Our Services
We’re not just a machine shop and factory. We want to help you achieve your business dreams. Over the past 20 years we learned a lot. We started with an idea but we had no knowledge of how to implement. So we had to learn. But where? How do you learn how to convert a napkin doodle into a thriving and profitable object, an object you can build your business around? Well there’s a lot to unpack in that questions. But if your idea has merit, and if you are one who can sell it, and if you need help with the middle part – implementation – then we are interested in helping.
When we were learning how to make our parts, we had no mentor, no guidance, the internet wasn’t nearly as comprehensive with useful information as it is now, and it took a full time effort, backed by unlimited resources of passion, enthusiasm, and funding to get to this point. The journey has been rocky, fun, and stressful.
If you’d like to pursue your idea quicker, with less stress, and at a lower cost than we endured in setting up our business, then we’d like to invite you to explore our services.
Consultations, Rapid Prototyping, CAD and CAM services, and Manufacturing services are all fundamental and equally important parts of the process necessary in converting your idea into a viable object (“part”) for your business pursuits. And we separate ourselves from the typical CNC Shop by offering equal parts of all of the above. We don’t just manufacture parts, we help you get started, we help you get educated, and we help provide you with the necessary knowledge and data to succeed in making your parts. Whether it is EPIC-CNC or another shop that makes your parts, we can help get you properly prepared.
Consultations
Perhaps you’ve got a great idea for a new innovative product, but you aren’t a machinist, have no experience in manufacturing, and perhaps don’t know how to get started. Well, we’ve been there too! Just 20 years ago we had napkin doodles, but no knowledge of how to implement. Allow us to help you skip the mistakes we made and go directly to a high quality product with confidence.
The process is like this. First we look over your idea, perhaps you’ve got a sketch. Well we need to make a 3D drawing of your sketch in the proper software to be able to manipulate the perspective. Then we need to use the information from this core 3D model and create PDF drawings for ease of manufacturing and process verification. And then we take the drawings and “solid model” as the core stuff of your product, and develop the necessary tool pathways to manufacture your product on our CNC machines. This CAM information must then be converted through our post processors so that our machines can read the code. Then we start making parts. In the machinist’s world they call it “makin’ some chips.”
In our consultation services, we can help you learn and fully understand exactly what is involved. We’ll help you acquire the necessary information, 3D computer models, prototypes, and finished parts, as you prefer.
Most machine shops aren’t interested in consulting; many shops don’t have the personnel or the time to get involved in your dreams. That’s where we differ. That’s exactly our niche.
Computer Aided Design (CAD)
In order to start, we need to convert your "napkin doodle" into something called a “Solid Model.” This 3D model is best rendered on the industry standard SolidWorks program, which is what we use. We also work with Fusion 360, but find SolidWorks to be more powerful, flexible, and capable. And since SolidWorks is the industry standard, you should be able to take your data to any serious shop and utilize it.
Rapid Prototyping
We have 3D printing technology available to quickly proof out your concept prior to the more expensive process of manufacturing. In some cases we can prototype directly on our CNC machines, depending on size and design.
Manufacturing
If your part is relatively small, it is likely that we can make it.
We’ve got a full multi-axis lathe with subspindle, Y-axis motion, full interpolative functionality on both spindles, and live tooling. This 5-Axis technology built into our lathe gives us nearly unlimited scope to what we can do. And we’ve got a 5-axis mill with full simultaneous functionality.
It is also important to note that our CAM software (PowerMill) is extremely capable. We can actually edit single strokes in a tool-path, allowing us full control over how we cut and the resultant surface texture. This software package gives us nearly unlimited potential to what we can do.
