High-speed computer-controlled printed circuit-board drilling machine

This machine has been designed and developed by a team of four boys. Initial development work began in their fourth year and has progressed into their current fifth year of schoolwork. It was intended from the outset that the machine would be of practical use to the school, in that it is necessary to produce large quantities of a drilled printed circuit board for use in an established CDT course. At present the machine is controlled by a BBC micro using Basic, but it is not proposed to`tie up¿ a relatively expensive microcomputer once all development work is completed, and the machine will be controlled via a 6502-based three-chip controller board costing approximately£10. This has since been attached to the prototype drilling machine and has completed test runs. Eventually the school will have an accurate and useful PCB drilling machine costing less than £100-and have the satisfaction of having made it in school. The project was one of the National Finalists in the Group Entries 15¿16 year section of the Young Engineer for Britain Competition, 1984.