Digital Fabrication

Author: Rick Phelan & Casey Shea
Published: 09.15.14

Students with 3D Printer As schools look to equip their Maker classrooms, questions frequently come up about digital fabrication equipment and what to get—3D printers, laser cutters, or something else? This blog post offers information on digital fabrication and options for schools to consider when making purchases.

What is Digital Fabrication?
Digital fabrication begins with a computer model of something you want to make, then uses a fabrication tool that’s linked to the digital model. Computer models can be created through design programs such as MS Paint, FreeCAD, Inkscape, Autodesk 123D Suite, and Sketchup. Fabrication tools receive the digital design, then act on raw material such as acrylics, paper, wood, cardboard, plastics, or metal to create the design.

Digital Fabrication Tools

Laser Cutters
Laser cutting is a precise method of cutting a design in a given material using a computer-assisted design (CAD) file to guide it. The machine cuts by firing a laser that melts, burns, or vaporizes sections of material. Makers can achieve a fine level of cutting detail with a wide variety of materials using laser cutters.

Interviews with a number of Tech Shop instructors reveal that these machines are one of the best devices to begin with when setting up a Maker space. The reason? Short production time, simplicity of design programs, and the variety of materials that can be cut.

The cost of laser cutters ranges from $5,000 to $11,000. Possible vendors include:

3D Printers
At present, 3D printers are the best-known digital fabrication tools. As with laser cutters, they use files created from CAD programs for the fabrication model. The electronic files provide very specific three-dimensional measurement information about an object’s width, length, and height. The CAD files are interpreted by a 3D printer to create an object rendering using one of two different processes:

Additive Process 3D Printers create a three-dimensional object by building it layer by successive layer, until the entire object is complete.
Subtractive Process 3D Printers begin with a solid material and remove undesired areas to create desired forms.

Additive 3D printers are currently one of the most popularly purchased digital fabrication tools by schools. Makers can find many different 3D files for printers through Thingiverse, Cubehero, and YouMagine. Files can also be created using CAD programs such as FreeCAD, Sketchup, and Autodesk 123D Suite. A downside of 3D printers is the time it takes to “print” an object. Depending on the size and complexity of an object, print times can range from 15 minutes to several hours.

3D printers range in price from $500 to $3,000. Vendors include:

Vinyl Cutters
Vinyl cutters are computer-controlled plotting devices that use a blade instead of a pen. Vector-based computer programs such as Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape are used to create designs that are sent to the cutter. The cutter cuts along the vector paths laid out in the design. The resulting vinyl lettering and/or vinyl graphics can be applied to any smooth surface. Some of the most common applications are signs, banners, and t-shirts. Schools that have vinyl cutters find many excellent applications, including school signage, event banners, t-shirts, decals, and art projects.

The price range for vinyl cutters is $350 to $500. Suggested vendor: