That Damned CNC Machine
An introduction on how to use the noisy machine in the corner of G10
Induction Required
This equipment requires an induction prior to use. For your own safety and to avoid damage to the equipment do not attempt to use it until you have been inducted.What is it?
- An ICP 4030
- A computer controlled, spinning cutter
- It can move in three directions:
- Linearly in X, Y, Z
- A fourth, rotary dimension (A) is planned
- It can cut many things:
- Tested:
- Aluminium, carefully
- Steel, extremely carefully
- Not tested, yet:
- Plastics
- Carbon composites
- Titanium?!
- Human Fingers
How do CNC machines work?
The following videos give a much better explanation than this author can.
- Where Mach3 is mentioned, we use bCNC
- The hackspace CNC is designed for use with metals not wood due to fire risk, but the principals in the video are the same
Machine Overview
What do all the buttons do?
- Power buttons
- Box on the side of the machine
- Controls power to the entire machine - including the computer
- Hit the off button if a catastrophe is happening
- Cover
- Hold the button to unlock the door
- There is an intention to interlock this to the spindle motor, but this hasn't happened yet
- Other buttons
- They do nothing
How do I use it without dying?
- Don't touch the spinny bit
- Don't open the cover when it is spinning
- The mist cooler creates an oily fog
- Don't breath this in
- Don't cut wood
- It creates a flammable cloud of sawdust
- Metal chips can scratch your eyes
- They will likely get stuck to the door, and then fall on you when you open it. Watch out for this!
Induction Process
- Design the thing that you want to mill
- Use Fusion 360 as it is easy to transfer designs from this into machine code
- Ask for an induction on the google group
- The induction will be tailored around the part you are creating
Maintainers
- Alex R
- Felix H
- Mark P
Useful Information for Maintainers
Spindle / Spindle Mount / Inverter / Cooling Pump:
https://zhonghuajiang.aliexpress.com/store/214974
We appear to have these Stepper Drivers:
This is the operating manual: ICP4030 Operating Manual
And this 5 Axis breakout Board:
There is also an Arduino Nano controller with GRBL firmware in the cabinet:
Stepper motor information:
- Holding torque: 1.13nm
- Voltage per phase: 4.2a
- Step angle: 1.8° (200 steps per revolution)
- Angle error: ± 5
- Connection lines: 8
steps_per_mm = (steps_per_revolution*microsteps)/mm_per_rev
- equipment/cnc_mill
- Last modified: 3 months ago
- by alexrowe