The final product at the end of our design period
A closeup of the gantry's electronics
I worked with a team to create a miniature CNC router that can cut 2.5D shapes. Our inspiration were the CNC routers made by ShopBot, which gave our project its name.
On this project, I focused on developing the electrical systems that control the gantry, and integrating those systems onto the final system. The gantry's stepper motors and limit switches are controlled by an Arduino CNC shield mounted to an Arduino Uno, while our toolhead's DC motor is wired to a separated motor controller. We were able to power all of our electronics from one 24V power supply, avoiding the need for buck converters. To keep our stepper drivers cool, we wired in a fan to blow across our shield's heatsinks.
This project was a great way for me to improve my integration skills, as I had to learn how to best package and route electrical systems through a moving mechanical gantry.
The project website can be found here.