Subjects covered:

Get to Know a CNC - Week 1

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

First Automation! - Week 2

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.

• Intro to CAD/CAM
• Sketching for solids
• External Geometry
• Construction Geometry
• Profiles

Problem Solving - Week 3

Learn to design for, and correct problems commonly encountered in building for CNC.

• Dressups
• Coordinating double-sided operations
• Edge-treatments and engraving
• Surfacing operations

Joints and Helper Objects - Week 4

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

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

Importing Exchange Formats

Learn to work with designs created in other software, prepping them for production by CNC machine.

• Working with STEP files
• Working with SVG/DXF files

Multi-body Modelling

Learn more advanced techniques for creating designs with multiple interconnected parts. Optimize CAM operations for designs involving multiple pieces.

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