Pathway 2.2: Advanced Fabrication

Pathway 2.2: Advanced Fabrication

Objective: Master heavy stationary machinery and computer-controlled digital fabrication tools to produce complex, precision parts for the competition robot.

Welcome to Phase 2: Advanced Fabrication. If you are reading this, you have successfully passed your Rookie onboarding (Levels 1 & 2) and have chosen to specialize in building the machine.

The tools in this pathway are the workhorses of The Panther Project. They are loud, powerful, and capable of removing material (or fingers) in a fraction of a second. Respect the machinery, trust your training, and never hesitate to ask a mentor to double-check your setup.

Caution

Strict Prerequisites DO NOT PROCEED if you have not fully passed your Level 1 (Hand Tools) and Level 2 (Power Tools) certifications. These machines require a foundational understanding of shop safety and material properties. Mentor approval is required before you can power on any Level 3 or Level 4 equipment.

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🟠 What to Expect: Level 3 (Stationary Machinery) Level 3 moves you away from hand-held tools and onto heavy, stationary equipment. You will learn to process raw stock (wood, aluminum, polycarbonate) safely and handle toxic chemicals.

• 🪚 Band Saw & Miter Saw: Safe techniques for cutting raw extrusion and polycarb down to manageable sizes without binding the blade.
• 🪵 Table Saw Safety: The most dangerous tool in the shop. Learn to rip materials safely, use push sticks, and avoid catastrophic kickback.
• 🧪 SLA Resin Printing (Formlabs): Moving beyond basic 3D printing to handle toxic liquid resin, operate the Form 3+, and safely wash and UV-cure parts.

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🔴 What to Expect: Level 4 (Digital Fabrication) Level 4 is the pinnacle of the fabrication pathway. You will learn to take CAD files from the engineering team and turn them into physical parts using computer-aided manufacturing (CAM).

• ⚡ Laser Engraving: Operating the Full Spectrum Hobby 40W laser. You will learn focusing techniques, ventilation, and the strict rules on what materials are safe to cut (and which ones emit toxic gas).
• ⚙️ CNC Routing: Operating our Stepcraft Q.408 and Lowrider LR4. You will learn how to set work coordinates, secure stock to the spoilboard, and run g-code to cut custom aluminum chassis plates and polycarb intakes.

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✅ The Path to Mastery Unlike Levels 1 and 2, which you can learn relatively quickly, mastering a CNC router or Table Saw takes time and practice.

For every machine in this pathway:

1. Read the Rules: Review the specific speeds, feeds, and safety zones in this manual.
2. Shadow a Veteran: Watch a Mentor or the Fabrication Lead run a part first.
3. Run Under Supervision: You will run your first few parts with a Mentor actively standing by the Emergency Stop (E-Stop) button.

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🎉 Ready to make some chips? Begin your advanced training by learning the rules of the metal and wood cutting saws.

Start Level 3: Level 3 Overview