Why a Laser Cutter?
The laser cutter is one of our most impactful and versatile pieces of equipment at Generator; it’s beginner friendly, has a wide range of applications, and is the piece of equipment most frequently used by both our members and youth programs. It teaches both rapid prototyping and CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software, and is often the first piece of equipment that students and adults learn before graduating onto more complicated machinery such as our CNC router or plasma cutter. Laser Cutters are used by the majority of school classes at Generator, and multiple small businesses run out of Generator that rely on the laser cutters to produce their products and packaging.
Our Proposed Upgrade
The two laser cutters currently at Generator are each 8-years old and are starting to slow down and need more repairs and maintenance, which has led to longer wait times for our members and in some cases cancellations of youth programs. To keep our community growing, we want to upgrade Generator’s laser cutter equipment by purchasing the Epilog Pro 48.
The Pro 48 has more than double the build area of our current laser cutters with machine dimensions 70”x54”x40”, and can cut thicker material; up to ½” plywood. This model also has more power and speed, cutting 165 inches/minute, compared to our current models 80 inches/minute. Acquiring a third laser cutter and having a larger, more powerful, and faster laser cutter would increase production time and help Generator grow its program offerings.
Funding Plan
The Epilog Pro 48 costs $40,700. Generator can cover a portion of that cost. A generous donor has already pledged $10,000 towards this cost, and our friends at OnLogic have promised to donate $5,000 if we can match their donation – but we need our community’s support to meet that goal.
To make this investment in our community we need your help!
If we’re able to take full advantage of OnLogic’s generous match, we should be able to make the new Epilog Pro 48 a reality for our community!
With your help we can keep our maker community growing with this vital upgrade to our equipment. The advanced capacity of this new laser cutter will allow our educational programs to grow, and improve the product and experience for our members.