Simply Technologies builds CNC routers, CAD CAM training, and an enclosed Academy Series specifically for tech education. We have supported more than 3,000 schools across North America, and our EMPOWER[ED] ACADEMY platform is the same certification path our school customers run their students through. Everything ships from our London, Ontario facility, every machine runs on single-phase power, and the safety, training, and support story is built around the way teachers actually use these machines.
This page walks through what to look for in a school CNC router, how the Simply lineup is built for that environment, what the training side looks like, and the questions we get most often from teachers and tech ed coordinators.
What Makes a CNC Machine Right for a Classroom
A CNC router that works well in a tech education environment looks different from a shop machine. The decision usually comes down to five things.
Enclosure and Safety
A school CNC machine should be enclosed. An open-frame machine in a classroom of 25 students is a supervision problem. Enclosed CNC machines contain chips, dampen sound, keep hands and clothing away from the spindle, and let you turn the machine on without clearing the entire shop. Our ACADEMY Series is purpose-built around this. It is the classroom-ready version of our full CNC router lineup with full enclosure as standard.
Single-Phase Power
Most schools do not have three-phase service in the shop wing. Asking a district to run new electrical for a CNC machine is the fastest way to kill a purchase order. Every CNC router in our lineup runs on single-phase 110V or 220V. No special electrical work, no transformer, no waiting on facilities. Plug it in.
Footprint
Bed sizes in our school-friendly lineup start at 12 by 12 inches and top out at 48 by 48 inches. A 24 by 24 or 24 by 36 machine fits cleanly into a tech ed classroom, gives students a real working envelope, and still allows you to keep CAD stations, a vinyl cutter, or a 3D printer in the same room. The Simply Technologies lineup does not include 4 by 8 or 5 by 10 routers because they are not the right fit for the schools, makers, and small shops we serve.
Training That Comes with the Machine
A CNC machine without curriculum is a paperweight in a classroom. Teachers need lesson plans, assessment criteria, project files, and a certification path students can actually walk through. Our EMPOWER[ED] ACADEMY platform ships with lesson guides, hands-on projects, and a CNC certification at $999 USD that students can earn alongside the machine work.
Support That Responds Inside a School Year
Schools operate on a calendar that does not allow for week-long support tickets. If a machine goes down in October, you need it back before the November project deadline. Our support, parts, and service come out of London, Ontario, and many remote support questions are resolved quickly through phone or email. For schools running our machines, that response time is usually the difference between a working semester and a wasted one.
The Simply Technologies CNC Lineup, by Classroom Use Case
Different programs need different machines. Here is how the lineup maps to the most common school scenarios.
Intro CNC for Grades 7 to 9
Smaller bed, lower spindle, enclosed cabinet. The DISCOVERY series in a 12 by 24 or 24 by 24 configuration with a 1 HP spindle is the most common pick here. Students learn toolpaths, fixturing, and basic CAM without overwhelming the room. The ACADEMY enclosure is a fit for middle school environments where supervision ratios are higher.
High School Tech Ed and Shop Programs
A 24 by 36 or 24 by 48 bed with a 3 HP spindle covers cabinetmaking, sign work, instrument bodies, and the project-based learning units most high school shop teachers run. The PERFORMANCE series is the most common configuration. Optional automatic tool changer on PERFORMANCE ATC for programs running daily production-style projects.
Career and Technical Education Centres
CTE centres serving multiple schools or running adult learning typically need a 48 by 48 machine and a curriculum path that can certify students. The PERFORMANCE in a 48 by 48 configuration plus the CNC for education program gives a CTE program everything it needs to graduate certified students. We support several centres running this exact setup.
Makerspaces and Library STEM Labs
Makerspaces inside public libraries and STEM labs lean toward smaller, fully enclosed machines that anyone can run with brief training. A SIMPLY series 24 by 24 with the standard enclosure is the most common pick. Compact enough for a maker corner, safe enough for unsupervised member use after a short certification.
CAD CAM Training for Teachers, Built into the Platform
The hardest part of bringing CNC into a school is not the machine. It is the teacher. Most tech ed teachers were not trained on CAD CAM, and the existing material out there assumes someone has already learned it on the job. We built our training around that reality.
EMPOWER[ED] ACADEMY for Teachers
Our EMPOWER[ED] ACADEMY platform includes a teacher onboarding track. The track walks a brand new tech ed instructor through CAD basics in Vectric VCarve, toolpath strategy, fixturing, dust collection, and project planning. By the end, the teacher can run the machine confidently and lead a classroom through the same path.
