@andrew said in What did you build today (Pictures) ?:

so, it is ready. I mean ready to SW development :) both the schematic and pcb design is now confirmed and fortunately theory meets the practice :)

it is assembled, programmed, tested, everything works as expected.
I did not mount it to the wall so far (I'll need a controller and real actuators first), but there was no issue with the communication between two nrf modules (both with PCB antenna) from cca 6 meter distance + 2 walls (10 cm brick) in between.

the touch panel's firmware will be enhanced as well as the controller's firmware, at the moment the touch sensing is reliable and a PoC code run on both of them for testing/debugging purposes. for the controller board I'm collecting additional information for the development on the following link:
https://forum.mysensors.org/topic/8831/which-sensor-and-msg-type-for-switch-dimmer-node-sender-only

@neverdie indeed, unfortunately it is not straight forward every time. it also took me a while to discover the possibilities and fine tune the results.
although I'm not an expert, I'll try to create a howto on the topic. it is on my todo list, together with some write-up on my other electronics and hacking projects. :)

JFYI: CNC 2418 assembly by me :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2_18-ObvP0

I'll try to make a blog to describe the whole pcb cnc milling, tools etc, as well as other diy projects. I'll let you know if there is any notable progress...

one step further...

ISP works, FTDI works, test code works, and looks like a genuine board :)
now comes the hard part :D

2 gang EU type livolo customisation, from theory to product... still in progress.

!

@neverdie just search for "cnc 2418" on ebay and you can find a lot. almost all of these are Chinese stuff, but works without any issue. based on your needs you can find bigger or smaller versions, such as cnc 1610 or cnc 3020.

the chosen one should be USB connected and GRBL firmware controlled (check it in the description), so you can use it with open source tools, such as bCNC (https://github.com/vlachoudis/bCNC), chilipeppr (chilipeppr.com/grbl). for isolation milling you should use flatcam (http://flatcam.org/) for the G code preparation based on the gerber and drill files exported from KiCAD/eagle/etc.

drill sets, milling bit sets and engraving bit sets could be ordered from China for couple of bucks only.
e.g.:

• drill bits: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-10-Pcs-0-3mm-1-2mm-Import-Carbide-PCB-Drill-Bits-Print-Circuit-Board/32717739217.html
• carving bits https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-10pcs-New-Mini-PCB-wood-drill-Bits-Tungsten-Steel-Carbide-PCB-CNC-drill-Bit-Milling/32702792947.html
• milling bits https://www.aliexpress.com/item/10Pcs-Set-1-8-0-8-3-175mm-Drill-Bits-Engraving-Cutter-Rotary-PCB-CNC-End/32774556522.html

@sundberg84 I often use 0.4mm drill bits for vias without any issue. 0.3mm should work as well. The drill set I linked before contains the most frequently used drill bits for PCB drilling (0.3 – 1.2mm).
regarding to the traces, I have stable and reliable results with 6 mil (0.1524mm) traces / 6 mil clearance, which is also a limitation factor of several PCB manufacturer’s hobby/proto package.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2aiqRqlwKo

hello everyone,

what is the current status with the quality, fine traces and result stability?
after a long absence I finally had some time to finish my new board and prototype it.
I don't have those issues that appearing for some of you, the result is pretty nice, the milling quality is the same across the whole board.
in this design the thinnest traces were 15mils, and the smallest vias were 0.8mm with 0.3mm drilled holes.

just for reference, please see my relevant configuration options detailed below:

tools

• cnc: cnc2418
• carving: 2001 bit (20 degree, 0.1mm end)
• mounting holes and outline milling: 0.8mm endmill

config

• isolation routing: tool dia: 0.1176326981mm; width (# passes): 2; pass overlap: 0.05mm; cut-z: -0.05mm; feed rate: 200
• milling: tool dia: 0.8mm; cut-z: -1.75mm; feed rate: 170; depth / pass: 0.3mm
• drilling: feed rate: 120

software:

• flatcam
• bcnc (also for the autoleveling)

@neverdie I'll be here :)
you'll love the stuff, I bet for it.

in the meantime I'll try to finish a howto on the cnc assembly/setup and on other tricks, such as firmware upgrade (which is not officially documented).

I received the pack like the pics below, it took me two nights to assemble it.

I would recommend not to use the provided SW pack. or maybe just in a dedicated VM, without internet connection... who knows...

@neverdie so, I expect your first boards tomorrow :)

@neverdie said in What did you build today (Pictures) ?:

What is that spring loaded contraption? Is it for holding your PCB while you solder it? If so, I can see how that would be handy.

yes. I have a "third hand" station as well, which is good for through hole parts and pcb handling, but for smd, this could be a life saver.

this is the exact item which I ordered and which you can see on the photo:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/8-12cm-Fixture-Motherboard-PCB-Holder-For-Mobile-Phone-Board-Repair-Tool/32767458535.html

I had a chance (and a need) to make a quick PCB prototype again, so I've finished my first real-life exercise with my new CNC3020(T).

I made two mistakes:

• as I was in hurry, I did not use enough measurement points for the levelling. A small extra copper remained at two places, hopefully it won't need too much work to get rid of it. The time saved on the levelling will be spent twice on the post-processing... lesson learned... again...
• I made an unintended short during the levelling and had to reset the controller. Working coordinates were re-defined manually, causing a small shift between the two sides. Once I'll have my new controller ready, this should not happen again.

