The Digital Group

The Digital Group is a sub-group within SMEE welcoming all those whose interests include the use of digital techniques in the model engineer’s workshop.

For some this means CNC machining and the software that goes with it. For others it is designing and making CNC machines such as wire eroders and digital tachometers from scratch, learning basic electronics and programming, or discovering the possibilities of Arduino-controlled devices. What we have in common is curiosity and a willingness to share and to learn. Some members bring expertise, others are at the beginning of the road; if you join us, you would never feel the ‘odd one out’. We work hard to include members far from London using web conferencing and recorded video.

All SMEE members are welcome to join in with Digital Group activities.

Meetings

To give as many members as possible the chance to take part, we now “meet” online, with two main kinds of meeting:

• Monthly Monday evenings, informal, a chance for anyone to raise a question or topic. Think of it as a show-and-tell at your local society, or a virtual chat over a cup of tea (quite a few members appear with coffee mug in hand!).
• Monthly Saturday sessions, usually with a speaker on a specific topic, from group-project updates to 3D CAD/CAM tutorials, industry briefings, drill-grinding techniques, a member’s robotic-arm project, and getting going with CNC hardware, software and electronics.

Saturday sessions are usually recorded and made available via the SMEE website.

News & information

The DG Coordinator sends out regular email newsletters announcing forthcoming sessions and other items of interest. All SMEE members can sign up for these.

Projects

From time to time a small team gets together on a joint project. Past projects include:

• Learning to use the Arduino
• Building a digital tachometer
• Designing and building a wire eroder
• Building a CNC milling machine from scratch

Teams communicate mainly online, so geographically-distant members can contribute; distance is no barrier on the internet. Projects likely to start soon include a desktop 5-axis CNC milling machine, a maze-following mouse, and enhancements to the digital rotary-table project.

Training & tutorials

Based on member demand we run tutorial sessions, mainly 2D and 3D CAD/CAM, the components that make up a CNC machine (hardware, software and electronics), and demonstrations showing how all the parts work together.

Please contact the Digital Group Coordinator at [email protected] for any further information about the Group and its activities.