Are they teachers in this group who use a NOMAD 3 in their shop class?

CNC Machines Nomad
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Greetings,
I am considering using the NOMAD 3 in a high school shop class I am going to teach next semester. This will be the student’s first exposure to a CNC.

Are there any shop teachers out there who use the NOMAD 3 in their classes ?

I would like to learn how it has been working for you and if the NOMAD 3 is a good/ not so good choice for classroom use (?)

Thanks, Tom

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What kind of materials do you expect to be cutting? Just about all the Carbide machines can work a variety of materials, but there are definitely machines that lean more one way than the other - Al vs wood, for example.

Also, cutting envelope - NOMAD is I think the smallest cutting envelope of the Carbide machines.

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I’m not a teacher, but I’ve helped teachers/professors set up table-top mills & lathes to use in their classes. I think the Nomad would be a fantastic addition to a shop class. You just have to keep the projects small enough to cut on that machine. Students are creative, they’ll think of something.
The big thing is introducing them to the process of coming up with an idea, designing it, planning how it will be manufactured, and then learning the technology to make it all possible.

I set up software (Unigraphics/NX) for the students to use to program the machines, created postprocessors for the machines, and even helped one professor with some lesson plans.
Lehigh University in PA has a competition every year with their 1st year engineering students and a local grade school. The design & manufacture small race cars (Hot Wheels / Matchbox size). They use small table top machines to cut molds for the bodies, and other parts for the cars.

Best of luck

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I was thinking to use aluminum and some plastics ( acrylics and delrin) as stock materials

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Its ok to admit you just want more toys to play with when the days up xD

I think the nomad would have a place in a highschool shop class for those intrested in learning the following. G code/Tool offsets/chipload/surface finish and its direct correlation to chipload + deflection.

That being said. Unless it was going to be used as a demonstation machine, Cutting aluminum might be out of the way. Even small peices to get nice finishes on can take upwards of an hour unless your goal is to show how to deal with things more so then actually making cool parts. For wood and plastics like acetal it would be more then enough. Its relativley quiet considering and could easily run in the other side of the shop while your teaching another class. Its learning to work around the nomads low power and deflection that has been able to show me much more dramatic examples of when I messed up as opposed to fighting through problems with more power and rigidity and I feel that is invaluable to learn before trying to run on a much larger mill. Also if your students break an end mill now understanding the limits of this machine and how to listen for chatter and other varius problems its much cheaper then if they have to wait to try to do the same in a college class room on a fullsize vmc. Also just to tag something down, When I was in school I would have loved having a little cnc and building and enclosure for it.

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Judging by support tickets, the Nomad has worked out well in shop class environments:

  • similarly, it works well for CAM — it not having limitations on saving files allows students to install and use it at home and simulate designs:

Please feel free to write in and let us know if you have any especial difficulties or concerns at support@carbide3d.com and we will do our best to assist.

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I’ll start by saying that I’m a teacher in a public middle school. I teach variety of “pre-engineering” classes and run 3D printers, a small CO2 laser, a Shapeoko and a small, weak CNC from a company that shall not be named. I see no reason why a Nomad wouldn’t be an awesome addition to a classroom, depending on the end goal. We use our tools as just that. My focus in teaching is never CNC…sometimes it’s the right tool for the job. My students spend a lot of time in CAD programs and make everything from toothpaste sqeezers (I’ve actually banned these) to wall decor to robot parts. In most cases, I am the one that runs the machines. Almost always the case on the CNC.
@Metalcut Are there more specific questions you have about the Nomad? I think those would be easily answered by forum members or Carbide support.

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