with making the Z-axis. Its base is made of No. 6 plywood. We remove the guides with a diameter of 8 mm from the printer. The plywood elements are fixed together with PVA glue, in which epoxy resin linear bearings are glued in or bushings are removed from the carriages. Let's make another running nut using the already known algorithm.
10. Instead of a spindle, the CNC machine will have a Dremel with a holder made from a board bracket. A hole with a diameter of 19 millimeters is made from below for the Dremel to exit. The bracket is fixed with self-tapping screws to the base of the Z-axis in pre-prepared holes.
11. The support for the Z-axis carriage is made of plywood: the base is 15 x 9 cm, the bottom and top sides are 9 x 5 cm. A hole is made in the middle of the top for the support bearing. Exits are also drilled for the guides.
12. The final step is to assemble the Z-axis with the Dremel bracket and install it into the machine body.

Making a coupling

The clutch dampens vibration coming from the propeller. This allows you to save the bearings of the stepper motor and extend its life. In addition, a homemade clutch eliminates the discrepancy between the axes of the propeller and the motor.

The most convenient and easiest way to make a coupling with your own hands is to use a durable rubber hose. Select a hose with a diameter inside equal to the diameter motor axis. We put the end of the hose on the motor pulley and glue it or secure it with a coupling. We also attach the other end of the hose to the stroke screw. As a rule, the diameter of the screw is larger than the internal diameter of the hose. But thanks to the thick walls, it can be drilled out a little. Makes work easier liquid soap, which prevents the drill from getting stuck in the rubber.

The second method is a little more complicated: instead of a rubber hose, we take a gas hose with a rubber braid with our own hands. The braid can be carefully soldered onto the flanges into which the lead screw and motor pulley will be inserted.

And the most practical option: install flanges on rubber tube high pressure. In this way, you can very tightly fix all the necessary devices; a homemade coupling perfectly damps vibration. You can make flanges at lathe CNC or order in a workshop.

Electronic filling of the machine from the printer

We will make a CNC board using a homemade machine from parts of printer microcircuits. You can purchase a ready-made board and save a lot of time.

The videos show different homemade designs machines with parts from a printer that you can make yourself:

So, you've decided to build a homemade CNC milling machine, or maybe you're just thinking about it and don't know where to start? There are many benefits to having a CNC machine. Home machines can mill and cut almost all materials. Whether you are an amateur or a craftsman, this opens up great horizons for creativity. The fact that one of the machines could end up in your workshop is even more tempting.

There are many reasons why people want to build their own DIY CNC router. As a rule, this happens because we simply cannot afford to buy it in a store or from a manufacturer, and this is not surprising, because the price for them is rather high. Or you can be like me and have a lot of fun with your own work and creating something unique. You can simply do this to gain experience in mechanical engineering.

Personal experience

When I first started developing, thinking through and making the first CNC router with my own hands, it took about one day to create the project. Then, when I started buying parts, I did some research. And I found some information in various sources and forums, which led to the emergence of new questions:

• I really need ball screws, or will regular studs and nuts work just fine?
• Which linear bearing is it better and can I afford it?
• What motor parameters do I need, and is it better to use a stepper or a servo drive?
• Does the housing material deform too much when large size machine?
• And so on.

Fortunately, I was able to answer some of the questions thanks to my engineering and technical background left after my studies. However, many of the problems I would encounter could not be calculated. I just needed someone with practical experience and information on this issue.

Of course, I received many answers to my questions from different people, many of which contradicted each other. Then I had to research further to find out which answers were worthwhile and which were garbage.

Every time I had a question that I didn't know the answer to, I had to repeat the same process. By and large, this is due to the fact that I had a limited budget and wanted to take the best that my money could buy. This is the same situation for many people who create a homemade CNC milling machine.

Kits and kits for assembling CNC routers with your own hands

Yes, there are machine kits available for hand assembled, but I haven't yet seen one that can be tailored to specific needs.

There is also no possibility to make changes to the design and type of machine, but there are many of them, and how do you know which one is right for you? No matter how good the instructions are, if the design is poorly thought out, then the final machine will be poor.

That's why you need to be aware of what you're building and understand the role each piece plays!

Management

This guide aims to prevent you from making the same mistakes that I wasted my precious time and money on.

We'll look at all the components down to the bolts, looking at the advantages and disadvantages of each type of each part. I will talk about every aspect of design and show you how to create a CNC milling machine with your own hands. I'll take you through the mechanics to the software and everything in between.

Keep in mind that homemade CNC machine plans offer few solutions to some problems. This often results in sloppy design or poor machine performance. That's why I suggest you read this guide first.

LET'S START

STEP 1: Key design decisions

First of all, the following questions need to be considered:

1. Definition suitable design specifically for you (for example, if you make a woodworking machine with your own hands).
2. Required processing area.
3. Availability of work space.
4. Materials.
5. Tolerances.
6. Design methods.
7. Available tools.
8. Budget.

STEP 2: Base and X-Axis

The following questions are addressed here:

1. Design and build the main base or X-axis base.
2. Rigidly fixed parts.
3. Partially fastened parts, etc.

STEP 3: Design the Gantry Y Axis

1. Design and construction of the portal Y axis.
2. Breakdown various designs to elements.
3. Forces and moments on the portal, etc.

STEP 4: Z Axis Assembly Diagram

The following questions are addressed here:

1. Design and assembly of Z axis assembly.
2. Forces and moments on the Z axis.
3. Linear rails/guides and bearing spacing.
4. Selecting a cable channel.

STEP 5: Linear Motion System

This paragraph addresses the following issues:

1. A detailed study of linear motion systems.
2. Choice correct system specifically for your machine.
3. Design and construction of your own guides on a low budget.
4. Linear shaft and bushings or rails and blocks?

STEP 6: Mechanical Drive Components

This paragraph covers the following aspects:

1. Detailed overview of drive parts.
2. Selecting the right components for your machine type.
3. Stepper or servo motors.
4. Screws and ball screws.
5. Drive nuts.
6. Radial and thrust bearings.
7. Engine coupling and mount.
8. Direct drive or gearbox.
9. Racks and gears.
10. Calibration of propellers relative to engines.

STEP 7: Selecting Motors

In this step you need to consider:

1. Detailed review of CNC motors.
2. Types of CNC motors.
3. How stepper motors work.
4. Types of stepper motors.
5. How do servomotors work?
6. Types of servo motors.
7. NEMA standards.
8. Choice the right type engine for your project.
9. Measuring motor parameters.

STEP 8: Cutting table design

1. Design and build your own tables on a low budget.
2. Perforated cutting layer.
3. Vacuum table.
4. Review of cutting table designs.
5. The table can be cut using a CNC wood router.

STEP 9: Spindle Parameters

This step addresses the following issues:

1. Review of CNC spindles.
2. Types and functions.
3. Pricing and costs.
4. Mounting and cooling options.
5. Cooling systems.
6. Creating your own spindle.
7. Calculation of chip load and cutting force.
8. Finding the optimal feed rate.

STEP 10: Electronics

This paragraph addresses the following issues:

1. Control Panel.
2. Electrical wiring and fuses.
3. Buttons and switches.
4. MPG and Jog circles.
5. Power supplies.

STEP 11: Program Controller Parameters

This step addresses the following issues:

1. Overview of the CNC controller.
2. Controller selection.
3. Available options.
4. Closed-loop and open-loop systems.
5. Controllers at an affordable price.
6. Creating your own controller from scratch.

STEP 12: Selecting Software

This paragraph addresses the following issues:

1. Review software associated with CNC.
2. Selection of software.
3. CAM software.
4. CAD software.
5. NC Controller software.

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