CNC Engraving Machine

What I did

I co-developed a budget CNC portal milling and engraving machine from 3D-concept to functional prototype from scratch. This project is a combination of mechanical design, electronics integration, and digital manufacturing workflows.

As a result: 

• Built a functional prototype for school display.

• The project got awarded on two major conferences for young developers.

• We had several publications and interviews in regional and city-level media

• Attendance of extracurricular technology class was increased significantly over the next years by students, inspired by our example. 

My responsibilities included:

• 3D modelling of mechanical components and assemblies in Autodesk Fusion 360

• Selection of electronic components (stepper motors, Arduino-based CNC control system)

• Mechanical design of the frame, gantry, carriage, and drive system

• Fabrication of structural parts using CNC machining and 3D printing

• Assembly, wiring, firmware setup (GRBL), calibration, and testing

• Manufacturing sample engraved parts to validate accuracy and functionality

The system enables automated cutting, engraving, and prototyping operations controlled via G-code. It demonstrates practical applications of:

• CAD/CAM workflow

• Mechatronics system integration

• CNC motion control

• Rapid prototyping techniques

• NC-code generation and reading

The project focused on achieving usable machining performance while maintaining affordability and simplicity.