International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD)

Volume 3 Issue 5, August 2019 Available Online: www.ijtsrd.com e-ISSN: 2456 – 6470

CNC Drilling Machine for Printed Circuit Board

Moe Myint Aung1, Nwe Nwe Oo1, May Thwe Oo2
1Lecturer, 2Professor

1,2Department of Electronic Engineering, Technological University (Magway), Myanmar

How to cite this paper: Moe Myint Aung | ABSTRACT

Nwe Nwe Oo | May Thwe Oo "CNC Drilling In this system, an Arduino based 3-axis CNC drilling machine for printed
Machine for Printed Circuit Board" circuit board is implemented using Arduino controller, CNC router and open
Published in source software for controlling the whole operation. This can be the invention
International for the electronic industries and electronic students which can design the
Journal of Trend in production as desired. This CNC machine is able to draw a circuit layout on
Scientific Research PCB or any other solid surface using simple algorithm and available
and Development components. At first, the user need to design PCB layout using eagle software
(ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456- which is directly generated G-code and then feed it to the machine using
6470, Volume-3 | IJTSRD25290 candle software. Arduino Uno with an AT mega 328 microcontroller is used as
Issue-5, August main controller for this system. The microcontroller converts G-code into a set
2019, pp.374-377, of machine language instruction to be sent to the motor driver of the CNC
https://doi.org/10.31142/ijtsrd25290 machine. This system can provide to drill in less time and increase the
flexibility.
Copyright © 2019 by author(s) and
International Journal of Trend in Scientific
Research and Development Journal. This KEYWORDS: Eagle software, Candle Software, G-code, Motor driver, Arduino
is an Open Access article distributed
under the terms of I. INTRODUCTION
the Creative Computer Numerical Control (CNC) drilling machine plays an important role in
Commons Attribution today’s manufacturing processes. The machines are applicable with procedure
License (CC BY 4.0) to drilling, spreading, weaning and threading with a lot of precise holes. PC-
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by based CNC drilling machine and the driving circuitry were built in house.
/4.0)
They have used a PC as a separate frontend interface for the file containing all the information about the PCB drilling,
drilling machine. CNC machines have advanced the holes hole size, and hole positions on which users are going to
drilling process as this manufacturing now has been make drill. All the mechanical and electronic designs are
completely automated. CNC drilling machine can be done from scratch to realize the system. There is also a
classified as CNC Printed Circuit Board (PCB) drill, CNC computer program which communicates with the machine
vertical drill, CNC deep-hole drill, drilling center and other electronics. The block diagram of this system is shown in
large CNC drilling machine. This machine is used for drilling Fig.1.
holes with numerical control and widely used in hole
processing technology for the PCB.

II. System Block Diagram X-axis X-axis

G-code from stepper stepper
PCB drilling machine mainly consists of three blocks, PC for computer motor driver motor
software purpose, controller block and the drilling machines.
Computer which has software’s like Eagle, Flat CAM,
Universal G-Code sender forms the base for giving directions
Y-axis Y-axis
to the controller block. Arduino microcontroller is vital part Arduino UNO stepper stepper
in controlling the movements of axis on the drill machine. It motor driver motor
also gives orders, when to start drilling and when to stop.
There are three stepper motors connected in X,Y and Z axis
movement. And they will be controlled or operated by the Spindle Z-axis Z-axis
AT mega328 microcontroller connected to it. Among these motor stepper stepper
motor driver motors
three axis, two axis are used to move the PCB platform in X
and Y directions. And the one remaining that is Z axis moves
drilling machine in the vertical direction. When the PCB
comes at the desired position, the third stepper motor moves
the drilling machines along the third Z (vertical) axis to drill
there. This saves time and reduces errors due to manual Power
Supply
handling and also gives much accuracy too. To make 12V
graphical sketch of the desired PCB and send all information
to the microcontroller as completing the graphical Fig.1: System Block Diagram of the CNC Drilling Machine
presentation of the PCB layout, the software itself creates a

