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News Release from: Unimatic Engineers | Subject: Equipping a design and technology unit
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 16 April 2007
Equipping a design and technology unit
Unimatic Engineers outline things to consider when equipping a design and technology unit.
Over the past ten years or so, there has been an increase in the range of equipment offered to students and teachers involved in Design and Technology Much of this is computer controlled and requires a significant investment in new equipment and software, together with the associated training
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 24 Jan 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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Computer-controlled equipment achieves a high degree of accuracy and finish in a remarkable short period of time, compared with more traditional approaches, such as a manually controlled lathe or milling machine.
This gives the students a greater sense of satisfaction with their work at all levels of competence.
It allows students to design and manufacture items which would have been beyond their ability or impossible because of time restrictions, just a few years ago.
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As industry has also adopted this equipment in the workplace, it allows students to gain hands-on experience of how design and manufacture works today and can provide them with career aspirations, which they might not otherwise have had.
This is especially important in the UK at a time when there is a chronic shortage of engineers and technicians of all disciplines.
There are three main different types of computer-controlled equipment currently available to education.
They are:.
- CNC Machines.
- Laser cutters and engravers.
- Rapid Prototyping.
CNC Machines.
CNC stands for 'Computer Numerical Control' and such machines are controlled directly by a PC running the controlling software.
There are 3 types of CNC machine in common use.
The CNC lathe is used for turning intricate shapes and for batch production of items.
Schools, however, generally require more complex machining capabilities.
CNC milling machines are robust, heavy and expensive pieces of machinery designed primarily to cut metal.
However, the time it would take to cut out an item would typically be about 10 times longer than the time taken on a CNC router.
This is one of reasons why the router is the most commonly bought machine in schools for cutting 3D models.
The router is much cheaper than the milling machine and there are models large enough to cope with machining components for full-size furniture; they have the added advantage of enabling several smaller designs to be cut at one setting, thus freeing up technician/teacher time.
This has significant benefits at times where there is heavy demand on the machine - course-work preparation or batch production of items for whole class use, for example.
Routers of course are also able to mill, though are restricted to softer metals, plastics, wood and similar materials.
With the addition of a rotary 4th axis, CNC routers can cut full 3D shapes, as well as perform most of the tasks of a lathe.
Some machines also offer the ability to cut PCB tracks.
Laser cutters and engravers.
These dual-purpose machines are particularly favoured in education because of their ease of use and speed of operation for both cutting and engraving, primarily for smaller articles.
This can be done on a variety of materials including acrylic, wood, paper and cloth.
They are not suitable for cutting metal (though they can engrave metals) and, although they can engrave glass, they cannot cut through it.
They also allow students to burn a design onto the surface of textile materials, as an alternative to embroidery or thermal transfers.
Laser cutting / engraving machines are the fastest technology available for creating 2D shapes, and are therefore often a good starting point for schools investing in DandT equipment for the first time.
They are also the easiest to use, as they are similar in use to desktop printers running off a PC.
Rapid Prototype (RP) machines.
An RP machine is used to build up a 3D model by depositing material in layers.
These include thin sheet materials such as plastic and also used for powders, resins, waxes and plastic filaments.
A good analogy for RP is that of building a house brick by brick, layer by layer, although the brickie is replaced by an automatic computer-controlled process.
RP manufacture is generally slower and more expensive than CNC machining but has the added benefit of producing more intricate designs.
It is a key tool in modern day manufacturing, enabling designs to be modelled and/or tested, and to speed products to the marketplace.
Although it was previously a very expensive technology, restricted to large industries such as automotive and aerospace, dramatically falling prices, new technologies and improved reliability have all made RP machines accessible to small companies and to schools alike.
Points to consider when purchasing.
Although it is important to consider each type of machine's specifications individually to ensure that it is tailored to meet a school's needs, there are many general considerations to take into account, which would apply to all three technologies.
Here are a few:.
- Is the machine robust?.
- Is it used in industry as well as in education? It will be far more appropriate and beneficial to the students if the machine has been designed and built for industrial markets.
- Is it 'state of the art' and does it represent the future of manufacturing technology?.
- Is it user friendly for both staff and students in terms of software and hardware?.
- Is it reliable and accurate?.
- What is the likely lifetime cost of the equipment in terms of capital outlay for the machine and software and its maintenance?.
- Does it conform to health and safety requirements and does it have CE approval?.
- Can the teacher control access to the equipment so that it can only be used by the students under supervision?.
- Will the equipment fit into the available space and are all access doorways large enough to allow the machine to pass through?.
- Are there enough mains sockets and a convenient network point nearby if computer network access is required?.
- Is dust extraction being provided?.
- Will the noise levels be too intense? This should be assessed so that the students are still able to work whilst the machine is running.
- Will there be adequate space around the equipment for its safe and easy use and can it be transported safely? (For smaller pieces of machinery if they are being used in different locations.).
- Does the supplier provide on site demonstrations, hands on training and what is the level of after sales support?.
- Does the supplier have an in depth knowledge of the educational market in addition to the industrial applications of the equipment?.
The detailed capability of any machine must be assessed in its own right and there are many variations between manufacturers, even for the same type of machine.
For example, US manufactured laser tubes typically are more effective and have a longer life than a Chinese tube of the same wattage.
Software capability and compatibility can also vary quite widely and, again, this must be assessed for each specific machine and manufacturer. Request a free brochure from Unimatic Engineers ...
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