Equipment and Lab Stock

Equipment

SILab Stock

3D Printers

We currently have five 3D printers at SILab: a Prusa i3 MK3S+ with MMU2S, a Form Labs Form 3+, a Flashforge Inventor, a MakerBot Replicator 2x, an Airwolf 3D HDR, and a Stratasys Mojo. The printers can use different materials including PLA, ABS, and resin. These are rapid prototyping machines that are great for visual models and prototyping signs before conventional machining processes.

Soldering Irons

A soldering iron is a handheld tool that heats up at the end to melt solder to connect metal components. It is primarily used for putting together the different parts of a circuit so they’ll maintain a strong electrical current and connection.

Oscilloscope

An oscilloscope is a device that is commonly used to display and analyze the waveform of electronic signals. In effect, the device draws a graph of the instantaneous signal voltage as a function of time. This is located in the electronics section of the lab.

Power Supplies

SILab has both AC and DC power supplies to service all of your electronic needs. Ask a SILab Advisor if you are not sure how to operate these devices, as they can be very dangerous if used incorrectly. These are in the electronics section of the lab.

Manual Lathe

The manual lathe is used for turning cylindrical objects into a variety of shapes. This machine can handle wood, plastic, and aluminum. The machining process is called turning as the cutting tool is stationary while the part spins in the chuck (opposite to milling).

Miter Saw

The miter saw is used to cut wood. It does straight cuts and has a built-in LED light to help show where the blade will cut into the material. It can also be readjusted to cut at various angles ranging from 0-90 degrees. Be sure to clamp the piece of wood securely before cutting and to keep your fingers out of the path of the blade. The machine has a powerful recoil so be cautious when using it and ask a SILab Advisor if you have any questions or concerns about operating it.

Scroll Saw

The Scroll Saw has a small blade that quickly goes up and down and is great for small precision cuts. This saw can handle materials up to about a ¼ inch thick, and can make detailed curved cuts unlike the band saw.

Bench Grinder

The bench grinder is mainly used to grind down rough edges on steel parts or to sharpen steel blades and tools. It is important to only use steel on this machine. It is normal for sparks to be present when grinding steel, so it is important to take proper safety precautions.

Manual NC Mill

The mill at SILab has both manual and NC (Numeric Control) options, meaning you can either control the mill by hand or program in some basic cutting geometries. The machine moves in 3 axis and can machine wood, plastics, and aluminum. Ask a SILab Advisor if you are uncertain about what speeds and feeds to use when machining parts.

Drill Press

The drill press is a piece of standard machine shop equipment that is used for drilling holes in various materials. This is used when greater precision is needed rather than using a cordless or handheld drill. Holes will be perfectly perpendicular to the surface of the part.

Band Saw

The band saw is used to make straight cuts on wood, plastic, and aluminum. The blade is one loop that turns along wheels inside the machine, with the teeth angled so it is cutting in a downward motion. This is not for precision cuts, but rather cutting down stock to then be machined using other processes.

Belt and Disc Sander

The belt and disc sander is used for sanding and finishing purposes, the sandpaper is spinning to rip away surface material more quickly than using conventional sandpaper would. Wood and plastics can be sanded down using this machine.

Planer

The planer is used to create boards with even thickness throughout by cutting off the top layer of wood. Simply feed longer wood stock into the machine and have a push block help push it to the other side. Repeat this process until the desired thickness is attained. Avoid sticking your hands inside the machine at all times.

Jointer

The jointer is used to create flat surfaces and straight edges on the wooden stock by cutting the edge perpendicular to the fence. Apply as little pressure to the board as possible as the feeding technique is mostly directional. Use hold-downs to feed the stock onto the machine.

Laser Engraver and Cutter

Laser engraving and cutting machines allow you to cut out and engrave materials such as acrylic, wood, paper, and fabric, rapidly and to precise CAD specifications. The Epilog Fusion 24Pro can cut materials that are up to 2 feet wide/long and 3/8″ thick.

CNC Milling Machine

CNC stands for Computer Numeric Control, in this case that refers to the computer controlling a small milling bit to machine parts following given specifications. The CNC machine at SILab takes STL files and uses software available on the laptop next to it to generate the tool paths. This machine can travel in 3 axis and is used to machine foam, plastics, and wood.

Cricut Vinyl Cutter

The cricut vinyl cutter can quickly and precisely cut designs out of vinyl, paper, and fabrics that are several mm thick. It can cut materials up to 13″ wide and 3 feet long.

Sewing and Embroidery Machine

The sewing and embroidery machine is used to sew fabric together quickly and precisely. It can also be used to embroider shapes, patterns, and other designs in fabric semi-automatically. Everything needed to successfully complete a sewing project is available in the cabinet next to the sewing machine.

Hand Tools

The lab is always stocked with just about every hand tool that you may need to work on your project. These include wrenches, screwdrivers, chisels, and hammers to name a few. Ask a SILab Advisor if you are having trouble locating a particular tool.

Power Tools

The lab has many different power tools for a variety of applications. These include: drills, heat guns, disc sander, buffer, angle grinder, and dremel to name a few.

Circular Saw

The circular saw is mainly used to cut large pieces of stock down to sizes that are easier to work with. The circular saw can only be operated under the supervision of a SILab Advisor. If interested in using this piece of equipment, speak with a SILab Advisor.

Jig Saw

The jig saw is mainly used to cut down large pieces of stock in irregular shapes or to cur apart irregular structures into smaller parts. The jig saw can only be operated under the supervision of a SILab Advisor. If interested in using this piece of equipment, speak with a SILab Advisor.

Routers

The routers are used to carve paths into wood or cut edges in complex shapes. There is a handheld router for use on objects with complex geometries and a router table for cuts that are helped by having a guide fence. The routers are only for use with wood.

Tap and Die Set

The Tap and Die set is used for making internal and external threads on various materials (usually aluminum or steel). We have many different sizes including metric and standard options.

Desktop Computers

There are 2 desktop computers in SILab for use by any students in the lab. Programs include SolidWorks, Creo, and Arduino to name a few. The computers are especially useful for setting up CAD models for 3D printing.

SILab Stock

• Sheet metal
• Plywood
• Assorted Dowels
• PVC Pipes
• Metal Rods
• Assorted electronic parts
• Assorted wire
• Assorted motors
• Assorted nuts, bolts, screws, and fasteners

We update this list at the end of each semester.
Please use this list to identify stock and where it is located. See a SILab Advisor for assistance if you are having difficulty finding something.

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