At Vessey & Vessey, we believe team building is at its best when it combines problem-solving, creativity, and hands-on collaboration. Instead of traditional workshops, we challenged our team with something a little different: to design and build a fully functional desktop CNC router together.
Why a Desktop CNC Router?
A CNC router embodies the core of engineering—precision mechanics, electronics, and software integration. It’s also a tool that has direct relevance to our prototyping and manufacturing processes, making it a meaningful project for the team. Beyond the end product, the activity was about strengthening collaboration and learning from each other across disciplines.
The Activity
We split the team into groups, each tasked with one critical subsystem:
- Mechanical Structure – designing the frame, gantry, and motion system to ensure rigidity and accuracy.
- Drive & Motion Control – selecting and integrating stepper motors, lead screws, and linear guides.
- Spindle & Cutting System – specifying a spindle setup suitable for wood, plastics, and light metals.
- Electronics & Software – wiring controllers, limit switches, and configuring open-source CNC software.
- Safety & Enclosures – designing dust control, covers, and ensuring safe operation for users.
The sub-teams sketched, prototyped, debated design trade-offs, and then came together to assemble their parts into a cohesive machine.
Challenges Faced
The team encountered real engineering hurdles: maintaining frame rigidity while keeping weight low, aligning the gantry for smooth motion, and troubleshooting the electronics during first power-up. These obstacles became opportunities for collaboration and quick problem-solving.
The Result
By the end of the exercise, we had a working desktop CNC router—capable of cutting basic components with precision. More importantly, the team experienced the satisfaction of seeing a machine they designed, built, and debugged together come to life.
Lessons Learned
- Cross-disciplinary collaboration matters. The success of the machine relied on mechanical, electrical, and software integration.
- Constraints spark innovation. Limited time and resources pushed the team to find creative solutions with what was on hand.
- Shared achievement creates bonds. Nothing builds morale quite like watching your own router carve its first part.
This activity reminded us why engineering is so powerful as a team sport: it’s about designing, solving, building—and celebrating the results together.
