Implementation of Low Cost Cnc Plotter Using Arduino

Abstract

With the advancement of technology, demand for Computer Numerical Control (CNC) plotter machines in Educational Institutions and Laboratories is rapidly rising. Low cost manufacture of Printed Circuit Board (PCB) has become a basic need in electronics laboratories, for electronics engineering students and for electronics hobbyists. This paper will present an affordable model of a CNC plotter machine which is able to draw a circuit layout on PCB or any other solid surface using simple algorithm and available components. At first the user needs to convert any image file or text file into G code using Ink space software and then feed it to the machine using Processing software. Arduino uno with an ATmega328P micro-controller is used as the control device for this project. The micro-controller converts G-code into a set of machine language instruction to be sent to the motor driver of the CNC plotter.