DIY Pen Plotter with Automatic Tool Changer | Arduino based CNC Drawing Machine

[@HowToMechatronics]

I hope you enjoyed this video and learned something new! If you'd like to support me making more content like this, please consider supporting me on Patreon: www.patreon.com/howtomechatronics

[@VijayaLakshmi19807]

Sir please make a simplest 3d Printer but with a good level of details, speed and work area. Love from India❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@TheJacklwilliams]

Thank you for sharing your design. Absolutely wonderful. Approx 35 years ago my father in law invited me to work to see his new toy on the factory floor. It was a pen plotter and I was as blown away as he by the simplicity and the accuracy of the printing it output. The drawings were end cap units for grocery store refrigeration units. They were generated / output by AutoCad. This is an incredible design. Additionally, the head could be swapped and a different one added to mount a magnet unit for a sand table. Good stuff.

[@kevinhenrage3155]

Please make a Belt 3D printer, the ones available are too expensive and I know that only you can do that

[@justforknowledge6367]

This is brilliant! A death knell for all sorts of printers. So be careful. The inkjet, laser and dot-matrix printer industry cartel controls a billion dollar market. They will come after you. Please have a crowdfunding industry set up and build these printers for customers. In time the components could be miniaturised.

[@frikkiesmit327]

I want your brain!

[@MirkoPavleskiMK]

Incredible inventiveness. Each of your projects is something new in the world of Arduino. Thanks for sharing.

[@HowToMechatronics]

Thanks. You are doing a great job too! Cheers! 😀

[@ArnaudMEURET]

The timeless charm of plotters ! 😍 A great execution once again.

[@HowToMechatronics]

Indeed, they are special. Thank you!

[@Hedtosea]

@@HowToMechatronics can it skech with pencils?

[@alexanderkeck5379]

I have completed my own Plotter after 4 Weeks and tens of hours today 😎👌 its very, very accurate, worth building and sooo much fun to see, how this DIY Plotter is and was painting my own A3 Scetch of the Chernobyl Power Plant Nr. 4 😂😂 But some things to know, for them, who are building this little monster of Scetches: 1. You have to own a good 3D-Printer, which is perfectly aligned, so the tolerance is low for the pieces to print, or, like me, spend hours on deburring them- but its relatively easy to do with a goood deburring tool 😌 2. The minimum 9 Jumpers for the (cheap China) CNC Shield are not in Stock with it, so if you dont have a Computer Store, order them right with it. 3. If you‘re thinking of building your own, purchase minimum 600cm long Linear Rails! You won‘t regret it! For my own, i „only“ have 550cm ones, and its kind a little though 🙂 4. The most frustrating at all is, get the Endstop-Switches and Homing to work, especially if you got one of these chinese CNC Shields- You have to tinker hours to get them working- really! The switches must be connected differently than shown in the Video: „Y+“ to Spindle Enable „X+“ to X- „Z“ to Y- (my working configuration 🤷🏼‍♂️) 5. Configuration of the grbl-Code is kinda tricky, because it false-triggers the Endstops much times, for me it worked right from the Moment i‘ve -disengaged- the hard and soft Limit switches (believe it or not 😅) and turn on Homing Cycle xD $20=0 $21=0 $22=1 $23=0 6. Order Drag-Chains! You won‘t regret it, looking beautiful! 🤫 7. Don‘t think, GRBL-Plotter is a easy Application: simply the import of pictures can be very time-consuming, because of Windows „Technology“ - 15 minutes of waiting for ending on an ugly-filled sketch is normal- Have „fun“ with it! It does its work, but preoperational vectorisation of the pictures with eg. Inkscape to svg. Format is heavily recommended 😝 8. Automatic Changing of Color Pens is propably possible, but you have to do so many settings, simply for drawing 1 colored picture and then, for drawing a simple Grayscale picture after, seeking for your old settings again, frustrating not to have a good manual - Learning by doing is your only option to have a good result at the End 🤪🤪 Much fun for you guys building this funny thing of Technology! Greetings 😎👌

[@harshanaidu8006]

hello brother . i am also building my own plotter can u help me to do so . if yes can i get your insta or phone no so that i can contact u for some advices

[@esser50k]

mine took 3 years omg

[@sherlockhomeboy4031]

Alex sell me yours ill buy it

[@ahmedosama7463]

I did this machine back in 2003 i wrote the control fully with C# and it was via parallel port at that time , and it supported HPGL format for drawing.....time passes and this still my favourite project ever

[@HowToMechatronics]

Oh, nice. Yeah, these machines are really special.

