Make Your Own Automated Paper Cutting Machine with This Guide

Step 1: Make the base

The first step is to take your wood and measure out the dimensions of the base. Then, cut the wood down to size, and sand down any cut edges as needed. 

With that done, drill a series of holes to attach the main components to the base as needed. 

Step 2: Begin the assembly

Next, take your rails and mount them to the base using the specially designed 3D printed clips. Sadly, no 3D models are provided by the creator so you will need to design your own or find alternatives. 

With that done, take one of your stepper motors and mount it to a stepper motor mounting bracket. Next, take one of the 3D-printed stepper motor cogs and affix it to the motor shaft. 

Once done, mount the stepper motor and bracket to the base, as shown. 

Next, take the main paper roller brackets and mount those to the base to the sides of the rails. With that done, assemble the parts for the paper roller using a length of steel rod, the roller cog, and roller barrels. 

Rest the paper roller on its mounts and match up the cog with the stepper motor. With that done, cut down your L-angle metal bar and mount it at one end of the paper cutter. 

Step 3: Make the paper cutter assembly

Next, take the parts for the paper cutter-head rail and assemble them as needed. You'll need the various 3D-printed parts and a pair of steel rods to do this. 

Mount the rail to the L-angle bar on the paper cutter machine you attached earlier. 

With that done, mount the second stepper motor to its mount on the cutter-head rail. Then mount the cutter head blade to its cradle. 

With that done, add the pulley wheels to the stepper motor shaft and another end of the rail and connect them both up using a length of rubber belt. This will be used to pull the cutting head back and forth. 

Step 4: Build the electronics

Next, take your custom PCB and add all the required electrical components to it, as shown. 

Install your Arduino Nano and stepper motor controllers to the PCB as needed too. With that done, mount the completed circuit board to the base as shown. 

Once done, wire up the circuit board to the stepper motors as required. Next, wire up the LCD screen and mount it to the base too. 

With that done, upload the HMI and Arduino code and connect the power supply to the paper cutting machine. Now all that remains is to power it up, set the dimensions of the paper cut you want, load some paper, and let the machine do its magic.

Congratulations!

If you enjoyed this little build, you might be interested in another Arduino-based project. How about, for example, building your own Arduino-powered yarn ball winding machine?