You may not be familiar with the term ‘Makerspace’, but it is a term and a concept that is growing in popularity in Australia. Makerspaces have the support of governments, industry and manufacturers and are a way of empowering people with great ideas, but limited resources.
There are many ways to define a Makerspace, but essentially it is a place where people can come to use – and learn to use – equipment, develop creative projects, or simply gain experience. They are most commonly associated with offering technology to create, develop and design in an informal, non-traditional, environment. Becoming a member of a Makerspace enables you to access the resources (training, machinery, technology and materials) at times that are convenient to yourself, without the capital outlay often required for production.
FAB9 is a purpose-built space, located in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray, for hardware entrepreneurs, engineers, designers, tinkerers, craftspeople, artists, hobbyists and anyone who wants to experiment through the making of physical objects. Whether you’re an amateur working on a fun project, or an inventor set to create the next world-changing product, they are open for people of all interests and skill levels.
Architecturally designed, FAB9’s building houses an impressive array of equipment and facilities ranging from electronics labs, hand tools, power tools, 3D printers, laser cutters and CNC routing machines. Because FAB9 has to be able to cater for nearly every manufacturing demand of its members, it is important that the equipment they provide is rugged, reliable and versatile. Particularly big-ticket items like the CNC router.
The CNC router that FAB9 decided to include in their suite of facilities is the Multicam Trident 3000 Series flatbed CNC router. The Trident combines three different cutting technologies to provide maximum versatility, by offering a choice of routing spindle and two knives, which can be either tangential, oscillating, or a combination of both.
The Trident machine is truly unique in that it has the ability to rout timbers, plastics, aluminium and composite materials, with a heavy-duty, automatic tool change spindle. It can also knife cut flexible and semi-rigid materials, up to 120mm thick, with ease, using either the tangential or oscillating knife head. A host of accessories and features, such as creasing attachments, camera recognition and live vacuum zones, means that FAB9 members using the Trident CNC router can really let their imaginations soar.
The Multicam Trident 3000 Series flatbed CNC router is the most powerful piece of equipment at FAB9, and it has the potential to significantly enhance the making practices of many start-ups, small businesses, designers and individual makers. It was selected by FAB9 because of its larger-than-average cutting area, its flexibility, and the backup and support provided by Multicam’s office in Melbourne. For FAB9 this means getting real-time support, and gives them the opportunity of having official Multicam technicians train both staff and members.
Phil Balzan of Multicam’s Melbourne office was instrumental in helping FAB9 choose the correct CNC router for their facility.
“Multicam has many different model CNC routers available,” says Phil. “During our discussions with FAB9 I realised that they would need a CNC router that was capable of exceeding their demands in terms of flexibility and value, and the Trident certainly does that.
“Multicam has a long association with training facilities such as TAFE training colleges, universities and schools. Even though FAB9 is offering a rather different service, we feel that our experience in the education and training sectors give us the ability to offer unique and tailored solutions to them.
“We are excited to be working with FAB9 in presenting opportunities and fostering Australian innovation,” Phil concludes. “And we are confident that FAB9 has responded to a real need that will be of great benefit to everyone involved.”