[@mohamedaminebenbouali2941]

CNC plotters are pretty hard to get right the first time especially with very low spending capital, I'm impressed with your work and my dream is achieve this kind of accuracy and financial and time freedom to work on these awesome projects

[@SchwaAlien]

Very nice! I remember going to a university open house in the late 80’s and they had a multi-pen plotter drawing microchip circuits on really big pieces of paper that were not held flat, it rolled it back and forth while the paper dangled on either side of the plotter.

[@sherlockhomeboy4031]

Hp color pros 7440a. This is the best thing since

[@noweare1]

Glad I found your channel. Just got a 3D printer and going crazy with all the mechanical project I can do now. Great idea for the terminating the belt with the wrap around 3d printed block.

[@pruthvibhatt3983]

Same boat. Do you know of other similar DIY projects?

[@veerapongnapapongchantra6086]

The best tutorial of all time! I have been searching and watching the tutorial about this particular machine and I can confidentally say this is the best and understandable!

[@HowToMechatronics]

Thanks, glad it was helpfull!

[@veerapongnapapongchantra6086]

@@HowToMechatronics Yes, it’s really helpful! Now I am planning to create this particular machine by the instructions in your video. I will get back to you and thank you again once I finish this one. 😃

[@Danmantle11]

If anyone decides to go ahead and build this model, be sure to buy the appropriate lengths for the bolts. The bolts listed in his parts list won't suffice since they're shorter than the ones used in the video. You probably want to order bolts that have at least one set greater than 20mm

[@crypto2562]

Yea, I had the same experience.

[@BEbouzywouzyBE]

My boy is sharing all his knowledge for free again! Thank you so much!

[@smillley21]

Great, I think I'll try it, but I would certainly add a wheel at the end of the arm so it does not go down with the weight at the end.

[@colekraus]

Terrific video! I had a quick question, my Z stepper motor isn't responding while running gcode, but if I press the pen up/down button the motor responds. Hoping it's just a setting I missed...Thanks!

[@kiransreekumar8025]

Awesome design! Loved the little things like the clever belt mount and nifty pen clamping mechanism! Feeling inspired! thank you!

[@DesordenadoPeroUtil]

I remember same concept back into late 90's, done by Hallmark using custom pen plotters that also hold many colors. I will make this too. I loved the result of those machines.

[@HowToMechatronics]

Have fun building one! :)

[@malditomeobligas4345]

gracias por compartir tu proyecto. llevo mucho tiempo consiguiendo toda la lista. e los stl no viene la parte que se ve en el 6:21 de tu video. me lo puedes compartir por favor, para terminar el plotter. saludos desde la cdmx

[@dandrion2]

Amazing project. I love it. Few parts. Thanks for sharing. From Philippines.

[@hytti72]

Nice! We had plotters back in '80's at school. Those had only 6 pens but still.

[@HowToMechatronics]

Yeah, it's actually quite an old technology, but still very fun.

[@amitfernandes4367]

You should make one of those marble sand drawing things next! DIY Sisyphus!!

[@woodyouloveit-fe1sw]

Can we modify same setup for creating STRING ART or Thread Art

[@qldgadgets]

Very cool! A while ago I played with putting a paint brush in the spindle of my CNC and used a dropper bottle to add acrylic paint just ahead of where the brush was moving. The result was quite nice, but it was labour intensive. I wonder now if I could have used paint pens or peristaltic pumps to add paint. Thanks for sharing.

[@HowToMechatronics]

That sounds interesting. Thanks for the input!

[@soundologe]

Great plotter! I want looking for a new project and I wanted to build a plotter and experiment with stroke techniques. Love the idea of simply using linear rails. I want to design my own plotter, but I will use linear rails for sure! Thanks for the great inspiration.

[@LekMan-y8p]

Got a quick question here. From the circuit diagram and gbrl-servo library, I noticed that pin D11 (which is originally for the z-axis limit switch on the CNC shield) was repurposed for the servo, therefore the z-axis limit switch was connected to D12 (the Spindle Enable pin) instead. How did you configure gbrl to recognize that the limit switch was now connected to the spindle enable pin (D12) instead of the original D11 pin?

