When you typically think of a CNC machine, you’re likely to envision a gigantic monstrosity that makes its home in a corner of a factory and costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. I mean, you wouldn’t be wrong. The SwissMak Desktop CNC Machine, however, seeks to provide the same milling quality at a significantly lower price point—just $3,000. Built from solid metal, the SwissMak features an 8-station live tool turret, a swiveling 30 taper milling head, and a 5-axis mill-turn machine designed to cut your metal bits at any angle. Impressive, to say the least. “The low-cost machine tool market is dominated by low-quality imports; the majority are copies of…

From the terrifying Terminator-like models from Boston Dynamics to the slightly less terrifying ice cream-serving Yaskawa-kun in Japan, there’s no denying that the age of robot assistance is upon us. That said, just like humans—no two robot models are the same. And what better way to test the dexterity of one robot from another than the old IKEA furniture assembly experience—itself a test of sorts for human dexterity? Recently, robotics researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore successfully instructed a pair of industrial robot arms to complete the assembly of a common IKEA chair (the Stefan) using “no special provisions for robotic assembly.” That said, the researchers did present the…

It’s time for another round of apps that cover the spectrum of your beloved mobile device(s)! The Weekly App Smack is the best of new or updated design and productivity apps (and maybe a couple of fun ones, too) for the busy design or engineering professional and this week we have a list sure to make you more efficient. Do you have an app suggestion that has made your life easier or changed up your workflow? Let us know in the comments below or send it into tips@solidsmack.com. Hit it! Genius: Song Lyrics & More (iOS — Free) Genius is the world’s biggest collection of song lyrics, videos and crowdsourced musical…

When it comes to product design books, it’s not always easy to eliminate glamorized portfolios from those that get down to the real nitty-gritty of product design. And when it comes to those actually worth reading, Don Norman will never do you wrong. As a strong (and very early) advocate for user-centered design, Norman is a pioneer in UX and UI design principles that exist in many of the products we use today. In his book, The Design of Everyday Things, Norman dives deeper into not just why…but how smart design is changing the landscape all around us—and what you can do to give your designs a competitive edge. If…

What’s better than one full penny skateboard? TWO half penny skateboards. Add a bag of chips and Paul’s Boutique on loop and you’ve got yourself the makings of a rambunctious night out on the town. But first, you need the half-penny skateboards. Leave it to Devin Montes, aka MakeAnything, to create a skateboard slightly larger than your boot sole with four rollerskate wheels and a skidstop. It’s the smallest rideable skateboard I could manage to print, the Half-Penny! I designed this around a pair of roller skate plates that I found (Men’s size 9-10), but I’ve also included a ‘blank’ version of the deck without bolt holes or a bottom…

Repurposing old materials and using them to create something new—also known as Upcycling— is a great idea. Rather than throwing out those used materials, they can be utilized for many ingenious projects if you’re willing to stretch that creative muscle enough. Many upcycled projects have to deal with reclaimed wood—such as using an old barn door to build a kitchen table or using old wood flooring to make unique shelving. As strange as it might sound, old skateboard decks can also be repurposed for creative projects, which is exactly what Mike Clifford of Modustrial Maker used to design his Bluetooth Boombox. Mike created the Boombox using twice-recycled skateboard wood for…