Design and Analysis Mini CNC Plotter Machine
This study
Submitted to the College of Engineering
University of Al-Qadisiyah in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
the Bachelor's degree of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
2018
Barra Jabbar Sujud Abd-Alstar Ahmed Yahya
Ahmed Jasim Mohammed Iskander
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Al-Qadisiyah
Supervisor
Yousif Mohsin Hasan
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Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................................................... 2
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................... 3
LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................... 3
ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................ 4
CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................ 6
INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 6
CHAPTER TWO ....................................................................................................... 8
MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY OF PROJECT .......................................... 8
MECHANICAL SYSTEM DESIGN .................................................................................. 8
ELECTRONICS SYSTEM AND WIRING .......................................................................... 9
Arduino Uno R3 .......................................................................................................................... 10
CNC V3 Shield with A4988 stepper Driver Module and Heatsink for Arduino ........................... 11
Stepper Motor ............................................................................................................................ 11
CIRCUIT AND WIRING ............................................................................................. 12
COMPUTER AND SOFTWARE TOOLS ......................................................................... 14
Arduino IDE................................................................................................................................. 14
Easel software ............................................................................................................................ 15
CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................................. 16
CALIBRATION ....................................................................................................... 16
STEPS TO RUN CNC PLOTTER MACHINE ...................................................... 16
CHAPTER FOUR .................................................................................................... 18
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .............................................................................. 18
CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................................................... 21
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 22
3
List of Figures
Figure 1. flow chart to implementation CNC plotter machine. ..................................................... 7
Figure 2. subsystem of CNC plotter Machine. ............................................................................... 8
Figure 3 . Plotter machine Modelling by solidwork. ........................................................................ 9
Figure 4. Arduino Uno circuit. ........................................................................................................ 10
Figure 5. CNC V3 Shield with A4988 Stepper driver and Heatsink. .......................................... 11
Figure 6 . Steeper Motor. ................................................................................................................. 12
Figure 7. Electronics Circuit. .......................................................................................................... 13
Figure 8. Wiring of CNC Plotter Machine. ................................................................................... 13
Figure 9. Arduino Software (IDE). ................................................................................................. 14
Figure 10. easel software tools. ....................................................................................................... 15
Figure 11. Shows Complete CNC Plotter Machine. ...................................................................... 18
Figure 12 . Comparison of text file (a) original text (b) plotted text. ........................................... 19
Figure 13. Comparison of geometric shape (a) original shape (b) plotted shape. ...................... 20
List of Tables
Table 1. .............................................................................................................................................. 17
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ABSTRACT
This project shows how to design and building low cost Arduino plotter machine
based on the open source hardware and software. The Arduino plotter machine has
been dependent on the principle of Computer Numerical Control with limited area
depends on the motion X, Y and Z axes. The objectives of this project are to design
the Plotter and to develop open source software for control the machine. Basically,
the system of this plotter machine is modeling by solidwork software to work with
three axes stepper motors (as X, Y and Z axes), these three stepper motors are
controlled by shield for movement (X, Y and Z axes). This machine’s movement on
the X axis is 215 mm and Y axis is 235 mm. Length of travel means the linear
movement of stepper motors that control for X, Y and Z axes from point to another
point. The left and right movement controlled by X axis stepper motor, front-back
movement controlled by Y axis stepper motor and the pen is up-down that is
controlled by Z axis stepper motor.
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
The world has become a high technology with a lot of things becoming smaller and
thinner. The fast-growing development of technology and manufacturing, Industrial
requirement such as good and high precision quality has helped in developing the
CNC machine plotter all of those can be achieved through machines that can be
controlled by computers such as Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine. To
implement CNC plotter machine, several concepts must be understood such as:
understanding fundamentals, Machine Mechanical design, CNC machine hardware,
software developing, test each one of three axis stepper motors and connecting CNC
Machine with the software tools and test it, Figure 1 bellow shows the steps that has
been used to implement this project. Three axes of CNC plotter machine can do
movement starting with three primary axes which are X, Y and Z axis. The Z axis is
being paralleled with the X-axis (Micheal W. Mattson, 2010). Figure 1 shows the
steps to implement this paper must be understood fundamental of the plotter
machine, Machine design by solidwork software, implementation Machine
hardware and wiring connection, Development software, test each one of three axes
stepper motors, finally connect machine with Easel software tools and test
Machine.
