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Embedded / Motion Control2025

CNC Hot-Wire Foam Cutter

A Raspberry-Pi CNC hot-wire cutter with custom motion drivers and a DDA algorithm for synchronized axes.

Multi-axis
Synchronized motion
DDA
Path interpolation

A from-scratch CNC hot-wire cutter for the Waterloo Aerial Robotics Group, used to cut foam wing sections accurately and repeatably.

Highlights
  • Built a CNC hot-wire foam cutter on Raspberry Pi to cut airfoil profiles for the team's aircraft.
  • Wrote custom C++/Python motion drivers from scratch.
  • Implemented a DDA (digital differential analyzer) algorithm to keep the axes synchronized for clean cuts.

01Why

The team needed clean, repeatable foam airfoil cuts. Hand-cutting wasn't accurate or repeatable enough.

02How it works

A Raspberry Pi runs custom C++/Python drivers that step the motors. A DDA interpolation algorithm synchronizes the axes so the hot wire follows the intended path without lag or distortion.

03Result

Repeatable, accurate foam cuts driven straight from tool-path input.

Want to talk through how I built this?