Students Build CNC Machine For Physics Honors Project From Morgan Brown, Physics Teacher:

From Morgan Brown, Physics Teacher:

Students Augie K. '26 and Gavin N. '26 have built a CNC machine in conjunction with the Physics class. I was very impressed by their motivation, attention to detail, problem solving, and follow-through with this project. They demonstrated every Grauer core value in the creation of this CNC machine, and showed how real-world projects tie all the components of STEAM together, as they had to incorporate aesthetic design, CAD models, 3D printing, circuitry, math calculations, and hands-on building skills. This is a great example to all students of what you can accomplish with a clear goal and a passion for learning.

I asked them to describe their project, including the reason they wanted to build it, and the process that was involved with building it. Augie and Gavin summarized their project by saying, “At the beginning of the semester, we set out to construct a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine to improve our manufacturing capabilities here at Grauer. CNC machines are prevalent within various industries, being the standard tool used to create advanced custom parts from many materials. At the Lowey-Linz Innovation Center, we are privileged to possess many different machines capable of modifying many basic materials such as wood and acrylic, however, we do not have machines capable of precision manufacturing aluminum and other harder materials. This means that we often have to manufacture parts by hand if we want them made from metal, which is a time-consuming process that can be quite tedious.  

To remedy this issue, we decided we would attempt to construct our own CNC machine, with a few initial constraints. We wanted to create a CNC machine capable of cutting aluminum. Cost was an additional factor, which we wanted to keep as low as possible, without sacrificing our design. Finally, we wanted to use 3D printed parts to make it accessible to more people and to test our own design and manufacturing skills. 

We proposed this idea to Morgan, as it ties in with his Physics curriculum. This project has demonstrated many aspects of Physics covered in his class, such as torque, rotational motion, linear motion, forces, and electrical circuits. It has also helped us build new skills and refine previously acquired ones. We have both greatly improved our 3D modeling capabilities, in addition to becoming more proficient in combining multiple independently designed sub-assemblies. Additionally, we have learned a lot about electrical shielding practices, structural stability, and wire management, which we hope to bring to the Shockwave High School Robotics program next year. 

Our initial tests of our machine have proved very promising, with a tolerance on wood of ~0.1mm. We plan to begin cutting aluminum in the coming week, after finalizing a few upgrades to our machine. If successful, we will have fulfilled all of our initial goals and have gained the capability to manufacture custom parts from metal, a critical factor for the robotics team where we have an increasing need for more precise components.”