CNCForBuilders/Readme.md

Subjects covered:

## Get to Know a CNC - Week 1

Learn about:

* job origin
* work coordinates vs. job coordinates
* manual control (when it is needed)
* various types of bits

Concepts covered:

Hands-on with the machines. Learn how they move, how to manually control them, mounting up materials.

Get to know the basic principles of a CNC mill by doing exercises on the mini-machine, then re-creating them on the industrial machine.

Exercise 1: Setting up for operations
Exercise 2: Manual control of CNC
Exercise 3: Using coordinates, setting a job origin



## First Automation! - Week 2

Learn about:

* Intro to CAD/CAM
* Sketching for solids
* Profiles
* Sending automations

Concepts covered:

Walk through the entire process of creating an automation intended for assembly. Use miniature modelling (a stool) to learn design principles for CNC production, as well as the basics of CAM.

Exercise 1: Prepping the CNC machine

Exercise 2: Running an automation

Exercise 3: Create a simple model, generate CAM for it


## Multi-body Modelling - Week 3

Learn about:
* Multiple bodies
* Cloning parts
* Transforms
* External Geometry
* Shape binders
* Patterns

Concepts covered:

Learn more advanced techniques for creating designs with multiple interconnected parts. Learn to position objects relative to each other to visualize designs in 3D. Learn the importance of tolerance for good fit in joints, and become familiar with parametric modelling.

### Project: Toolbox Pt 1.

* Shape Binders
* Pattern operations
* Arrays
* Multi-body CAM

## Multi-body CAM - Week 4

Learn about:
* Dressups
* Coordinating double-sided operations
* Edge-treatments and engraving
* Bit selection
* Speeds and Feeds

Concepts covered:

Learn to design for, and correct problems commonly encountered in building for CNC using dressup modifiers. Become familiar with edge-treatments such as chamfers and round-overs, and how to plan double-sided operations in CAM.

### Project: Toolbox Pt 2.

* Box joints
* Edge treatments
* Arrays
* Double-sided CAM


## Joints and Helper Objects - Week 5

Learn about:

* Dovetail joints
* Keyed joints
* Scarf joints
* Mortise and Tenon joints
* Lap Joints

Concepts covered:

Go in-depth on creating joints that can be produced on a CNC machine, and learn to use helper objects for solving tricky problems.

Exercise 1: Dovetail Joint

Exercise 2: Lap Joint


### Final Project - Week 6

Learn about:

* Planning a project
* Good tools to use
* When to fully constrain

Concepts covered:

Use your multi-body modelling and CAM skills to create the final project - a tool organizer for the French Cleat Wall! This project gets you using all your acquired skills to create a design intended for a real-world environment.

Successfully completing the final assignment unlocks 3 hour of machine time you can book for your own use.