[@syedsulaiman8380]

Amazing video I really hope you upload more often I have been following you for 5 years

[@HowToMechatronics]

Happy to hear that! I hope to upload more often too but good videos take a lot of time to produce, plus I do spend time working on the website as well.

[@syedsulaiman8380]

@@HowToMechatronics yeah the website is very useful thanx

[@michaelrogers6008]

You dont actually need a servo for the gripper though if you don't need it to change tools right

[@СергейСерый-о3б]

Отличный плоттер! Отличная идея! Отличная статья! Молодец! 👍

[@ЭдгарЧен]

На маслянные краски настроить и шедевры лепить …

Fantastic project ! ! I will make it and for next Christmas it will make beautiful card. For the printed part what setting did you use? And would printing with PET instead of PLA help with more rigidity?

[@tca3899]

Hello, this is a great design and well explained. Regarding you Y axis pin lifter that is four milimeters lower that the begining of the Y axis ( when the stepper motor is at the end of the Y axis and far from the X rail , so at the end) , did you tried the solution to add an extra wheel at the end of the Y axis that rolling on the table.

[@smillley21]

exactly what I thought and will probably do that in my own realisatio of this project.

[@ARPITA-iq7bd]

Excellent project man....I was having a bad day, thinking of projects..you gave a great idea man...you are doing a great job...❤️

[@amittky8390]

One of my fav channel ❤️❤️❤️

[@PranamPGowda]

Myself first BIG FAN OF U R PROJECTS

[@indianarduinoprojects8753]

You are great brother

[@TechnoShuvo360]

Right...

[@HowToMechatronics]

Thanks!

[@MichaelKingsfordGray]

Not bad. How is the paper held down? In old HP plotters, the hold-down was electrostatic.

[@ucronotopia1988]

Cool video! You should try Igus linear rails. They are free from lubricant.

[@fire_9]

Can we make an customization: pen replaced by mehndi tubes & can rotate 360° as envarving machine & can draw heena/ mehandi design on directly hands ?

[@map3033]

I would like to ask your opinion, do you think a cnc plotter with controlled pen pressure could be made? So you could draw lines that go to zero. I think it could be done with a linear servo actuator that is force controlled. For example, the Mighty ZAP.

[@davidquesada8704]

Lots of nice expensive hardware for a weak unsupported end on the drawing machine. I was hoping it would have the strength of a cutting machine and you could swap out the pen holder for a swivel knife blade holder.

[@ShahrokhKamyab]

Hello! Very interesting. What do you think if there is a need to build a bigger machine? do you think it is possible just to make the partsand rails bigger/longer? Is it possible to build upon your design for bigger sizes or everything has to be redesigned? Regards

[@esser50k]

Damn now I want to build the pen switching mechanism on my plotter too!

[@tilek1983]

how are you still at 591 subscribers?? you are amazing.

[@vince1738]

Do you have a more exact list of parts needed? The links take me to pages that have multiple sizes to choose from

[@krah-basteln-hobby]

CNC Potter is very good and cool! I can make a CNC plotter myself! 👌🏻👍🏻😁

[@tca3899]

hello, this is a great design, I've got a question is there a possibility on arduino uno to replace the A4988 stepper drivers with TMC2209 easily ? I am not so expert on Arduino. As the A4988 are really noisy and TMC2209 really silent.

[@HextorBane]

Did someone ended making a more stable frame for that machine?I would love to build it but I'm not good at all in using a 3D software to create the required parts.

[@gabrudude3]

Awesome video! I'm going to build one soon. I'm new to CNC/GRBL codes but just wondering about the scenario where we have only one fixed pen attached to z-axis and instead of using a motor to move the pen up/down, can there be a magnetic lever to move the pen 5mm up/down? For example, instead of a pen, what if I attach a blade to cut paper and move the blade by activating/deactivating a magnet? We only need to move the z-axis 5mm and try to remove the extra motor and driver to make the project lighter. Not sure if the GCODE would work with an electronic magnet. Thanks for sharing the project.

[@pietrocesarano1994]

Hello! Great job and great tutorial! I have a question: can I use this machine with a drag knife? There is anything to change in hardware/software? Thank you very much.

