Shariff’s DMC1 Brings a Powerful CNC to the Desktop

Toronto-based Shariff has launched a new desktop CNC mill the company claims rivals industrial-based machines, only in a smaller, more affordable package. The Shariff DMC1 3-axis CNC mill is capable of machining the hardest materials to industry standards, and sports all-steel construction, dual ball nut-driven axes, and high-speed spindle, all in a small form factor package. According to Sharrif, “We’ve packed a 1500 watt (2 horsepower) precision variable frequency driven spindle so that you can cut aluminum, steel, stainless, or even titanium… Basically anything you have a suitable end mill for.”

As for the DMC1 specs, the CNC mill has a cutting envelope of 8" on the y-axis, 12" on the x-axis, and 5.5" on the z-axis. It also has a rapid of around 2500mm/min (100 inches/min), a resolution of 0.0014mm (at full microstepping), and Toshiba TB6600 stepper drivers. The DMC1 features a power input of 120V, a machine voltage of 24V (DC), dual spring-loaded anti-backlash ballnuts on the x and y axes, 15mm linear rails on all axes, 0.005mm repeatability magnetic probing tool, a four-inch precision-ground vice, flood coolant, and automatic z-height setter as well.

Shariff notes there are plenty of desktop CNC machines on the market, with most being in the “all-in-one” category with a combination of 3D printing, laser, and CNC mill, and that sets them apart as the DMC1 barely does anything, but what it does do, it does it well. Shariff is currently crowdfunding the DMC1 on Kickstarter, with pledges starting at $2,799 for a DIY kit version of the mill and $3,503 for the assembled model.

Exposed leadscrews are addressable, but stepper motors possibly losing steps and accuracy in a high-torque machine is not exactly blowing my hair back. If the mill experiences some pushback from work you’re cutting, you’ll lose steps and accuracy is out of the window. Perhaps an upgrade to an encoder based system is where this should go.