Meet Norbert and his Open Source CNC Machine at Electronica!

Who is Norbert Heinz?

It all began when Norbert was a young boy growing up in Germany, he was fascinated by his parent mechanical alarm clock, how did it work? What made it tick?  He promptly took it to pieces to see what was going on, but whether he put it back together again is another story! These early ventures in exploring just how things functioned no doubt set the stage for his eventual career path.

Norbert with his WinchBot 2.0 Creation

Now, with numerous years of technical experience behind him, Norbert regards himself as an inventor and engineer, as well as an educator and influential hobbyist. His popular YouTube Channel has a healthy amount of subscribers and you will find regular updates on his latest projects there. His ultimate desire is not only to create things but to pass on his knowledge and experiences to the next generation of engineers and encourage them to make their own impact on the future. You can learn more about Norbert and one of his creations, the WinchBot 2.0, which was sponsored by RS Components by clicking here.

The Open Source CNC Machine

This time around, what Norbert has cleverly designed and constructed is an open source CNC machine from easy-to-find materials and components. Anyone who has used or seen these machines in their normal environment will understand just how big and cumbersome they can be, certainly not something easily stowed away in the average person’s work shed! You can find detailed build plans, the BOM and other pertinent details that will allow you to build your very own CNC machine by clicking here.

Norbert's CNC Machine in Action

Norbert demonstrates his home-grown CNC machine constructed using everyday tools and materials and utilising components such as stepper motors and passives that you can easily purchase from RS Components.

Stepper Motor Upgrades and Component Overview

Is this video Norbert explains all about the various stepper motors and the circuitry he designed to enable his CNC machine to function effectively and how they all work in unison. Norbert also shows us how he can control the functionality of his CNC machine using just his smartphone!

Norbert Heinz will be demonstrating his CNC V3.2.2 machine at this year’s Electronica Event in Germany from November the 13th to the 16th on the RS Components stand, Hall C5, stand 147. The original concept of his cleverly designed CNC machine was controlled via a SIMATIC IoT 2020, but for this event, Norbert intends to install a Raspberry Pi as the master controller.

Come along for a chat with Norbert and talk to him about his open source CNC machine or other projects, and perhaps have some parts made for you using his unique creation while you are there?

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