Software will try to auto-detect correct settings but if imported file looks strange then you should change these values. This is approximate size of the PCB and it is important that this value is the same when importing corresponding gerber file. If drill path is mirrored you can enable ‘Mirror’ feature in the import dialog, which places toolpath in the right order. Sorts holes to optimize the toolpath to shorten working time. Usually we leave this setting disabled since we drill holes with only one diameter. If enabled, g-code program will include tool changes for tools with different diameters. So Depth value is basically the thickness of your PCB board with some added safe distance just to be sure that the holes will be drilled “clean”. Holes should be drilled in its entirety, meaning no hole should be drilled half way. Machine moves down to this height from ‘Safe Height’ at ‘Feed Speed’. If your board is not too curved, then 2mm would be reasonable value. Machine will move up to ‘Safe Height’ in between drilling holes. With higher RPM number you can “afford” greater Plunge Speed values. Values depend on the RPM of your spindle and the diameter of drilling bit. Drilling depth will be from ‘Zero height’ to ‘Depth’ height. ‘Plunge speed’ is the speed at which machine will actually drill. ‘Feed speed’ is the speed at which machine will descend from ‘Safe height’ to ‘Zero height’. ‘Feed Speed’ is usually the speed that is used for cutting or milling, and since there will be no cutting involved in the drilling procedure, you can set this value the same as your ‘Traverse Speed’ in settings.

You will probably leave most of them intact, while others will maybe need some fine tuning. Import dialog will appear, where you can configure the drilling parameters. You import your drill files if you click: “File/Import NC drill”. These first three steps are described in “Warp” tutorial. 1.) Mounting copper board to machines table 2.) Set “Current XY” offset 3.) Measuring the surface of the board (“Warp”) The steps for milling a PCB are as follows:ġ.) Mounting copper board to machine tableģ.) Measuring the surface of the board (“Warp”)įor the purposes of this tutorial we will be using “NC drill” and “Gerber” files of our Mk1 controller. You could however figure it out from the format of the coordinates but this is not exactly trivial (trial and error) thing to do. Some Gerber files have all parameter configuration already written in the comment section at the beginning of the file. This tutorial is intended to help you with production of one-sided PCBs with your CNC machine.īefore any work is done with machine you must be sure that the ‘Gerber’ files you intend to import in CNC USB controller software are correct and are generated with correct parameters.

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