This CNC hot wire cutter was created specifically for making airplane wings | Arduino Blog Blog Home > > Arduino® UNO™ Q intranet web server helps this business run Blog Home This CNC hot wire cutter was created specifically for making airplane wings Arduino Team — July 16th, 2026 If you want to build RC airplanes, you’ll need a way to make lightweight wings. 3D printing can work with foaming filament, but most 3D printers have limited build volume. A better method is to use a hot wire cutter to shape foam. Michael Rechtin’s CNC hot wire cutter automates that process across four axes, which is perfect for making large, high-quality airplane wings. Hot wire cutters are very simple and you can get basic handheld models for about $15. They work by passing current through a nichrome (nickel-chromium) wire, so resistive heating makes the wire hot.
When the temperature is right, that wire will melt material (like Styrofoam) on contact, resulting is a straight cut with almost no force. Rechtin’s machine pulls the hot nichrome wire between two actuated assemblies, each with two axes. They move the ends of the nichrome wire independently, both horizontally and vertically. When the two sides move the same way, you get cuts straight across — a consistent cross section.
Source: https://blog.arduino.cc/2026/07/16/this-cnc-hot-wire-cutter-was-created-specifically-for-making-airplane-wings/
When the temperature is right, that wire will melt material (like Styrofoam) on contact, resulting is a straight cut with almost no force. Rechtin’s machine pulls the hot nichrome wire between two actuated assemblies, each with two axes. They move the ends of the nichrome wire independently, both horizontally and vertically. When the two sides move the same way, you get cuts straight across — a consistent cross section.
Source: https://blog.arduino.cc/2026/07/16/this-cnc-hot-wire-cutter-was-created-specifically-for-making-airplane-wings/