Beside these issues, the result still looks amazing.
Here are some pictures for reference:

isolation:
https://youtu.be/7kZHOMzWgUI

drilling:
https://youtu.be/kUqxxttMfyc

Conclusion: CNC2030T is an affordable CNC machine which can be easily used for precise PCB prototyping.
Btw, this was my conclusion for my previous CNC2418 as well. Both of them proved their capabilities. CNC3020T is just better, more robust and good for more stuff.

To be honest, if one buys a CNC from the super cheap 2418 category and the main goals is PCB milling/drilling, then I do not see any reason to spend money and time on upgrades, as the base machine is good for the job.

@sundberg84 well, I've my own PCB UV exposure toolset at home as well, so I can create PCBs both with CNC isolation routing or with photo transfer and etching. depending on the need I can choose the right toolset.

CNC has some advantages, e.g. no chemicals are necessary; you can easily create (mill) any PCB outline, drilling or hole milling is quick and precise. I managed to create nice 6mil tracks with 6mil isolation without any issue.
on the other hand the UV exposure version works very well, but due to my printing limitations I managed to go down until 8-10mil traces only. it is also harder to cut and drill the PCBs, or you have to manage to make the proper alignment and set correct reference points for the CNC. but, if you have to remove a lot of copper, then it could be much more efficient compared to CNC isolation routing.

this small CNCs are pretty cheap. this version has 24x18cm effective work space, which is more than enough for most of the projects. it is also possible to replace the spindle with laser module, so you can use it for laser engraving. I bought this for cca 165 EUR...

raw PCBs are basically cheap, and I also prefer to have the first results for cheap and without waiting weeks for PCB delivery. so, I create my prototypes at home, test them, and as soon as the given project is ready to "release" (and if it necessary), then I order the design from a professional PCB fab.

as you see from the pictures above, I had to create couple of designs to properly adjust the mount holes and the PCB outline, I also enhanced the circuit itself, so it was definitely much more cheaper and faster to do all of this at home instead of ordering a set of PCBs for each revision.

so, long story short, I think it is a good investment :)

just to have some related pictures in this tread as well, here are some on isolation routing, pcb outline milling and on some test results.

@neverdie I would say, as for a starter kit you should have:

• drill bit set from 0.3mm to 1.2mm, e.g. this, which I already mentioned before. for vias, through hole components you will use a couple from them. I recommend to have at least 2 pack from this. if you make any mistake (e.g. while moving the cnc head to the relative home without properly realigning the z axis after a tool change /yes, it happened with me :)/) then you can easily break a bit. so have a spare set, just in case...
• 0.8mm end mills for slot milling, edge cuts and to mill holes which are bigger than your drill bits (e.g. mounting holes). the previously mentioned set is good, as you have multiple options for different tasks, but I still recommend to have some spare one from the 0.8mm end mill in advance.
• same applies to the carving bit sets. buy one set with multiple size variants (in the given link it is "model 6"), and buy another which just contains 2001 bits (model 2) as these bits will be used the most.
• PCBs. I usually buy mine from local stores, but your linked one seems to be fine. nothing special, single side or double sided FR4 PCBs, based on your needs (size, thickness). I use 1.6mm thick 1oz FR4 boards, others should work as well.

you will/might need double sided adhesive tape, and a sacrificial layer for the cnc, to protect your cnc's bed. I applied a wood board cut for proper bed size for this purpose (see before / after pics below). when you drill holes or mill edges/slots then the drilling/milling tools should go through on your PCB, so there should be a sacrificial layer between your cnc's aluminium bed and the PCB. this layer should be replaced when it become very used.

basically that is it, no rocket science :)

@executivul thank you for the tips and for the shared experience.
I agree, that the mentioned CNCs, have more robust structure, more powerful spindle, but I guess that the mentioned extra upgrade on the spindle is a bit overkill, especially just to create ad hoc proto PCBs at home.
just be clear, I know that higher rpm and more powerful spindle could produce better and faster result, ballscrews provide smother and more precise movement, I don't questioning that, but for the price/value/reason of the usage combo I think the cheap smaller versions also do their job quite acceptably.
2418 is not the fastest, not the strongest, but precise enough for this purpose and it is pretty cheap.

btw, once I'll have a dedicated working area for my hw hacking stuffs, I'll definitely buy a 6040 or 9060, it is long time ago on my wish list :)

@ben999 for pcb milling the z touch probe is not so useful. you should do autoleveling instead, on the whole target pcb surface.
for this the pcb surface and the tool itself should be connected to the cnc controller board dedicated pins (usually the tool is connected with a crocodile clips) during the mapping.
just quickly googled a video for that:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7eMQi2_eQE

@NeverDie
firmware settings: it is stored in the EEPROM, but nothing guarantees that the same location will be used for the same parameters in case of different versions, so the output of "$$" command should be saved, this contains everything which you can manually set up if necessary.

ER11: take extra care during the installation process to not "harm" the motor's axis. usually the ER11 is pretty tight and howtos mention that the motor should be cooled (by the freezer) and the ER11 should be warmed up before putting them together, to help the mounting process and to prevent unwanted distortion.

I put the CNC 2418 assembly guide to my share, for ones it is interesting.