PCB milling is a really useful thing to do on a CNC machine because you can build really nice, complicated electric circuits. And unlike chemical etching, which only makes the traces, a CNC machine drill holes for through hole components and cut and trim the copper clad board. Quite a few people asked about whether or not the Sienci Mill One was able to do PCB milling. So we gave it a shot.

Our first few tries were not great, since we had traces of varying sizes, even though they were all supposed to be the same. While milling large objects, a high degree of precision is not needed. But for milling PCBs with features that are fractions of a millimetre, high precision is critical.

Then we found the issue that was causing us to have sub-par boards. The nuts for the lead screws were coming loose from the gantry, and that extra bit of wiggle was causing the positioning of the machine to be off. So we tightened those screws and made sure that they wouldn’t come loose over time.

And that made a huge huge impact on the quality of our traces! Check it out:

Today, I emailed Stewart Allen, creator of Kiri:Moto to tell me his story.

Kiri:Moto: A Unique, Multi-Modal, Cloud-based Slicer

Here’s his response:

Chris and I are hard at work putting together documentation for the Sienci Mill One. You should see a new tab on our website with instructions on using software and putting together the hardware for the Sienci Mill One soon.

We will also use Instructables, an awesome platform for DIY people and makers, to share instructions on building their projects and ideas online!

Source: https://uwaterloo.ca/conrad-business-entrepreneurship-technology/news/enterprise-co-op-students-awarded-2000-product-video-0

Each term, the Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre invites Enterprise Co-op students to develop a 90-second video displaying the products or services they have developed during their E Co-op term.

Two students have been awarded $1,000 each for their submissions. Check out their videos below!

Christina Tan, Eloquent Speaking

Andy Lee, Sienci Labs

Congrats to the Product Video Showcase winners!

Thank you to our first set of backers! With your support we’ve raised over $9000 over the first 24 hours! That’s pretty awesome.

We still need your support though. Please share our project with your friends and family!

Check it out here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sienci/sienci-mill-one-simple-and-affordable-desktop-cnc/

AS FEATURED ON 3DPC.co

http://3dpc.co/meet-3d-printings-big-brother-cnc-milling-3442/

While CNC milling machines come in all shapes and sizes, there is one thing they all have in common: computer numerical control. Yes, CNC stands for computer numerical control. These machines implement mechanical and electrical systems to control a milling tool in three dimensional space. Unlike a 3D printer, which is a “additive” manufacturing process that involves stacking layers and layers of plastic, CNC milling is a “subtractive manufacturing process that starts from a base material and carves away at it until you are left with a finalized part.

These machines are used to manufacture everything from the furniture you’re sitting on to the injection molding forms that make up a huge number of the things you use every day. And since they can shape virtually any material, the applications are endless.

3D printing has gone from expensive industrial machines to affordable consumer machines that fit on your desktop. So why hasn’t the same happened with CNC milling machines?

Well, there are a few challenges in creating a device suitable for your home, but the biggest challenge has been creating the necessary mechanics to stand the enormous forces CNC machines need to handle. The robust linear motion systems needed to control these machines are expensive and complicated, and that shows on the price tag for current desktop CNC milling machines.

Sienci Labs, a group based in Waterloo, ON, have developed low cost, high performance linear motion systems to finally create the machines that you can afford to put on your desktop. And with partnerships with some of the most innovative CAM and CAD developers, they’ve created the fastest and easiest user experience in desktop CNC milling.

Meet the Sienci Mill One.

The Sienci Mill One is a $399 desktop CNC milling machine that creates 2D and 3D models from materials like wood, plastic, brass, aluminum, and foam.

Specifications:

Working area: 250mm x 200mm x 100mm

Working materials: Wood, foam, aluminum, brass, leather, PVC, acrylic, ABS, PCB boards, and more

Precision: The Sienci Mill One comes with anti backlash leadscrews with a thread pitch of 2mm/revolution, as well as stepper motors with a resolution of 200 steps/revolution. The Sienci Mill One can accurately reproduce details within 0.001″.

Speeds: Recommended speeds are between 250mm/min to 1500mm/min

Firmware: GRBL

Software:

While the Sienci Mill One can handle gcode generated by virtually all modern CAM software, we’ve partnered with Onshape to bring fun, fast, and free CAM and CAD programs to help you draw 3D models and create the code that controls the Sienci Mill One.

With CAM programs like Kiri:Moto, both beginner and advanced users can create gcode on their browser in mere minutes.

Try it out at www.onshape.com

Kickstarter:

Sienci Labs is sold out of their first batch of machines and will be starting a Kickstarter in the middle of August!

Prices for the Kickstarter are:

$399: Sienci Mill One Kit*

$549: Sienci Mill One Assembled*

$139: 1-¼ HP Router Kit

*does not come with router

Sign up for the mailing list at:

https://sienci.com/kickstarter/

Over the last couple of weeks, Chris and I have been working hard on building the machines for our first set of orders. We decided to try putting together a few kits so that we would know what steps we would need to take to put them together for our Kickstarter. This also helps us figure out the lead times and what sort of quality our suppliers can provide.

Parts from Shenzhen:

We received our parts from Shenzhen  through a supplier that manufactures 3D printer and CNC parts. We ordered a small number stepper motors, eccentric nuts, and Delrin V wheels through this supplier, and they were kind enough to take our small order and ship it to us through Express Shipping. Even with a 3 day delay after Typhoon Nida slamming the area and people unable to go to work, we got our shipment on time for our first set of deliveries.

Assembly:

Since last week I have brought the kits to two companies in Ontario. There were a couple of hitches but after ironing them out, things went fairly smoothly.

At the first session I found that the M3 screws that hold the NEMA 17 motors to the angle mounts were slightly too long… 2mm too long in fact. This was causing the screws at the other end of the motor to start turning out, and I had to go find the proper screws for the machine. I also discovered that we would need to tolerance the through holes wider to make assembly easier. We didn’t get to complete the assembly of the machine that day, but since then I’ve found the correct screws and will be going back this week to finish up the build.

At the second session with another company, I found that the second issue was that the the front shield of the machine offered too snug of a fit. Luckily I had a shield that was slightly thinner, and was able to replace and complete the assembly. After I left, the customer discovered that without the bed being completely level, the machine had issues cutting out materials from a blank stock. Under typical use, this small discrepancy would not make a difference, but in applications like PCB milling or cutting very thin materials, even cuts can be critical. I am working on this with the customer to provide the documentation needed to level the bed, or issue a refund if things cannot be resolved.

Final thoughts:

I can’t say these past experiences were completely smooth sailing, but with what I learned from these assembly sessions, we know what to watch out for when start mass manufacturing these machines. As Paul Graham  states in his essay “Do Things That Don’t Scale”, this initial step of getting out and putting our machine in an uncontrolled environment is a important step for us to learn what it will be like when we do scale.

We shot our Kickstarter video yesterday! We hired one of our buddies from Enterprise Co-op who’s starting his own video production company to make our video for us.

We started at 12, right after my mentoring session at the Waterloo City Hall. It was a long day of filming, working until 9:30pm to finally get all the footage we needed. Our video should be done and released on Monday! Make sure to stay tuned to see our masterpiece.

Check out Terence’s work at https://www.youtube.com/user/ITerenceI