The DIYLILCNC project is a free & open-source set of plans for an inexpensive, fully functional 3-axis CNC mill that can be built by an individual with basic shop skills and tool access.

CNC devices are used to fabricate physical objects with a high degree of precision. Some CNC devices, including the DIYLILCNC, feature a gantry-mounted cutting tool (like a router) that can move in two or more directions. The operation of the tool is controlled by a computer, which is tasked with translating a digital design into actual tool movement. (excerpt from diylilcnc)
 

 
For the uninitiated, a CNC milling machine translates computer generated 3d models into physical forms. What could this mean for artists and designers? I am lucky enough to catch Chris Reilly, one of the creators of diylilcnc for an interview.

 
Bin // With a variety of open source 3D CNC printers like reprap and makerbot available in the market right now, where do you think diylilcnc stands and what is the motivation for starting this project?
 
Chris // Broadly speaking, there are two approaches taken in digital fabrication: additive (Think building with bricks or Legos) and subtractive (Think carving a block of stone). Machines like the Makerbot and RepRap are additive, that is they start with an empty work area and build up material a bit at a time to form a physical part. CNC mills and routers like the DIYLILCNC are subtractive; they start with a solid block or sheet of stock material, then carve away until the desired part is formed.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both additive and subtractive digital fabrication techniques. Additive fabrication often allows for a greater range of shapes, like those with undercuts, but the choice of material is usually quite limited. In fact, the majority of additive machines use only one type of material to fabricate parts. In the case of MakerBot and RepRap, it’s usually ABS, a relatively soft thermoformable plastic. Additive machines have the additional advantage of a much more straightforward software workflow to get from digital design to finished part.

The advantage of subtractive digital fabrication is a broad range of material choices. The DIYLILCNC can reliably cut foam, wax, wood, plastic, and even light metals like aluminum and copper. If I need a strong, mechanically functional part, or a part that will melt in a casting process, I can plan for that when choosing my stock since parts made of a given material retain its basic properties even after fabrication. The disadvantages of subtractive fabrication are stricter limitations on the shape of the desired part, and more complex software processes to create digital instructions for machining.

 
Bin // One thing about the diylilcnc project that sets it apart from the others is the design of it. Was that a design decision or a practical decision?
 

Chris // As artists, we’re definitely attuned to both the aesthetics and the conceptual implications of using a machine like the DIYLILCNC. One of the motivations for first pursuing the project was to have a visual representation of a sophisticated assembly that could be made using digital fabrication. Taylor and I were both teaching and working with digital fabrication (laser cutting, 3D printing, CNC milling) at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago when we began collaborating. We found it was often a challenge to give students a digestible idea of the possibilities of digital fabrication, and we knew having something visually interesting was part of getting folks excited.

We built an early version out of 1/2” (12mm) clear acrylic; it was really beautiful with all the mechanics visible. But as a material it was completely impractical, very expensive and prone to shattering. At that time we were using another open-source DIY CNC plan by Stuart McFarlane of Oomlout.com, which called for 1/2” (12mm) sheet stock to make all the custom parts. We had a lot of difficulty with some of the fabrication techniques those plans called for; there was a lot of hand work that was easy to botch. So we decided to to revamp that design with many changes of our own, including using very cheap 1/4” (6mm) sheet stock for making the custom parts, and moving as much of the complex fabrication as possible to laser cutting, leaving easier steps like table saw cuts to be done manually.

Bin // What impact do you think that low cost cnc machines have brought upon the art and design scene?
 
Chris // At this point we’re just seeing the very beginnings of the broader implications that accessible digital fabrication technology will have, especially for small-scale (ie, poor) artists and designers. Mail-order fabrication services like Shapeways are really revolutionary and relatively affordable, but they still take far too much time, in my opinion, to get from design to physical part.

To unlock the potential of these technologies, artists need to have direct access to digital fabrication machines, just like they need direct access to traditional shop tools. Iterative design is where it’s at for making interesting and useful objects that take advantage of the opportunities presented by digital fabrication. The ability to make several versions of an object very quickly, and being able to easily tweak, copy and share a form and shift from one material to another is the real appeal of digital fabrication for artists and designers.

 
Bin // Where do you see this heading in the future?
 
Chris // In the short term, there is plenty of work to be done in the open source hardware and software communities to make digital fabrication easier and more accessible. Most of these concerns are pretty arcane, but here’s a brief summary: On the software side, we need a very robust, user-friendly tool for designing 2D and 3D parts, as well as a tool for translating digital designs into machining instructions (a process generally referred to as toolpathing), and finally a tool for controlling the machine itself. On the hardware side, we need low-cost electronics for real-time motion control whose designs and firmware are open-source. Solutions to all of these problems currently exist, but overall the learning curve for building and using a CNC device is still very high.

The second part of where digital fabrication needs to go is education: as teachers, Taylor and I are both engaged in producing tutorials that explain the basic concepts and techniques involved in creative applications of digital fabrication technology. We are also working to form partnerships with high schools, colleges, and hackerspaces in Chicago and Los Angeles to promote awareness of accessible CNC technology.

In the long term, digital fabrication is about transcending materiality and democratizing the production of physical goods. If that sounds a little sci-fi, that’s because it is; but in reality some of the situations described in fiction by the likes of, say, Neal Stephenson, are becoming feasible. We’re also starting to see some of the interesting implications for intellectual property that arise when the physical manifestation of an object becomes indistinct from it’s digital description.

Creators Bio 
Taylor Hokanson is an Assistant Professor of Art at Oakland University in Detroit. His art practice uses technology as material to address technology as concept. The presence of altered or hacked electronics, such that their operation is impeded, is a common theme in his work. Hokanson also works in conjunction with The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he performs research into computer-aided fabrication and education.
www.taylorhokanson.com

Chris Reilly is a Los Angeles-based artist, writer, hacker and teacher. He received his BFA with a focus on New Media from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2006. Chris is currently employed as a mobile game developer at 3CD, an author at Lynda.com and a teaching and research assistant at UCLA’s Design|Media Art department. Since 2003, Chris has shown work in several solo and group art exhibitions in the US and Europe; he works with modded video games, virtual/augmented reality, scripting/programming and kinetic sculpture. Chris wears many hats professionally: mobile game developer; web programmer; digital fabrication specialist; small business owner; open-source hardware/software developer.
www.chris-reilly.org