Printrbot Founder and CEO Brook Drumm was on hand at MakerCon today to reveal a beta of the upcoming Printrbot CNC router. While it’s targeted as a tool for beginner CNC’ers, the machine is quite capable for maker-pros alike. It can cut wood, plastic, and aluminum at “respectable speeds,” according to Brook.
“We’re making a tool that I’ve wanted for a long time,” said Brook. He also emphasized that ease-of-use and low-cost are high priorities for the product.
Inside the machine, a wi-fi enabled Raspberry Pi runs the web-based control software so that you can connect to it wirelessly, giving new meaning to the term “wireless router.” A TinyG motor control board communicates to the NEMA 23 stepper motors which move the Makita router across the bed. While there’s no word on pricing, it’s expected to be available in the fall. Check out our interview and demo with Brook below:
8 thoughts on “Printrbot Reveals CNC Router”
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While I am excited about the many companies looking at cnc and pick and place devices, my biggest concern is the trend to go with web-based software. Not everyone lives in a large city with overlapping areas of wi-fi coverage. Will the cnc machine be capable of using non-web-based software?
if it’s a raspberry pi inside it(it is) then it can act as it’s own wlan access point.. or you can attach it with rj45. or just bypass the raspberry pi.
when they say webbased, they mean that the device has a web server inside it which you can attach to, either by direct wifi connection, or by plugging the device into your internet router by ethernet.
the raspberry pi is a dead giveaway, there is a package for both 3d printers and cnc machines that runs on the pi and drives the electronics board via usb. it allows you to connect to a webserver on the pi, upload files to print or control the printer.
all this works fine without going anywhere near the internet.
Really shouldn’t have put music over the video. The background noise made things hard enough to hear as it is.
Reblogged this on Reprap3D.
is this thing ready for prime time yet?
How Much?
As a process engineer and an expert in CNC routers its hard to imagine where the industry will go with DIY and 3d printers will take us….thanks for the article.
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