CNC Controller Schematic/Design

CNC Mill Controller Electrical Design Consultant

Project Overview

I am looking to design and build a custom CNC milling machine and am looking for an experienced electrical engineer or controls architect with experience in CNC systems, machine control, and automation.

I'm looking for an expert who can help me plan and validate the overall electrical architecture before I commit to a particular design direction.

Scope of Work

The initial objective is to work together to define the machine's electrical system, including:

- Overall controller architecture.
- Motion control strategy (servo/stepper integration).
- Motor drives and power distribution.
- Safety systems (E-stop chain, contactors, interlocks, limit switches).
- I/O allocation and expansion.
- Spindle and auxiliary equipment integration.
- Enclosure layout and wiring philosophy.
- EMC/noise mitigation and grounding strategy.
- Recommendations for suitable components and industry best practices.

Once the architecture is agreed upon, I would like the successful freelancer to produce:
- A complete electrical schematic.
- Wiring diagrams where appropriate.
- A basic bill of materials (BOM).
- Documentation sufficient for machine assembly.

Ideal Candidate

I'm looking for someone with experience in one or more of the following:
- CNC machine design or retrofit projects.
- Industrial automation and machine control.
- PLCs, motion controllers, or PC-based CNC platforms (Mach4, LinuxCNC, Centroid Acorn, etc.).
- Servo and stepper drive systems.
- Electrical CAD packages such as AutoCAD Electrical, EPLAN, SolidWorks Electrical, or similar.

Practical, real-world experience designing industrial machinery is preferred over purely academic electrical engineering experience.

About the Project

This is a custom hobby/small scale manufacture machine, but I want to approach the electrical design using professional engineering practices. I already have a general concept for the mechanical side and would like to collaborate on the electrical design before purchasing major components.

Please include examples of previous CNC, machine control, or industrial automation projects you've worked on, where possible.

Price is negotiable.