CAD CAM Software the Lineup Is Built Around
We sell and support VCarve Pro at $699 USD, VCarve Desktop at $349 USD, and Aspire at $1,995 USD. Most school customers start on VCarve Desktop or VCarve Pro because the learning curve is gentle, the file format is portable, and students can install a home version legally to keep practicing outside school hours. Aspire is for programs that get into 3D modelling and more advanced relief work.
Project Library
Curriculum without projects is theory. The platform ships with a project library so teachers do not start from a blank page. Sign making, instrument bodies, cabinet doors, classroom games, custom awards, robotics enclosures. Each project comes with a CAD file, a toolpath plan, a cut sheet, and an assessment rubric.
How to Introduce CNC into a Classroom Without Overwhelming the Program
The schools that succeed with CNC follow a pattern. The ones that struggle usually skip a step. Here is the path we see work most often.
Year One: Get the Machine Running and Certify the Teacher
Order the machine, install it, and complete the teacher certification in the EMPOWER[ED] ACADEMY before bringing students in. This is usually a six to eight week ramp. Run a few small personal projects to build muscle memory before you put a student in front of it.
Year One, Second Semester: First Student Cohort
Run a single class through a structured unit on CAD basics, toolpath generation, fixturing, and one finished project. The goal of the first cohort is not volume. It is a working project every student can take home and a teacher confident enough to repeat the unit.
Year Two: Expand and Certify Students
Once the teacher has run one cohort, the program can expand to two or three classes and start moving students through the CNC certification. The certification gives the program something measurable to point at when justifying the budget the following year.
Year Three: Capstone Projects and External Partnerships
By year three, strong programs are running CNC capstone projects, partnering with local trades, and using the lineup for school-funded work like signage, awards, and event displays. This is where the program shifts from a tech ed elective to a recognized pathway.
Why Schools Work with Simply Technologies
We have been in CNC since 2007, with deep roots in the education market through our Canadian operations and our partner network. The reasons schools choose us over a general-purpose CNC vendor usually come down to four things.
We sell the machine, the training platform, and the curriculum as one package. Most CNC suppliers sell a machine and leave the school to find training somewhere else. That is the gap we close.
Every machine is enclosed-ready, single-phase, and sized for a classroom. We do not try to sell schools a production router and call it a school machine.
Support comes out of London, Ontario, and many remote support questions are resolved quickly through phone or email. Schools get answers inside a school week, not inside a ticket queue.
Our EMPOWER[ED] ACADEMY certification is something students can carry into post-secondary programs and apprenticeships. That is the credential schools want their tech ed program to deliver. See our full range of CNC machines built in Canada to find the right fit for your program.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size CNC router is best for a school classroom?
A 24 by 24 or 24 by 36 inch bed covers most tech ed programs. It fits in a standard classroom, gives students a real working envelope, and leaves room for CAD stations and other equipment. CTE centres and capstone programs often go up to 48 by 48. We do not recommend going larger than 48 by 48 for a school setting.
Does a school CNC machine need three-phase power?
No. Every CNC router in the Simply Technologies lineup runs on single-phase 110V or 220V. That matches the electrical service in nearly every school shop wing without facility upgrades.
What CAD CAM software should a teacher start with?
VCarve Desktop at $349 USD is the most common starting point. VCarve Pro at $699 USD if the program wants the full feature set. Both have a gentle learning curve and a strong project library. Aspire at $1,995 USD becomes useful once the program moves into 3D modelling.
Is there a certification students can earn?
Yes. The EMPOWER[ED] ACADEMY CNC certification at $999 USD is a structured path students can complete alongside their machine work. It gives the program a measurable outcome and gives students something portable to bring to post-secondary programs and employers.
How long does it take to get a teacher comfortable on the machine?
Most teachers complete the EMPOWER[ED] ACADEMY teacher track in six to eight weeks of part-time work. Some are confident sooner if they already have CAD experience.
What kind of projects do students typically run?
Sign making, classroom games, robotics enclosures, instrument bodies, cabinet doors, custom awards, and small furniture pieces are the most common. The project library that ships with EMPOWER[ED] ACADEMY covers each of these with a CAD file, a toolpath plan, and an assessment rubric.
Can a public library or makerspace use the same machines?
Yes. The SIMPLY series in a 24 by 24 enclosed configuration is the most common pick for makerspaces and library STEM labs. Compact, fully enclosed, and safe enough for member use after a short certification.
Next Step
If your school, district, or makerspace is looking at CNC for the first time, or replacing an older machine, talk to our education team. We can match a machine and a training path to your room, your budget, and your program goals.
You can see the full CNC router lineup, browse the EMPOWER[ED] ACADEMY platform, or reach the education team directly through the links above. Most school conversations start with a quick call and end with a quote tuned to the room.