Piccolo is a pocket-sized open-source CNC-bot built from laser-cut structural parts, off-the-shelf hardware, and Arduino. It can be used to create a simple three-axis robot. Its output volume is 50x50x50mm, making it suitable for drawing, miniature digital fabrication, and robot-control experiments within an area roughly the size of a sticky note.
In its default setup, Piccolo can hold a pen or brush and function as a small drawing robot. It also supports clamp-on tool heads, so users can design custom output tools, add sensors, or even combine multiple Piccolo units. On the hardware side, it can use the Piccolo PCB with Pro Micro, or be swapped for another Arduino-compatible board, with power supplied via USB or an external 5V source. On the software side, the project provides the PiccoloLib Arduino library, which includes drawing and control functions. Controllo is a Processing application for sending test patterns and importing SVG files, while PiccoloP5 is intended for developing custom Processing applications.
The project is explicitly positioned as Open Source Hardware. Piccolo v1, older design files, PiccoloLib, the Controllo source code, and more are all available on GitHub. The hardware uses a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license and permits both commercial and non-commercial use. The documentation covers the bill of materials, cutting patterns, fabrication guide, roughly 2-hour assembly instructions, Getting Started guide, library reference, FAQ, troubleshooting help, and Wiki, making it relatively complete for a maker project.
Piccolo is not a subscription-based development tool, nor is it a mature mass-produced product. The official project states that its goal was not to sell commercial kits, though small batches of kits were produced for workshops and conferences. Actual cost depends on sourcing laser cutting, three micro digital servos, screws and nuts, a PCB or Arduino-compatible board, and other parts. Its strengths are open-source transparency, strong modifiability, and high educational value. Its drawbacks are that users need to fabricate, assemble, and debug it themselves; the output size is very small; and there is no commitment to commercial support.
Piccolo is suitable for Arduino learners, maker education, artistic drawing-robot experiments, workshops, and small-scale digital fabrication courses. It is not suitable for users seeking industrial-grade CNC capability or a ready-to-use device. Access to the main site from mainland China is unknown, but key resources rely on GitHub, Flickr, Disqus, and similar services, which may be unstable or partially restricted. No payment information is provided. Alternatives include other Arduino drawing robots, open-source plotters, and GRBL-based desktop CNC projects.
β This review is compiled from public sources and does not constitute a purchase recommendation. Verify all facts on the vendor's official site. Verify on piccolo.cc official site.
piccolo.cc is an Unknown Dev Tools provider. TG4G tracks its product information, an overall rating of 6.0/10, and a China-accessibility score of China direct-connect friendly. Click "Visit Official Site" to reach piccolo.cc directly.