MakerCarve - A Shapeoko 2 Compatible CNC Router/Carving/Engraving Machine

MakerCarve is a Shapeoko 2 compatible machine with some modification listed bellow:

1. Mechanical Kit
A. Tapped SlideSlot aluminium rail extrusions are used instead of MakerSlide
B. All plates are made of aluminium
C. End plates are 5mm in thickness to increase stiffness
D. 2020 aluminium extrusions are 527mm in length

2. Electronic Kit
A. The grblShield is replaced by CNC Shield
B. Belt locking torsion springs are used

3. Software
A. GRBL Controller (G-Code Sender) is preferred to Universal-G-Code-Sender

To enable MakerCarve function well, the Arduino Uno R3 must be uploaded with grbl firmware (hex file) and properly configured. To upload grbl hex file, XLoader is used.
A. GRBL Homepage
B. Quick GRBL (Arduino G-Code Interpreter) Setup Guide For Windows
C. GRBL Configuration Page

To assembly, methods and tools used in Shapeoko Rebuild are recommended.

To engrave or to carve, the free open source F-Engrave is used.

SlideSlot - An Aluminium Extrusion Combines MakerSlide And V-Slot As An Alternative To The Rail On Shapeoko 2

SlideSlot is an Aluminium Extrusion Combines MakerSlide and V-Slot, Both wheels used on MakerSlide and V-Slot can be used on SlideSlot.

The section and dimension of SlideSlot Aluminium Extrusion is illustrated below:

Here's the photo:

For fastening belt on MakerSlide based camera slider (dolly) or Shapeoko CNC router, M5 flat (thin) hex nut is used in the v-grooved rail. On the long side of the section, M5 hex nut is used for fastening.

Camera Slider / Dolly - MakerSlide + Arduino + CNC Shield + A4988 Driver + 42BYGH4417 Stepper Motor

One dimension movement is the most basic practice to position. By following the design of simple camera slider by Bart Dring from Inventables, I have made my own camera dolly and changed the pulley and belt of  gt2 specification for easy steps calculation.

The use of CNC Shield is optional, it is used just for easy extension to y-axis and z-axis.

Connection

1. Stack CNC Shield on Arduino Uno or Mega2560
2. Connect CNC Shield to power supply with voltage 8-35V
3. Connect CNC X axis to 42BYGH4417 stepper motor

Photo

Connections 

Dolly In Motion

Sketch

// simple stepper motor control 
// only x axis is used for dolly
#define EN 8 / / stepper motor enable
#define X_DIR 5/ / x axis direction control
#define Y_DIR 6/ / y axis direction control
#define Z_DIR 7/ / z axis direction control
#define X_STP 2/ / x axis step control
#define Y_STP 3/ / y axis step control
#define Z_STP 4/ / z axis step control

/*
// step(): to control direction and steps of stepper motor
// parameter: dir for direction control, 
//                   dirPin maps to DIR pin of stepper motor,
//                   stepperPin maps to STEP pin of stepper motor
// return value: none
*/

void step(boolean dir, byte dirPin, byte stepperPin, int steps)
{
  digitalWrite(dirPin, dir);
  delay(50);
  for (int i = 0; i < steps; i++) {
    digitalWrite(stepperPin, HIGH);
    delayMicroseconds(800);
    digitalWrite(stepperPin, LOW);
    delayMicroseconds(800);
  }
}

void setup (){
  // setup stepper motor I/O pin to output
  pinMode(X_DIR, OUTPUT); pinMode(X_STP, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(Y_DIR, OUTPUT); pinMode(Y_STP, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(Z_DIR, OUTPUT); pinMode(Z_STP, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(EN, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(EN, LOW);
}

void loop (){
  // 200 steps per turn
  step(false, X_DIR, X_STP, 1800); // run 360 mm
  step(false, Y_DIR, Y_STP, 200); 
  step(false, Z_DIR, Z_STP, 200); 
  delay(1000);
  step(true, X_DIR, X_STP, 1800);  // run 360 mm in reverse direction
  step(true, Y_DIR, Y_STP, 200); 
  step(true, Z_DIR, Z_STP, 200); 
  delay(1000);
}