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Project Help and Ideas » CNC Milling Machine

May 24, 2009
by Ethanal
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In the projects page, I noticed you have a CNC milling machine being controlled by a Nerdkit. How did you convert the 3D model into code recognizable by the Nerdkit? Also, how do you control stepper motors with the Nerdkit? Wouldn't it blow out the chip?

July 27, 2009
by BoloBit64
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CNC Robotics: Build Your Own Workshop Bot by Geoff Williams. This is a book that is sold on amazon.com that will show you how a cnc machine is set up and how it works. I'm sure they would show the source code for the program, and all the other stuff dealing with CNC Robotics.

July 29, 2009
by mrobbins
(NerdKits Staff)

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I'm still not 100% done with that project. For the 3D model, it was really a 2.5D model, as the Z head only needed to be up or down. I wrote a Python script that took a image file of single-pixel-wide white lines on black as its input, and outputted a list of (X,Y,Z) coordinates to trace around the segments. The coordinates were transmitted over the serial port to the microcontroller. The stepper motors were controlled with a single power MOSFET on each of the 4 phases of the motor, very much like the Motors and Microcontrollers 101 video times four. (There were 12 power MOSFETs in all for three motors.)

I am hoping to spend some more time on that project in the next few months and get it to a working state for a video/etc!

Mike

August 14, 2009
by Ethanal
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Thanks.

October 20, 2010
by Icyhot
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How is this video coming along? I thought there would be more details about the unlinked projects in the members section, but unfortunately I just came across this post and it appears the projects page is more of a projects in progress page as well. I also wouldn't mind more detail on how you went about the ignition coil driver. I just got my kit today and obviously haven't learned much yet, but I was looking to create this circuit to put EFI on a lawn mower engine. Doesn't seem like a complicated circuit I just have much to learn, but never mind jumping in a ship instead of a dinghy.

February 14, 2012
by TheUnfocusedOne
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Is there any updates on this project? I'm really interested in trying this.

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