WHAT THEY DO:
CNC machines can have several axes of movement, but the ones you will find in the Lab only have 3 (X, Y, Z). Using these 3 axes you can cut simple 2 dimensional shapes, or more complex surfaces when using all the axes simultaneously. The basic operations you will be taught first are pocketing and internal and external cuts.
WHAT THEY DON'T DO:
The 3 axis CNC machines cannot cut sharp inner corners nor do undercuts, and they cannot cut parts smaller than the diameter of the tool or deeper than its lenght.
MATERIALS + TOOLS
This is dependent on the machine and its extraction. The mini mills (Peter, Bernard,Daniel, Rem and Bjarke) have less power so cannot cut denser materials, they also have no extraction which means they can only cut soft materials like balsa and foam. The routers (Renzo and Norman) have a lot more power and extraction so they can cut MDF, Ply and foam.
Inside the template file there is a list (in the layers) of all the materials each machine can cut.
HAZARDS + CONTROLS:
There are three main hazards you need to be aware of as a user of the CNC machines in the Lab: