WHAT IS BIG, RED, WEIGHS 4 TONS, AND CAN SCULPT A SOLID BLOCK OF METAL TO TOLERANCES OF A HUMAN HAIR?
Our Matsuura MC-510V CNC Mill! by Bob Coggeshall What is big, red, weighs 4 tons, and can sculpt a solid block of metal to tolerances of a human hair? Answer: Our Matsuura MC-510V CNC Mill! This Reagan-era monster was donated to Nova Labs by Kform of Sterling, Virginia. Although 36 years old, it can cut with the same precision of modern metal mills. It is a very unique and capable tool to have at a maker space.
Besides getting it moved, there were challenges making such an old machine useful with modern CAD software like Fusion 360. The real challenge was to make this intimidating beast accessible to makers with no metal machining background. Countless hours were spent by many volunteers, and now all those goals have been met!
