Mekanika EVO CNC machine

Mekanika is a Belgian company established in 2018 with the aim of making manufacturing processes more accessible to creators in local communities, mostly SMEs, by providing quality open source modular tools and machines that would help creators prototype and produce. Among the solutions offered by Mekanika, there are the PRO and EVO CNC machines.

CNC machining (short for Computer Numerical Control) is a manufacturing method where the movements of the machine are steered by pre-programmed software and codes.

Image 1: CNC machining with the Mekanika EVO CNC machine. Source: Mekanika.

CNC is mostly used to control complex machinery used to cut, shape and create parts and prototypes, where the human eye and hand would not reach such precision and speed.

Sturdy, intuitive and convenient

The Mekanika EVO is a compact modular CNC machine available in three sizes: S (modular working area: 650 x 650mm; overall size: 850 x 850 mm), M (modular working area: 650 x 1050mm; overall size: 850 x 1250 mm), and L (modular working area: 1050 x 1050mm; overall size: 1250 x 1250 mm).

The name EVO comes from the word "evolution", since it is an evolving machine - it is designed to grow with the user, be expanded and customized.

Video 1: Presentation of the EVO CNC machine. Source: Mekanika.

The Z axis of the EVO machine is made of aluminum and it is equipped with guided wheels, a 10 mm lead screw and an anti backlash nut. The XY driving system has Nema23 stepper motors, and the belts and pulleys are reinforced with steel. The overall rigid structure of the EVO CNC machine is made of aluminum profiles and 6 mm steel parts.

Image 2: The aluminum and steel structure of the Mekanika EVO CNC machine. Source: Mekanika.

The user can choose between various types of spindles. A spindle on a machine tool is the rotary axis where the work tool such as a milling cutter or drill bit is mounted.

Image 3: The AMB spindle. Source: Mekanika.

The spindle can move at high speeds (rapid moves at 10000 mm/min, cutting speeds of up to 5000 mm/min, maximal travel speed of 15000 mm/min) and with great precision - the ball screws have the accuracy down to 0.01 - 0.05 mm, with a repeatability of 0.01 mm.

Image 4: The AMB spindle on the Mekanika EVO CNC machine. Source: Mekanika.

The EVO CNC machine is equipped with an intuitive interface with a touch screen and a numeric pad placed on an ergonomic steel plate. The pad can be easily dismounted at any time.

Image 5: The interface of the Mekanika EVO CNC machine. Source: Mekanika.

The Mekanika EVO machine has an embedded computer with the PlanetCNC software installed and pre configured on a Raspberry Pi 4 with 2GB of RAM. This liberates the user from having to plug the EVO CNC machine into a computer or a laptop. As far as connectivity, the EVO machine has 4 USB ports, 1 Gigabit ethernet, HDMI, WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0.

Versatile and open source

What makes the EVO CNC machine truly versatile and user friendly is that it is modular. This means the EVO machine can evolve together with the user and adapt to the task at hand, regardless of the scale of the project or the materials used.

Video 2: The modular design of the EVO CNC machine. Source: Mekanika.

The EVO CNC machine is designed to last a lifetime. Its components require little maintenance and can be easily replaced. The manufacturer states that 80 % of the machine’s components are standard components and only 20 % are customized Mekanika components, which makes the user’s life easier in case the EVO machine breaks and needs to be fixed, or if the user wants to modify the machine according to design and production needs.

Modular design also means that the EVO CNC machine can be upgraded from size to size within the EVO series, or even from the EVO machine to the PRO machine.

In the spirit of true open source technology, the manufacturer even provides the full documentation and instructions for building the EVO CNC machine.

Applications

The EVO CNC machine has proven itself with numerous materials, from wood to metal and plastic.

It has successfully processed materials as varied as afzelia, cork, plexiglass, aluminum, HPL (Trespa), plywood, steel or Corian, in varying depths (0.5 mm - 10 mm) and at various speeds (1000 - 3000 mm/min).

Image 6: The possible applications of the EVO CNC machine. Source: Mekanika.

The EVO CNC machine has been adopted by many craftsmen and SMEs in Belgium, among others, by a ceramic workshop, a cargo bike company, and a carpenter’s workshop.

A great example of how much the EVO CNC machine contributes to creators' workflows is this video, where the process of making a wooden toy by hand versus with the EVO CNC machine:

Video 3: Making a model by hand versus using the EVO CNC machine. Source: Mekanika.

The EVO CNC machine lets craftsmen significantly reduce the time of producing a design in comparison with manually making the piece. This gives the user much more freedom and lets them agilize their processes and become more productive.

The EVO machine and 3D printing

This is not all the EVO CNC machine can do. It can also be used in combination with a 3D printer to make multi-piece and multi-material objects.

Video 4: Combining the EVO CNC machine and a 3D printer. Source: Mekanika.

The easy to use EVO software will allow the user to precisely adjust the measurements so that the part machined with EVO and the 3D printed part fit together well.

The EVO CNC machine is an embodiment of the additive manufacturing spirit and sustainable and versatile design. It allows the user to work with multiple materials, and even combine the EVO machine with other technologies, such as 3D printing, to foster creative endeavors. The EVO CNC machine is open source and modular, which allows the user to modify and upgrade it according to needs and the business’s evolution.