Objectives:
The objectives of this project are to design the CNC Plotter Machine and to develop
open source software and hardware to control it.
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Figure 1. flow chart to implementation CNC plotter machine.
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CHAPTER TWO
MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY OF PROJECT
This chapter shows how to build and do experimental the project, method of this
project is generally a guiding principle to handle the problem. The project
implementation method is discussed briefly focusing on basic components. The
framework must be clear to ensure that the project runs smoothly, and project
objectives are capable of success. Figure 2 shows three subsystems of this CNC
plotter machine; Mechanical system design, electronics system, and computer for
software tools.
Figure 2. subsystem of CNC plotter Machine.
Mechanical system design
In this section of project, the structure of CNC plotter machine has been
designed and modelling in solidwork software with desired dimensions
and all parts of CNC machine will be achieved before implementation the
hardware of actual CNC plotter machine. Before starting the design, there
CNC plotter Machine
Mechanical system
design
Electronics system and
Wiring
Computer and
Software tools
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are many steps of criteria must be explained. Length of travel mean the
linear movement of steppers motors that controls X, Y and Z axes. The left-right
motion is controlled by X axis stepper motor, front-back motion controlled by Y axis
stepper motor and the pen goes up and down by Z axis stepper motor controller.
Finally, the length travel of CNC plotter machine that decided as 235 mm for X axis,
215 mm for Y axis and 1 mm up-down for Z axis. Figure 3 show CNC plotter
machine design and modelling by solidwork.
Figure 3 . Plotter machine Modelling by solidwork.
Electronics system and wiring
This section will discuss the electronic parts and wiring which is needed for
designing and building our CNC plotter machine. So, the main electronic component
required are one Arduino UNO R3, one CNC V3 Shield with A4988 Driver Module
with Heatsink for Arduino, stepper motors, D.C. power supply, pen holder, some
wires and USB to serial adapter.
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Arduino Uno R3
Arduino Uno is microcontroller based on ATmega328P Atmel AVR family
microcontroller (MCU). It is an open source software and hardware design and
manufacture a single of microcontroller. It has 14 digital Input/output pins and 6
Analogue input can be sampled using on-chip ADC. By using open source can be
programming Arduino Uno. It also has 6 PWM outputs multiplexed on to the
digital IO pins. The dimensions of Arduino Uno measured are [68.6 mm x 53.4
mm]. Figure 4 below shows the Arduino Uno R3 circuit.
Figure 4. Arduino Uno circuit.
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CNC V3 Shield with A4988 stepper Driver Module and Heatsink for Arduino
The Arduino CNC Shield makes it easy to get your CNC projects up and running
in a few hours. It uses opensource computer code on Arduino to control 4 stepper
motors using 4 pieces of A4988 Stepper Motor driver breakout board, with this
CNC shield and Arduino Uno, can be build project including CNC routers. The
purpose of this CNC shield to control on the three axes (X, Y and Z axes) of CNC
plotter machine, meaning control on the stepper motors.
Figure 5. CNC V3 Shield with A4988 Stepper driver and Heatsink.
Stepper Motor
The digital pulse stepper can be converted into the movement of the pen with
respect to the X, Y, Z axes directions. The stepper motor is a brushless motor that
distributes full rotation in several equal steps [2]. The stepper motor in Fig. 6 is
defined by the property of converting several drives to a specific increase in the
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position of the column. Each pulse moves the column through a fixed angle. This
machine has used three stepper motors with a lead screw and two belts.
The output of the motor will be in the form of the rotation of the lead screw with
respect to the X, Y and Z axis.
Figure 6 . Steeper Motor.
Circuit and Wiring
The wiring of the various components of electronics system is represented in the Fig.,
shown below. The microcontroller of Arduino board is connected to the computer
system through the USB serial port. The Stepper Motors of three axes (X, Y and Z)
are connected with CNC shield driver board as Figures 7 and 8 shown below. D.C.
Power supply is provided for all the components of electronics system.
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Figure 7. Electronics Circuit.
Figure 8. Wiring of CNC Plotter Machine.
