Week 12 · April 6 - 10, 2026
Machine Design
Building a 3D motion plotter machine, similar to Core XYZ.
Assignment checklist
- Design a machine that includes mechanism+actuation+automation+function+user interface
- Build the mechanical parts and operate it manually
- Document the group project and your individual contribution
Team
We had common Miro board, where we assigned different tasks and shared resources.
Also, we also shared A Google Drive folder for sharing files.
The files for this documetation page is found at out Gitlab project.
Team members and links to individual pages:
Background for the project
Plotter machines are specialized machines for producing high quality drawings or cuts from vector graphics. They are used for example in creating technical drawings or blueprints with a pen, or cutting vinyl with a knife.
The history of digital plotter dates back to 1960's. Here's one example of an old school plotter from HP:
One option for open-source hardware is Core XYZ, which was our initial project, but we ended up changing.
The Project: Blot by HackClub
Apr 7, Tuesday
We started by gathering all of our tools and parts. We 3d printed some parts like the design files of the Blot machine and also designed some spacers required for the connections.
Started off by assembling the carriage.
Carriage final status:
We attached some bearings on the “Printed Rail” part.
We assembled the toolholder
We cut 2 aluminum extrusions into 25cm in length pieces.
The carriage works!
To attach the feet, we used 3 T-nuts for each leg.
We located the Pico NC board at the lab and made the power connections.
We tried the the board and tested the stepper and servo motors, which worked successfully but took a little time and dedication to figure out.
After adding the two stepper motors in place, we threaded the belt.
Final status of the assembly:
How the z axis works:
