NTC's CNC machining program receives Haas Foundation grant

Officials with Northeast Technology Center’s Afton Campus were recently awarded a $12,500 grant from the Gene Haas Foundation to put towards improving the school's CNC machining program. The grant funds are part of a new partnership to provide schools and training centers with cutting-edge educational materials to inspire students and provide pathways to advanced manufacturing careers. “With 3.5 million manufacturing jobs needing to be filled over the next decade, our economic competitiveness depends on preparing today’s students for current and future jobs,” said Gene Hass Foundation’s Kathy Looman. Awarding the grant was Johnnie Austin, Sales Engineer for Timco Machine Tools. Timco Machine Tools is the Oklahoma dealer for Haas equipment. “Our goal with these grants is to help provide the critical resources educators and students need to understand and embrace the skills required to be successful in advanced manufacturing jobs,” said Austin. Gene Haas, owner of Haas Automation, Inc., founded the Gene Haas Foundation in 1999. Haas Automation is America's leading builder of CNC machine tools. Started in 1983, the now-billion-dollar company and its owner have a commitment to the importance of US manufacturing with a focus on manufacturing education, scholarships for CNC machinist training and helping technical programs that teach these skills grow and expand. “The Haas Foundation is big into schools that train in manufacturing,” said Austin. “If you go into just about any shop across nation, you will see Haas equipment. That’s largely because of their commitment to education. The company offers free training to educators as well as discounts on equipment for schools.” NTC’s Afton Campus started offering manufacturing classes in CNC programming, operations and projects in late 2013. The classes were added in response to members of the Manufacturing Alliance expressing a need for future employees to have some hands-on training in the field prior to seeking employment with their companies. Some manufacturers in the area even voiced a demand for expanding operations in the future if the properly-trained workforce is available. NTC’s training options are a fit for anyone interested in acquiring skills that would make them marketable to work in the manufacturing industry. Students are trained on simulators, lathes, mills, a metal cutting bandsaw, measurement and calibration tools, drill presses, a Haas CNC Vertical Lathe and a Haas CNC Vertical Mill. “We have been brainstorming on how we will spend the money,” said Tony Cordray, NTC Industrial Coordinator. “We are prioritizing our wish list of things needed to grow the program to next level. Most of it will be in tooling our machines, including measuring tools for each student, and possibly enhancing our tool storage area.”

Mini CNC Router provides 2 x 3 ft cutting table.

Mini CNC Router for any Size Production Shop or Educational Institute from Techno CNC Systems to be Showcased at ACTE

Techno CNC Systems is proud to be showcasing their HD Mini CNC Router at ACTE’s CareerTech Vision 2015, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA, Booth 436, on November 20 -22th!

Techno’s HD Mini CNC Router is a heavy-duty production machine with a compact floor print size ideal for any size production shop or educational institute. The HD Mini machine is powered by a 2HP HSD high-frequency collet spindle with precision ball screw drives on all three axes and is controlled using Techno’s easy-to-use hand-held micro stepper controller that can run industry standard G and M codes. Other key features include an automatic tool calibration pad and an aluminum T-slot table for easy part fixturing. The HD Mini is used widely in industry manufacturing, making it the perfect industrial skills training solution for classroom students. These CNC router applications can include any 2D or 3D geometric shape commonly fabricated in prototyping, sign making, woodworking, or any engineered product — using wood, plastic, fiberglass, metal or other routable materials within the 2' x 3' cutting table size.

Join Techno at Booth 436 where you can meet their factory experts in person who will answer all your application questions, see live demonstrations of the HD Mini featuring the latest CNC technology and pick up their new product catalog of CNC equipment and accessories.

Techno CNC Systems Educational Sector offers high speed, affordable industrial quality CNC routers, plasmas, and laser machines in a wide range of sizes with work areas available from 12" x 12" to 5' x 10'. All machines offer endless STEM opportunities. Every machine is installed and supported by local Techno CNC Systems representatives to ensure a successful startup.

Additionally, you can call Techno at 631-648-7481 today to get your CNC machining program off to the right start and visit www.techedcnc.com to see their educational CNC machines and learn about Techno’s success in schools!

http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/mini-cnc-router-provides-2-x-3-ft-cutting-table-20050849

Millturn CNC machine

3 axis high speed cnc router

The Most Modern CNC Machines In The World

Impressive Formaker, 4-in-1 CNC mill, laser, PCB maker & 3D printer launches on Kickstarter

Aug 12, 2015 | By Alec

It’s obviously a very busy time over at the headquarters of Zhuhai CTC Electronic. As you might know, this is one of the most prominent 3D printer manufacturers in China (with distributors throughout the west). Over the past few months, they have already announced a number of 3D printers (including thisRiverside Photocuring 3D printer and this Giant 3D printer), but they are already back for more. CTC Electronic has just launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for a very impressive and remarkably affordable all-in-one desktop manufacturing machine called the Formaker, that operates as a CNC mill, a laser cutter, a PCB etcher and a double-headed 3D printer.

