CNC Training - How Educators Approach It

click image to zoomMadison (WI) College Busellato CNC router. “Our crown jewel piece of equipment is our CNC machine,” says Neil Heuer, co-owner of Grand Woodworking, Naples, FL. “This machine lets us make parts that are too cumbersome to be produced by hand.” The Holz-Her CNC router at Grand also provides a cost-effective way to make them.

For rapidly growing Grand Woodworking, the CNC was part of the 2010 launch plan, and the new staff had experience operating them.

How do firms who are moving into CNC for the first time learn begin to learn?

As with most other equipment, woodworkers begin with the manufacturer for education on CNCs.

Training is so essential, CNC maker Multicam opened a 14,000 square foot North Texas Technology Center near its Dallas headquarters.

click image to zoomChicago's Greater West Town Woodworkers Training Program uses a Weeke BP 60 to teach CNC operation. “Extensive free training is included with the purchase of every Onsrud CNC system,” says CR Onsrud. The Troutman, NC manufacturer operates a high tech learning center for wood, metal and aerospace industry customer training. “The learning curve is not steep,” says Onsrud, noting its CNCs work with the CAD/CAM program its customers choose.

Stiles Machinery’s extensive education program offers machine specific training on CNCs in course paths geared to programmers, operators, or in maintenance. Some classes are taught at Stiles Education Center in Grand Rapids, MI; others through interactive computer training modules intended for use at the woodworking company.

Course MC705, for example, enhances basic programming skills on Stiles WoodWOP software, walking users through importation of AutoCAD DXF files into WoodWOP, creation of variable and component tables, creating parametric contours, and programming machining aggregates.

Teaching Stem Skills

Some woodshops will begin with a small CNC devices from firms like ShopBot, Oliver or Laguna, to learn how CNC operates. ShopBot says its relatively lower-cost machines are often adopted by schools putting greater emphasis on so-called STEM skills (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) in classes.

The centerpiece of the woodworking vocational trade program at the Ridgeland (SC) Correctional Facility is a recently acquired Laguna Tools I.Q. CNC Machine, currently used by 30 trainees.

At Madison (WI) College, woodworking program director Patrick Molzahn teaches a broad view of CNCs, as well as operations, so students have a perspective on how the equipment is operated and optimized.