Performance evaluation and Optimisation of a Small-Scale Laser Cutting and Engraving Machine

The Computer Numerical Control (CNC) technology has been widely adopted in most convectional machines commonly used in manufacturing workshop, to automate, monitor, and control a machine’s movements. This is to promote time and cost effectiveness in manufacturing operation of such machines to achieve generation of high precision movement of the working tools and the work piece for the realization of possible geometric complexity in new engineering products. In this study, the performance of a working model of CNC based laser cutting and engraving machine developed using GRBL software and Arduino uno as the microcontroller based on the AT mega 328 chip was evaluated. The optimisation was carried out using the response surface methodology implemented in the design expert environment (2022 version). The microcontroller board is flashed with G-code interpreter code which was written in C language. The control board generates the control signal for the corresponding command signal from the computer to the stepper motors which directly controls the movement of the X and Y axes simultaneously and drives the laser module to form the tool path. The engraving was carried out using the following optimized parameters: image size (H=105 mm, W=100 mm), engraving direction (horizontal), resolution (3 lines/mm), engraving speed (16.66 mm/s). The developed machine is capable of cutting paper patterns, thermoplastic sheets and wood chunks to produce desired shapes and patterns that can be employed in other manufacturing process such as casting. The developed laser cutting and engraving machine is a rapid prototyping machine, which will be very useful in the engineering workshop.