Obviously Kickstarter sometimes looks completely filled with upcoming 3D printers that offer the world and more, but this Formaker by Zhuhai CTC Electronic is definitely an interesting option for obvious reason. While desktop combo machines have been previously seen, in our memory we haven’t yet seen a machine that operates as a CNC mill, a laser cutter, a PCB etcher and a multi-head 3D printer at the same time. What’s more, its completely modular. Don’t need a laser cutter? That’s fine too, as the standard setup consists of a multi-head 3D printer, and you can purchase add-ons through their Kickstarter as well.

As the company says on their Kickstarter page, it was developed to fill a niche in the making market where serious makers needed more than just a high quality 3D printer to get things done. Following their – in their own words – successful 3D printers, this seemed like the perfect follow-up. ‘From the very beginning we wanted a precise multi-function printer. We have excellent results from our 3-D printers and have been tested through the years with our customers. With a simple tool change you can now convert the machine to a full machining center for the home or office,’ they write.

And while multiple functions usually means sacrificing 3D printing quality or space, that doesn’t seem to be the case here. To get to the stats, the Formaker features a respectable build space of 225x145x150mm, but as the different heads are interchangeable, you don’t sacrifice more of that limited space.

The 3D printing option itself is, they say, their best 3D printer so far. Featuring an impressive printing quality of layers down to 0.04 mm and a heated bed, they even claim to be the fastest 3D printer in the industry at 120 mm/s to 170 mm/s. ‘[Furthermore] the Formaker is made of metal and provides excellent stability for high precision. The structure is very robust, and provides high mechanical repeat-ability,’ they add. What’s more, the multi-head is also multifunctional, being compatible with PLA, Carbon Fiber PLA, ABS, Wood, Poly Carbonate, and Ninja Flex filaments. In short, plenty to work with.

But the additional options all seem pretty attractive too. The CNC Mill/Lathe is compatible with wood, acrylic, lexan, brass, aluminum and plastics, while the laser engraver can be used on those materials and even on leather and soft metals. The PCB Etcher, finally, is a perfect option for brass, aluminum, or copper PCBs. The different options are all controlled with an LCD touchscreen and provided software. And, as we said earlier, it’s up to you how to upgrade it. ‘The Formaker has unlimited potential, and is very safe and robust and can be upgraded with user components. Without any limits to the machine, we hope we can give our customers the ability to realize any dream, they say.

If you’re interested in this machine, this best is still to come. The complete price for the complete machine with all add-ons is just $999 and comes with a full year warranty. Obviously, you can also mix and match the different attachment to suit your preferences, but that seems like a very decent price for the product they’re offering. For more ordering information, go to their crowdfunding page here.

Specifications:

• 350 Watt 24 Volt Power Supply
• Shipping Weight 26Lbs
• Building Size: 225x145x150mm
• Laser Power : 3.0 Watts
• Included Items in full set:
• Spool Holder
• 4GB SD Card
• 1KG Spool PLA Material
• Spare Hardware Kit
• CNC Tooling Bits/Router Bits
• CNC Motor
• Laser Cutter
• Dual 3D Print Head
• Power Cable
• USB Cable

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150812-impressive-formaker-4-in-1-cnc-mill-laser-pcb-maker-3d-printer-launches-on-kickstarter.html

Montana Couple Develops American-Made 5-Axis Desktop CNC Mill that Retails for $3,300!

What do you get when a machinist marries a mechanical engineer? If you're Matt (the machinist) and Michelle (the mechanical engineer) Hertel, you get what may be the world's first desktop-sized 5-axis CNC mill, and is certainly the world's most affordable at just $3,300.

The Montana-based couple spent four years developing the device, picking up some help along the way: Another machinist named Gary and a software guru named Duane (sorry, no last names available). Here is the result of their collaboration, dubbed the Pocket NC:

Now for the bad news: The darn thing sold out after just one week on Kickstarter. As the Hertels explain,

We are SO excited about the machines sold and ready to head into production. So ready, that today we took delivery of about 1000 pounds of aluminum so that we can get to making chips on some of your frames.

For those of you wondering if we will be adding more machines to the campaign, the answer is that we don't plan to. The number we limited the campaign to is based on the manufacturing plan that we have developed and our capacity to grow over the coming months. While it kills us to not sell as many machines as we can through the campaign, we want to make sure that we are well equipped to follow through with the delivery dates that we have set.

That I can respect. And not to worry, as the Hertels plan to eventually launch pre-orders for the next batch. To get onto their notification list, click here and enter your e-mail address.

Of course, if you just can't wait and are dying for a Pocket NC from the first batch, there is a long shot you can look into: "Another option," the couple writes, "is to watch over the next few weeks to see if another backer cancels their pledge." While $3,300 is small potatoes for a 5-axis machine, it's not chump change; so if one of the pledgers gets cold feet, that could be your gain.

http://www.core77.com/posts/38640/Montana-Couple-Develops-American-Made-5-Axis-Desktop-CNC-Mill-that-Retails-for-3300