CNC FABRICATION
What is CNC Fabrication?
CNC stands for Computer Numeric Controlled, and refers to machines that have an automated output based on a digital design. This is sometimes referred to as digital fabrication. CNC machines are 21st century manufacturing tools that can work with a variety of materials such as metal, wood, and plastics.
CNC Fabrication can be used as stand-alone processes or integrated with our other Departments to create the desired object.
What are some benefits to CNC Fabrication?
The benefits to CNC Fabrication are: speed, accuracy, repetition, and ease of creating complex forms. Digital fabrication and CNC machines are versatile workhorses. 3D printers are additive machines that enable quick outputs of 3D designs. CNC machining tools are subtractive machines, cutting 2D or 3D objects in a variety of materials. The outputted object of either machine can be the final work, or used as a template, model, form, or mold for another process. Both types of machines excel with complex, hard to fabricate designs and with repetitive outputs. “If you can dream it, you can build it”.
What CNC/Digital Fabrication tools and capabilities do we have?
Our 1,100 square foot CNC Fabrication Department is outfitted with the following:
CNC Plasma Cutter:
ShopSabre SideKick 4 CNC Plasma (52” x 49” 2D cut area)
Hypertherm PowerMax 65 Plasma Torch
Water Table
Materials Cut: steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass, bronze
Maximum Cutting Thickness: 5/8”
CNC Router:
ShopSabre Pro404 CNC Router (60" x 50" x 12" 2D, 2.5D, 3D cut volume)
4th Axis Rotary Indexer (6” swing)
Materials Cut: hardwood, softwood, plywood/sheet goods, carving foam, plastics, aluminum, brass
3D Printers:
Dremel DigiLab 3D45 Printer (10” x 6” x 7” build volume)
MakerGear M2 3D Filament Printer (8" x 10" x 8" build volume)
Materials Printed: ABS and PLA plastics
Printable File Formats: .stl, .obj, .3mf
Computer Workstations:
(6) PC-based Workstations
Vector-based and 3D Modeling Software: MeshMixer, V-Carve Pro, SolidWorks
CAM/Slicer Software: V-Carve Pro, Cura
Other:
Wood and metal finishing stations
Assortment of hand tools
Access to Metal Shop and Wood Shop during Class times, with Instructor Guidance
Material and Supplies offered for purchase in Department Shop
Storage for Material, Supplies, and Projects in Department Shop
Need one-on-one instruction to learn a new tool, deepen your skill set, or to push through the design and creating process? Does your schedule prevent you from committing to a 5-week or 10-week class? Want to dabble in one of our shops in a low-commitment way?
We offer 1-on-1 Private Instruction for individuals, ages 11+, in hourly increments at a schedule that fits yours.
Click Class Title above for more details and to register.