Overview

A small flat-bed cutter inspired from zund digital cutter dosent mean the name kochund dosent mean Kochi Zund. Kochu in malayalam means small which is an apt considering the machine size. here we are aiming for a big core xy flatbed cutter which is modular with seperate modules such as router with ATC oscillating knife, creasing wheel, drag knife and with an expandable modules. an opensource build with custom firmware and software and a web based machine interface.

Zundlet

ATC Milling Video

The whole machine is a test and a first prototype which is going to be used as a reference for the future machine that we are actually going to build.

we tried to cutting something very soft for the starting, its a pice of a styrofoam sheet..

here is the first cut Yaayee!! :D

Design

The design of the gantry was a rushed one. The overall machine has a gantry length and width of 880 mm, a width of 850 mm, and a Z height of 20 mm. These are the capabilities of the machine. The machine itself is a test for us. The machine runs on a big core XY gantry system. I had doubts about that system, but it worked fine with proper tension of the belt. For belts, we are using 10 mm GT2 with steel wire reinforcement belts. For a driver, we are using the NEMA 23 stepper motors. The gantry system we are using is inspired by CLANK, which was initially designed by Jake Reid. It is based on bearings driven directly on an aluminum extrusion.

The Z-axis of the machine is run using a lead screw, which has a travel of 45 mm and an allowable machining depth of 22 mm. The Z-axis is a linear rod guide. At this moment, the machine is a single module with snap and screw connectors. The module changing of the machine is easy. The module can be changed by snapping the dovetail joint into place and tightening the Allen head screws on the Z-axis.

The rotary axis has two tools at this point: a drag knife and a creasing wheel. The tools can be changed easily in the module and can be used with the 4th axis module. Currently, the module rotates with the help of stepper motors homed using a limit switch.

The drag knife uses the heavy-duty blade available on the market, which can be set up on the tool using the grooves in the tool holder and tightening the screws in the tool holder. We can use the drag knife after snapping it into the 4th axis.

The creasing wheel tool is snapped into place in the same way as the drag knife, and the creasing wheel is snapped from below and tightened the screw below using a nut, and we are ready to go with the creasing wheel.

Electronics

Neoπ Wireless CNC Controller (3-axis)

We chose the CNC controller made by Saheen Palayi that runs on with an ESP32 called the Neoπ. this is the same board used in Pico project by Rahul S Rajan. It is more than enough for us to run our little Zund, but needed an extra axis which can be added on later.

The board runs on ESP32 and configured with DRV8825 with micro stepping enabled. also have extra pins to run spindle and atc

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This is a high performance wireless CNC controller for the same price as a Uno Shield now a days.

You can find the full documentation on github

https://github.com/saheenpalayi/NeoPI_Wireless

Firmware

the board actually support GRBL very well but we decided to go with Custom firmware to get move in freedom without any limitation. we will have more control on our own firmware because we can modify them anytime anyway

KochunD Interface

TThe Kochund is a Frontend Application, developed using the Next.js framework. The application facilitates seamless communication with connected CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines through the WebSerial API. This interface aims to offer a user-friendly experience for monitoring and controlling CNC operations directly from a web browser.

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Key Features

  • Real-time Communication: Enables direct and efficient communication with CNC machines using the WebSerial API.
  • User-friendly Interface: Designed with a clean and intuitive interface to ensure ease of use for operators.
  • Cross-Platform Accessibility: Being a web application, it can be accessed from any device with a web browser, providing flexibility and convenience.
  • Next.js Framework: Utilizes the powerful features of Next.js, including server-side rendering and static site generation, to ensure optimal performance and SEO.

Technical Details

Framework

The frontend application is built using the Next.js framework. Next.js is a popular React framework that offers several benefits, including:

  • Server-Side Rendering (SSR): Improves performance by rendering pages on the server.
  • Static Site Generation (SSG): Allows pre-rendering of pages at build time, which enhances load times and SEO.
  • API Routes: Simplifies the creation of backend APIs within the same project.

WebSerial API

The WebSerial API is a modern browser API that provides direct access to serial ports. This is crucial for enabling real-time communication between the web application and CNC machines. Key capabilities include:

  • Port Access: Open and close connections to serial ports.
  • Data Transfer: Send and receive data to/from the CNC machine.
  • Event Handling: Handle serial port events to manage data streams and connection states.

Communication Workflow

  1. Port Connection: The user selects the appropriate serial port connected to the CNC machine.
  2. Data Exchange: The application sends commands to and receives responses from the CNC machine via the WebSerial API.
  3. Real-time Monitoring: The interface updates in real-time based on the data received from the CNC machine, allowing users to monitor operations seamlessly.

Installation and Setup

  1. Clone the Repository: 
    git clone https://github.com/your-repo/machine-interface.git
  2. Install Dependencies: 
    cd machine-interface
npm install
  3. Run the Development Server: 
    npm run dev
  4. Access the Application: Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000.

Usage Instructions

  1. Launch the Application: Open the application in a web browser.
  2. Manipulate SVG: Manipulate the Svg figure to Execute using the import or editor options
  3. Connect to CNC Machine: Select the appropriate serial port from the list provided by the WebSerial API.
  4. Control Operations: Use the provided interface to send commands and monitor the CNC machine’s status.
  5. Disconnect: Properly close the connection to the serial port when finished.

You can find a detailed User Instruction Here

Security Considerations

  • Permissions: The WebSerial API requires user consent to access serial ports, ensuring secure and controlled access.

Conclusion

The Machine Interface Frontend Application provides a robust and user-friendly solution for interacting with CNC machines through a web browser. By leveraging Next.js and the WebSerial API, this application combines performance, accessibility, and real-time capabilities, making it an invaluable tool for CNC machine operators.

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