Summary of PICCOLO, A POCKET SIZED OPEN SOURCE CNC-BOT
This article describes Piccolo, a pocket-sized open-source CNC robot built using laser-cutting, off-the-shelf hardware, and an Arduino. It functions as a 3-axis drawing machine that can be customized with sensors or multiple units for small-scale 2D or 3D digital fabrication.
Parts used in the Piccolo:
- Laser-cut components
- Off-the-shelf hardware
- Arduino
- Brush or pen (for drawing)
- Sensors (optional extension)
- Custom toolheads (optional extension)
Using laser-cutting, off-the-shelf hardware and Arduino, you can make your own simple 3 axis robot.
Attach a brush or pen to make a quick drawing robot, or extend Piccolo with sensors, custom toolheads, or by using multiple Piccolos together. Experiment with 2D or 3D digital fabrication at a small scale!
For more detail: PICCOLO, A POCKET SIZED OPEN SOURCE CNC-BOT
- How is the Piccolo robot constructed?
It is made using laser-cutting, off-the-shelf hardware, and an Arduino. - What type of motion does the Piccolo have?
The device operates as a simple 3-axis robot. - Can the Piccolo be used for drawing?
Yes, you can attach a brush or pen to make it a quick drawing robot. - Is the Piccolo design open source?
Yes, the project is described as an open source CNC-bot. - Can I extend the functionality of the Piccolo?
You can extend it with sensors, custom toolheads, or by using multiple units together. - What kind of digital fabrication can be done with this bot?
It allows for experimentation with 2D or 3D digital fabrication at a small scale.