@ IJTSRD | Unique Paper ID – IJTSRD25290 | Volume – 3 | Issue – 5 | July - August 2019 Page 374
 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
III. Design Concept IV. System Operation
In this system, Arduino microcontroller is supplied 5V to V-
IN across 10k resistor from external power supply. The
power supply 12V, 30A adapter which is connected to 10k
resistor is used to supply driver across VDD and GND.
According to GRBL firmware, pin 2, 3, 4 are connected to
STEP and pin 5, 6, 7 are connected to DIR of A4988 motor
drivers at X, Y, Z axis. And, the next motor is used to move
up-down operation which connects parallel with Z-axis
Fig.2: Design of the System stepper motor. STEP is utilized for micro stepping. DIR is
heading input stick which will move stepper engines as per
12V power supply (30A) is used to drive the CNC drilling the given measurements. The stepper motor driver receives
machine. The electronic system used on microcontroller step and direction signal from the microcontroller and
based CNC machine was the power supply which used as a converts them into high voltage electrical signals to run the
voltage source on PC and CNC machine. PC is used as a stepper motor. A4988 stepper motor driver is used for each
device to run some software such as X-loader, eagle software axis of motion. External power supply 12V is supplied VMOT,
and candle software, also to send design file to GND through 30A fuse and which are connected to parallel
microcontroller using serial communication. AT mega 328 with the 100µF capacitors to drive motors. The motor can be
Arduino board is used as the motion control board. The operated smoothly by using these capacitors. The motor
microcontroller is flashed with the G-CODE interpreter phase A-B windings are connected between 1A and 2A, 1B
firmware written in optimized C++ language. Motion control and 2B of motor driver pins. 1A and 2A can rotate motor in
is carried away through output pins connected to the stepper clockwise direction and 1B, 2B can rotate it counter
motor drivers according to the firmware code in clockwise direction. The 5V pin and Enable pin of Arduino
microcontroller. G-code is nothing but a language in which are connected to Vcc and IN 1 of relay. When the power
people tell computerized machine tools ‘How to make supply through 30A fuse reaches to relay COM, NO pin which
Something’. The How is defined by instructions on where to feeds 12V power and run spindle motor. X-loader software is
move, how fast to move and through what path to move. used to upload GRBL firmware for motion control of the axis
Stepper motor driver are used to drive the stepper motor by to microcontroller. The user can draw the desired drawing
giving the specified operating voltage. In this system, motor and design PCB layout using eagle software which is directly
drivers are used for driving the stepper motors. The generated G-Code. The generated G-Code is uploaded to the
operating voltage of stepper motor is 8-35 V. The aim of microcontroller by using candle software. The
stepper motors is to rotate or move the plate of PCB in X, Y microcontroller generates electrical pulse by comparing
and Z directions using a G-code. The Stepper motors are input G-Code file with the firmware. And then, electrical
interfaced with controller by using A4988 Driver. And then, pulse sends to the motor driver. Driver drives stepper motor
drilling operation can be performed by using spindle motor. in associated positions. Finally, machine can operate drilling
Flowchart of CNC drilling for printed circuit board is shown and etching operation. In this way, this machine can also use
in Fig.3. for drawing desired picture. The overall circuit diagram of
Start CNC drilling machine for printed circuit board is shown in
Fig.4.
220V + +
Port Initialization AC Input _ 12V,30A _
Adapter

R
10KΩ

F1 Fuse
Upload G-code to microcontroller using Candle software
+ Stepper Motor
Vcc N/C VMOT
C1
1N1 Relay COM M 100µ F
GND N/O Spindle Motor GND
2B
- A4988 2A
No driver 1A
Receive G-code? 1B
STEP VDD
DIR GND

Yes X-axis

Decode Instruction
Stepper Motor
VMOT
C2
RST GND 3
100µ F
3V3 GND
5V 13 2B
Move to desired position along X,Y axis GND2 A4988 2A
GND1 driver 1A
Arduino Uno
V-IN 1B
7 STEP VDD
AD0 6 DIR GND
Reset
AD1 5
Move along Z-axis to perform up-down operation for drilling AD2 4
AD3 3 Y-axis
AD4 2
AD5 Stepper Motor

Spindle drilling VMOT

C3
100µ F
GND
A4988 2B
driver 2A
1A
1B
Yes STEP VDD
Stepper Motor
Next DIR GND
Drilling?
Z-axis