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Computer and software tools
Arduino IDE
"The open-source Arduino Software (IDE) makes it easy to write code and upload it
to the board"(https://www.arduino.cc). It is simplified C/C++ functions language-
based programming can be download functionality with a rich set of library
functions. After download and install on pc can be write the program by C language
and from tools and port must be choose the port connection between computer and
Arduino through USB. After this step can be verify the program by error checking
and the message is done compiling when it finished and no error. After this step can
be upload the program on the Arduino. Figure 9 shows Arduino software IDE.
Figure 9. Arduino Software (IDE).
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Easel software
To make the CNC plotter machine plote and write needing a software tools to
design the graphs and then convert this graph to G-code because CNC machine
operate and understanding G language, this tools can be achieved by easel
software tools, this software must be setting material dimensions X is 235 mm,
Y is 215 mm, Z is 1 mm and set Bit to 0.15 mm because Z axis is pen. Through
this software can be set positions of X, Y and Z axes, also can be control on the
speed of CNC machine mm/min from feed rate. Figure 10. showing the tools
of easel software.
Figure 10. easel software tools.
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CHAPTER THREE
CALIBRATION
After finishing the complete build-up of the machine, it is necessary to calibrate the
movement of the axes. Stepper motor calculations equation is:
Test code for stepper motor is used where steps per revolution is 200 steps were
allowed for the motor to move. On running the code, it is found that the motor is
travelling 40 mm which is indicating that the stepper motor takes 5 steps to cover
1mm. This is calibration for both X and Y axes.
STEPS TO RUN CNC PLOTTER MACHINE
Note: Must be install Arduino IDE on computer and connect CNC plotter machine by USB and
choose COM port.
1- open online web site (https://www.inventables.com/sessions/new ).
2- Register as a new costumer needing Email and choose password.
3- Sign in using Email and password.
4- Open new project and setting material dimension as X=235mm, Y=215mm and Z=1mm.
5- Design the shape or write text for plot.
6- Press carve and set Y, X and Z axes at Home point.
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Table 1. Shows the technical specification of plotter machine
Where:
Plotting Area: the total travel in X and Y axes.
End Mill: represents the tool geometry (as in cutting machines)
Material dimensions: the length, width and thickness of the work. It should be noted
that Easel software acts as it's a cutting process, so all dimensions and End Mill (tool
diameter which is pen width) need to be entered.
Feed rate: Machine (Motors) speed.
Angle rotation: an option to rotate the project.
Time of simulate: total machining time which can be calculated by dividing feed rate
on tool path length.
Table 1.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Plotting area 235 x 215 (mm)
End mills Pen width 0.15 (mm)
Material dimensions X: 235 mm, Y: 215mm, Z: 1mm
Feed rate 1000 – 2000 mm/min
Angle rotation 0 - 360º
Time of simulate Depend on toolpath length and feed rate
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CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
After the testing and calibration, a plotter machine was ready to operate. The plotter
machine is implemented and manufactured as planned, therefore it can plot and write,
this plotter machine starts to collect data from programming that is derived from
computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM). The
programs produce the computer file and will then extract the command to run the
device. The program will be transferred via Arduino and then loaded into the plotter
machine to start machining. After calibration and testing, the plotter machine was
fully functional ready to work. Fig. 11 shows the plotter machine after
implementation with minimum cost.
Figure 11. Shows Complete CNC Plotter Machine.
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Text File: A text file has been designed with Easel software and sent to the plotter
for drawing the text. The original file and the plotted files are shown in the Fig. 12.
(a)
(b)
Figure 12 . Comparison of text file (a) original text (b) plotted text.
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Plotting of Geometric shapes: Fig.13 show geometric shape has been plotted by
plotter machine.
(a)
(b)
Figure 13. Comparison of geometric shape (a) original shape (b) plotted shape.
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Conclusions
In this paper, we used the concept of a low-cost plotter machine, which is easily
controlled by the computer and suddenly stopped and paused by clicking on the
computer. This small machine can be easily transported and assembled everywhere as
required. The board size of this device is 40X40 cm. Stepper Motor will run on this
standard for board size. If we have an increase in the size or length of the lead coil, it
will be free to make the large size of the design on paper.
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