CNC machine, where to start?

Question

Do it yourself

Collecting is not a problem, the question is how to make it work?
Before that, there was experience with a 2-axis robot. It was controlled by a programmed Arduino microcontroller.
With CNC, everything is different, there are 4 axes and input / output directly through the PC.
What kind of software is needed and can, for example, draw a diagram in Illustrator and he will already start cutting it out?
It is not necessary to write an answer, I will be glad to link to a forum dedicated to this topic.
If you have experience, please share.
Google and even YouTube didn’t help much, but I still don’t give up, it’s worth it, as they say)

Answer 1

We took the ready-made constructor "Kulibin" and modernized it.
But the general idea is simple.
Each axis has a stepper motor. Engines start/step with keys. The keys turn on whatever you want. Next comes the nuance.
Option times. If you want to use a microcontroller, then this most likely means that you first upload a motion program to it - and everything happens according to this program. The program itself is written, for example, in CodeView. Arduino seems to be redundant here.
Option two - directly from the computer. Then you need an interface. We had LPT, it's easy and cheap. If you want USB - it's more complicated and expensive - you need FTDI chips. But I can't say for sure, I didn't.
Your diagram in illustrator will have to be converted into a set of commands like start engine 1, take so many steps, turn off / block. How to do this - either use something ready-made, or come up with some logic yourself - in general, this is not difficult. We have written our own interpreter with commands like right, left, draw a circle, move to such-and-such a coordinate, etc... So most likely it will be necessary to write our own editor or parse some simple vector format like wmf.
Now about the important. Management is really easy.
It is difficult to provide the desired structural rigidity and accuracy. Decide first of all what accuracy you need, and how you will achieve it.
Good luck!

Answer 2

Read about Mach3. The software is distributed freely. On Alibaba you can buy both a complete set for the machine, and individual parts that are compatible with this program. You can, for example, buy a controller, drivers for motors, motors, and assemble the structure itself, either using parts from plotters (or something else), or make it to order here.
The software works on G-codes. I have come across autocad plugins (maybe I can even find them in the archive) that translate the drawing into G-codes. True, only a drawing in two planes. Or turn ArtCam, there are a lot of translators, it seems there are also for Mach3. Or read a little about G-codes and write the program yourself. There is nothing complicated, just tedious and long.
Briefly, how it all works. The computer with Mach3, according to the program, controls the controller. The controller, in accordance with the control signals, directly physically turns on / off the relays that switch the supply current for the motors. The current for the motors is provided by motor drivers (not to be confused with software drivers). Motor drivers - a separate board \ boards that convert and stabilize the current for motors.