The Sienci Mill One is an Affordable, Open-Source Desktop CNC Machine

As Sienci Labs puts it, 3D printers, while great for creating 3D models, are “slow and only work with plastic.” To allow for a greater variety of materials and speed of prototype production, the team has launched the Sienci Mill One on Kickstarter. The open-source, three-axis device is meant to offer simple and affordable desktop milling.

The assembly — which is controlled by an Arduino board running GRBL software — can be had in early 2017 for the price of $519 CAD, or roughly $400 USD. This doesn’t include the actual router motor assembly used for cutting, which would cost in the neighborhood of $100. Even at $500, this is very affordable price for a machine that looks extremely useful.

The Sienci Mill One employs a rotating cutting tool to robotically carve a wide variety of materials, such as wood, aluminum, brass, PVC, acrylic, leather, and even PCBs.