[@0Bariq0]

so funny, i yesterday visited your channel thinking you should have a video up by now. love your videos, always great content. much love.

[@HowToMechatronics]

hah yeah, that's really funny. Thanks for checking it out. Cheers!

[@thefearface6590]

just what I was looking for!!! greta job

[@kekelinks]

What would be the best I assume would be a chain-based rolling shop like in CNC's. You would roll all the pen until you get to the selected one in front of the handle, and then grabs it and resumes work 😀 By the way, loved the video and creativity in it!

[@HowToMechatronics]

Thanks for the input!

[@vietnamcrafts5645]

Thank you very much for the video! I have a question that can we change plotter head for viny cutting with this machine?

[@PeterReilly-ce3um]

Ok. Great vid. I'm obviously missing something though, I'm lost as to where to find the 3D printed elements of the structure. I am in the process of considering the purchase of a home 3D printer, and if that comes to pass I would like to undertake this project. If the 3D (blue) components aren't available to purchase are the plans for home self manufacture available? Like in general what I've seen of your site, as a reitred engineer I spent many years servicing and refurbishing much larger machine tools, and would be happy to build and use smaller and cleaner units at home. Regards Peter

[@baxbanni2226]

Awesome work. I appreciate your energy.👍👍🌅

[@mubarak9793]

what if there are no jumper caps. will it still works? if not what is the alternative solution for this, perhaps with female-female pin connector?

[@alvaliable]

for the cost of the linear guides it is better to buy an assembled one (arg) here complete cost almost 150 each one

[@DIYNORTHERNER]

Hello. One stupid question: how to adjust the servo travel endpoints and the direction of the rotation of the servo? No youtube video shows this part of the plotter builds. Is it possible to adjust it with some $ commands?

[@nouazibrice9179]

very interesting and am trying to do something like this. so far i have done my dimenssioning of the 3d printed parts and i wish you help me with your dimensions. i wish to check if i did something good... thanks

[@Kommentiert_]

Finally a printer which can print blue without magenta

[@cindyvillalva02]

Excellent printer especially for the price

[@tapoksaratov1263]

Please tell me, is there such an opportunity for this device, not to draw the whole drawing at once, but in segments, for example, I drew one line and drove off to the zero point for a couple of seconds, then again drew another line and again drove off for a few seconds, and apply this action for everything drawing, yes it will be much more in terms of the time spent, but the fact itself is such an action possible or not?

[@Nerrida]

Very inspiring project. Thank you for sharing!

[@tripham2850]

Thus is prelude to multimaterial 3 d printers from jewelry to smart phone to anything small or large is just the scale even bakers could benefit from it too

[@cyberlaurent2101]

You're a genius. Compliments from Paris.

[@HowToMechatronics]

Thank you! Cheers

[@ManhCoder]

Hello. I'm having trouble with the pen clamp servo. If it doesn't work, it's because of where you installed it. Thank you very much

[@shortmort]

Welcome back friend, everyday I waiting for your new projects

[@HowToMechatronics]

Thanks, I always do my best to publish more videos.

[@pauldery7875]

I hope you can help, I don't understand how you are setting the G53 X0.0Y0.0, after homing. I've built the machine, and all is good. One last thing, I'm also missing parameters 30,31,32 in GRBL plotter, any ideas?

[@naboulsikhalid7763]

Hi, U always has a top notch projects and ideas to share. Thank you

[@crypto2562]

I've completed the build for the hardware, electronics, and the GRBL Firmware. I'm trying to setup the GRBL-PLOTTER on a Raspberry Pi 4, but GRBL-PLOTTER has a Windows DotNet 4.0 dependency. Do you have a work around for this?

[@raer7844]

could you add a paper roll to this machine for automatic longer drawing ? Thank you

[@RonAdamsky]

Great project! Thank you for your interesting ideas. One question: Length of linear rails are 350mm or 400mm?

[@Ajanieur]

in the 3d model i measured 500mm for each one

[@EduardoHenrique-lh7ub]

The most amazing projects, thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@Ashyuster]

How do you make one without the tool changer? Can you still use the same open source software and how do you modify it?

[@SebDackus]

Are there any details on the measurments of the assemblies? cant seem to edit it in Solidworks

[@andycrask3531]

I knew it was going to be awesome as it was a long wait for a new video, great job

[@HowToMechatronics]

Glad you liked it!

