For those of you interested in computer aided manufacturing, our CNC workstation now has a license for Cut2D by Vectric. It is really well designed and easy to use software for converting vector art into tool paths. A really nice feature is that it will give you a real-time 3D preview of your cutting path so you will have a pretty good idea of how it’s going to look before you even turn the machine on.

Visit Cut2D’s resource site for tutorials on gettings started, profile and pocket machining etc, so now you have no excuse for not getting a studio membership and building that 18th century automaton you always wanted.

We also have installed the latest version of Mach3, which allows for user profiles- meaning that you can tweak your settings ’til the cows come home without causing everyone else’s workflow to go wonky.

Here’s a video of our Romaxx HS-1 in action at our first CNC workshop. Video courtesy of Stefan Powell.

A local instance of the RepRap project (a Replicating Rapid prototyper), born in the basement studio of InterAccess, bears fruit!

This is the first set of RepRap produced parts for a RepRap available to the public.  Since it was built in Toronto, and in the interest of simplifying the supply of local spare parts, I’d like to find someone in Toronto who is interested in using these parts to build another RepRap.  So far, I’ve received many offers from all over the world, but none in Toronto yet.  Any takers?

More info on the Builders Blog.

Just when I you thought star trek fans couldn’t get any nerdier…

This little communicator pin for a halloween outfit was cut out by the InterAccess CNC milling machine. I started by getting a reference image from the internet and used photo editing software (the GIMP) to make the image high contrast black and white.

Next I brought the image into a software package called Image To G-Code which creates a raster toolpath for the CNC machine- essentially telling it to buzz away any areas where black is present and retain the white areas. I was surprised at how smooth the edges turned out considering that it was cut using a series of very fast vertical passes. Then of course some gold paint was applied to the back piece for that next gen flare.

P.S. I wasn’t always a trekkie- just since I stumbled upon this year’s Trekzac Festicon.

After a lengthy battle with boarder customs, our fresh new CNC system is finally here. Over the next couple of weeks we will be setting up the workstation. Do I smell a new IA user group?

For videos demonstrating different functions of this machine go here:

http://www.romaxxcnc.com/video.htm