Autonomous milling goes the distance

Goliath is a portable CNC machine tool that mills, cuts and engraves flat surfaces, including sheet metal and aluminum. Its innovation is how it does so, according to Lorenzo Frangi, who began developing the device as a master’s thesis project.

“Goliath overturns the logic of traditional machines because the user can place it directly on the surface to be worked, where it moves autonomously,” he said.

The 15″×15″×12″ (381mm × 381mm × 304.8mm), 22-lb. (10kg) robotic device from Springa Srl rides on three omnidirectional wheels and guides itself with a patented sensor system that triangulates its position. Using radio-frequency communication, the sensors continuously update the position of Goliath, relative to the work area, at 100 times a second. The sensor system ensures accuracy of 0.004″(0.1mm) and enables autonomous Z-axis calibration.

EdgeInspect quickly scans an edge of a drill for accurate analysis. Image courtesy of Novacam Technologies.

Frangi said he had been interested in developing a “maker-friendly” desktop CNC mill but was discouraged by the small size of the work envelope on such devices—usually only “as big as an A4 (letter-size) sheet of paper.” By taking a mill out of its cabinet and attachingwheels, so to speak, the work area becomes boundless, limited only by the size of the workpiece material itself.