Automatic 3D Wire Bending Machine

Bending wire can be a fun art form, or perhaps a necessary skill if you lock your keys in the car, but what if you just want a machine to bend shapes for you? This kind of machinery can be found in heavy manufacturing facilities, but per this projecct by How To Mechatronics, you can make your own using 3D-printed parts.

Electrically, the machine resembles a three-axis CNC machine, with an Arduino Nano controlling a trio of stepper motors using DRV88825 driver boards. The first stepper motor pulls the wire over a series of five straightening rollers, while the second causes the bending assembly to pivot — allowing for 3D capabilities. The bending assembly employs a third stepper motor to bend the wire in the proper direction, and a servo motor actuates a rack-and-pinion system to push the bending tool in a position to make contact with the wire.

The build process can be seen in the video below, and although it’s revealed at the end that the machine is having some problems getting a proper grip on the wire to be bent, it’s still quite a clever concept. Files for the mechanism can be found here, and if you’d like to see what inspired this contraption, you might also check out the D.I.Wire Bender.