Handheld CNC Router

I’ve made a Handheld CNC Router that allows you to create precise 2D cuts on the go. Users manually guide the device along a pre-programmed path while the spindle moves to stay precisely on it. This is accomplished using embedded sensors to determine the router’s position, while the spindle is actuated accordingly along the gantry with stepper motors. The purpose of the product is to replace a traditional CNC machine, being more portable and allowing a more flexible working space (i.e. you could cut stock like a wooden floor that would be impossible to put on a CNC bed). This device also gives people with conditions like Parkinson’s the ability to do hands on woodworking again, seeing to it that their condition doesn’t impair their ability to make precise, beautiful creations.

Unlike other solutions that use external markers and sensors to locate the router, all of the positioning comes from optical flow sensors embedded in the device - the same sensors you would see on computer mice. This makes usage more seamless, allowing for precise machining without the need for setup beforehand. The workflow is as simple as the user uploading the desired path to be cut, zeroing the device with the click of a couple buttons, then simply moving the router along the material. The drill position is then sensed and corrected so that the final result is a perfect cut even if the user slips or rotates the router incorrectly.