Upgrading Your CNC Machine
With our machine now working well, it’s time to consider what improvements we can implement to add to its functionality and make it work better. With some common components, we can improve our machines’ performance and extend their capabilities. In addition, there are several add-ons that can be easily acquired or fabricated.
In this chapter, we will cover the following upgrades:
- Adding end-stops so that our machine can home itself and not require us to set the origin.
- Adding a Z probe so that we can define the starting point on any surface.
- Giving your machine an emergency STOP switch so you can prevent problems from getting worse without having to rely on the computer and risk lag when telling your 3018 to stop. This is also important if you intend to operate the machine untethered from a computer.
- Introducing the ability to carve and cut on a rotary axis.
We will also upgrade your 3018 to be able to operate as...