No

End

Fig.3: System Flowchart Fig.4: Circuit Diagram of the System

@ IJTSRD | Unique Paper ID – IJTSRD25290 | Volume – 3 | Issue – 5 | July - August 2019 Page 375
 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
V. Software and Hardware Testing
First, GRBL firmware uploads to microcontroller by X-
Loader software. The schematic of the desired PCB layout
(ESP Programmer) is converted to board by using Eagle
software. This board is inserted in candle software to
procude desired PCB board. The probe testing is done to
smooth the surface of the board and get heightmap. Finally,
this heightmap can be used in etching (engraving) operation.

Fig.9: Probe Testing on Software

Fig.5: Uploading X-loader Software

Fig.10: Probe Testing on PCB Board

VI. Results

Fig.6: Schematic of ESP Programmer

Fig.11: Photo of CNC Drilling Machine

Fig.7: Board of ESP Programmer

Fig.8: Converting PCB layout to G-code

Fig.12: PCB Result

@ IJTSRD | Unique Paper ID – IJTSRD25290 | Volume – 3 | Issue – 5 | July - August 2019 Page 376
 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
VII. Discussion IX. References
In this system, the CNC PCB drilling machine is equipped [1] KajalJmadekar, Poojaphadetare, KrantiNanaware,
with three dimensional movements and considered to Vikas Manes, No Date, “Characterization of Automatic
produce good precision accuracy for a competitive mini CNC machine for PCB drawing and drilling” IRJET
development cost comparing with another machine products
[2] G. E Thyer, 1998, “Computer Numerical Control of
manufactured by other machines which is that are not
Machine Tools”, Heinemann Professional Publishing
accurate, especially in drilling holes or trace line and with
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developed PCB machine that is able to draw trace lines and “Automatic Drilling Machine for Circuit Board”,
drill holes on a single layer PCB board is designed. As a result Department of Electrical Engineering Petra Christian
of the testing, the PCB machine successfully draws a trace university
line and drilled holes on both end of line. In its development,
[4] B. Jayachandraiah, O. V. Krishna, P. A. Khan, and R. A.
the cost incurred is very competitive and relatively cheap
Reddy, 2014, “Fabrication of Low Cost 3-Axis CNC
compared with the drilling machines available on the
Router”, Int. J. Eng. Sci. Invent., vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 1–10.
market. Several tests must be conducted to adjust the
appropriate parameter such as time delay or motor rotation [5] M.A.A. Ali, A.M.A. ELShaikh, and S. F. Babiker, 2016,
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This paper is discussed about Arduino based CNC drilling
[6] K. J. Madekar, K. R. Nanaware, P. R. Phadtare, V.S. Mane,
machine for printed circuit board. It is planned to scale up
2016, “Automatic Mini CNC Machine for PCB Drawing
the prototype CNC machine in terms of size, use more
and Drilling”, International Research Journal of
powerful motors, strengthen the frame and worktable with
Engineering and Technology (IRJET), vol. 3, issue: 2,
materials like aluminium or cast iron, and augment the CNC
pp. 1106-1110.
control software with software for simulation ahead of
actual run. For instructional purposes as well as for more [7] Rustan, T, 2003, “The Application of Genetic Algorithm
precise operation, it is preferable to build CNC machines to Optimize the Automatic Drilling Machine”,
with DC or AC servomotors and encoder feedback using PC- Undergraduate final project no.02/610/ELK/2003.
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multi axis about 4 to 6 axis CNC router. The implementation with PLC. Undergraduate final project no.
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The developed system can be built up for milling PCBs. [8] A. S. Pawar, M. J. Halunde, S. M. Nayakawadi, and Ms. P.
P. Mirajkar, 2017, “3 AXIS DRAWING MACHINE”,
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Technology (IRJET), vol. 04 Issues: 03, pp. 693-697.
[9] Paulo, Rogério, and Maria, 2010, “Prototype CNC
Machine Design”, International Conference on Industry
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@ IJTSRD | Unique Paper ID – IJTSRD25290 | Volume – 3 | Issue – 5 | July - August 2019 Page 377