Today is GCSE results day and many of our machines are used to contribute towards pupils course-work in Design & Technology.
CNC routers and laser engravers and cutters use computer-aided design (CAD) which needs to be programmed. If a product has been designed using a CAD programme such as the school favourite 2D design, this software can analyse the drawing and create the control program. The laser cutter can then be programmed to cut, score or etch by altering the speed and power for each coloured line. For example, by controlling the power and speed the machine could cut all the way through the material if the line is coloured red, whilst a line coloured black could be cut part way through (scored).
Laser machines can accurately position thousands of components per hour, and are much faster and more accurate than human workers and remove the risk of manual work such as using Stanley knives and saw blades etc.