[@khasha12]

can i straight replace the rail guides to be longer? like 2000mm?

[@indianarduinoprojects8753]

Hey brother can you tell me how did you make the g code for this machine

[@StepperByStepper]

Who needs a printer with a CNC, looks fancy at first but who needs this?

[@konstantinNeo]

Hi. Would it be possible to use a 3d printer and modify it for plotting or cutting? Asside from the mechanics of such a mod, lets say I hotglued a pen to the hotend. I have a printer with MKS TinyBee board Hbot configuration, Marlin 2.0. Can I use GRBL to stream Gcode to it?

[@piotrmajewski2181]

Hello, is it possible to change the tool of a cnc milling machine if I have a spindle with automatic atc change for grbl-plotter?

[@AmanSingh_YT]

Your's every Arduino projects are perfectly great

[@HowToMechatronics]

Thanks!

[@AmanSingh_YT]

@@HowToMechatronics Sir I want to learn skills like you, I'm currently studying in 12th std (High school in India). So, suggest me which engineering branch will be suitable for me when joining college/institute

[@max.a3864]

Bro please make the same thing with a 2 wire (-ve & +), 12v dc motor how to wire and connect to the aurdino board. The motor ur using is having 3 wire. Instead do a 2wire dc so that it can help me to act like a relay to controll 220v ac motor for same project

[@slrelaxinglife6928]

wonderful solder station

[@syaduinotech3681]

This project inspire me..tq for sharing

[@pranavbhole4920]

why is there a need for stepper motor in z axis cant just a servo work

[@cinarsinan]

How about we use this part solid wood instead of 3dprinted parts can we solve the problem at 11:05

[@HowToMechatronics]

Well check my previous video, I made the same CNC with MDF boards, but for laser engraving. It had a better definitely compared to this 3D printed parts, but still in it had a play in that way too. The beam is just too long, 50cm for this to work without any play.

[@cleisonarmandomanriqueagui9176]

Amazing . How can I create a GRBL software and what programming language should I learn ? Is it possible to simulate in ROS , gazebo or any other software ? ... thanks for the video .

[@frankmiller1121]

beautiful work, well done!!!

[@HowToMechatronics]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@72_ashishvarma2]

Hello I made the mache but my work area is less then yours when I click start to plot the motors get bumped up and stops, how do I over come this? Pls help.

[@JuniorJiatsa]

Good evening, my name is Ulrich. I decided to carry out the above project as you explained and I did exactly the same thing. Except that I have a Problem: the axis only works in one direction. I would like to know if you had the same problem either with the code or with the application and how you solved it please. it's urgent please.

[@mheermance]

Really impressive build.

[@Fig2122]

Will mgn15h support y axis of 850mm?

[@Strixx-12]

Hello, can you please tell me which version of solidworks you used?, and ty ^^

[@toolzshed]

Amazing work dude!

[@HowToMechatronics]

Thanks a ton!

[@MrJo89600]

hello, first of all bravo for this superb work. Also could you give the length of the rails as well as the 6mm rods? thank you.

[@HowToMechatronics]

The rails are 500mm, the rods are 120mm.

[@MrJo89600]

@@HowToMechatronics Thank you.....

[@zainalhas7416]

Very inspiring project

[@ComgrowOfficial]

Wow, you're so amazing and creative!!!

[@kartikeyak3425]

i can watch a 1hr version of the plotter making things

[@caagudelor]

hola, que buen video. Pero como hacer un plotter cnc que vaya imprimiendo en horizontal con papel que vaya corriendo en un solo sentido( a lo largo del eje Y).

[@lebronger7705]

assume explanation and nice idea. Can you suggest where to get the 3d printed parts? Do you make these 3d printed parts by yourself, if so can you suggest the type of 3d printer you are using. Thank you

[@AtanaaTheCurious]

Hi lebroger. There are various companies that will 3D print parts for you and he includes a link to his models. Alternatively you might want to see if there is a hackerspace or makerspace near you. They usually have 3D printers and you're likely to find people who can help you with 3D printing and the build itself. Good luck.

[@pauldery7875]

Really awesome, thanks for sharing!!

[@mdsarfaraj-xk1ud]

This is really cool project