Arduino Nano CNC Shield V4 Expansion Board for Stepper Motor Control

Arduino Nano CNC Shield V4 – Stepper Motor Expansion Board

The CNC Shield V4 is a purpose-built expansion board for the Arduino Nano, designed to drive up to 4 stepper motor axes for CNC machines, laser engravers, 3D printers, and other motion-control applications. It accepts standard A4988, DRV8825, or TMC2208 stepper driver modules (sold separately) and is fully compatible with GRBL firmware.

Key Features

• Supports up to 4 independent stepper motor axes (X, Y, Z, A)
• Compatible with A4988, DRV8825, TMC2208, TMC2209 stepper driver modules
• Designed for Arduino Nano — direct plug-in, no soldering required
• GRBL firmware compatible for CNC and laser engraver control
• Microstepping selectable via MS1/MS2/MS3 jumper pins per axis
• Separate motor power input (VMotor) — independent from logic supply
• End-stop connectors for X, Y, Z axes (MIN and MAX)
• Spindle/laser PWM output and enable pin
• On-board terminal blocks for motor and power connections
• Compact form factor matching Arduino Nano footprint

Axis & Connector Layout

• X, Y, Z, A Axes: 4-pin stepper motor connectors per axis
• End Stops: X-, Y-, Z- limit switch headers
• Power: Separate VMotor input (8V–36V depending on driver used)
• Spindle: PWM speed control and direction output
• Coolant: Auxiliary output pin

Stepper Driver Compatibility

• A4988 – up to 2A per phase, 1/16 microstepping
• DRV8825 – up to 2.5A per phase, 1/32 microstepping
• TMC2208 / TMC2209 – silent operation, up to 2A, StealthChop support

Typical Applications

• DIY CNC routers and milling machines
• Laser engravers and cutters
• 3D printer motion control (non-standard builds)
• Pen plotters and drawing machines
• Robotic arm and multi-axis motion systems

Getting Started

Insert your Arduino Nano into the on-board socket, plug in compatible stepper driver modules into the axis slots, connect stepper motors and power supply, and flash GRBL firmware to the Nano. Use GRBL-compatible software (e.g. Candle, UGS, LaserGRBL) to control motion.

Note: Stepper driver modules and Arduino Nano are not included. Motor supply voltage depends on the stepper driver used — check driver datasheet before connecting power.