Let’s Be Honest
There are a lot of CNC machines out there. Too many, probably. It is no secret to us that we a small fish attempting to jump into a large pond, with a few whales and sharks (no pun intended) swimming around. From build-it-yourself machines to fully-loaded industrial beasts, the market feels a little saturated. So when we asked ourselves, “Does the world really need another CNC machine?”, we knew the answer had to be more than specs, spindles, or slick branding.
The answer had to solve a problem.
The Problem: Education’s Missing Piece
The irony in talking about this gap in the industry, is that it’s a gap that WE created. Yes, it’s our fault. In 2016, Steve and I started ICONIC CNC, and our star product was a 15″ x 20″ CNC machine: fully-enclosed with safety relay switches to protect students, and it’s own dust-collection system in the cabinet. Built on casters, the machine was a true plug-and-play solution that could be moved from classroom to shop with ease. We did overlook one major flaw – it was too wide to fit through a standard man door.
In 2019, we lost our controller manufacturer, and joined forces with Todd Damon and the Axiom Tool Group team. We won’t go into too many details, but anyone who has followed the Axiom story over the last 6 years knows it’s probably not going the way we’d envisioned. The care towards innovation and customer support seems to have lost its lustre, two things we care about way too much. The focus on education disappeared as well. Walk into most woodshop classes, and you’ll find incredible talent – but poor CNC solutions. Incredible educators – but no resources to help them teach. Industrial tools that they had to adapt for educational use, which typically means:
- Dangerous open-frame designs (which will be locked out in Canada).
- Lack of standardized curriculum or teaching resources.
- No after-purchase support.
- And hardware that just wasn’t built for students.
That’s the gap we saw (or created). And that’s why we built the ACADEMY 2.
What Makes ACADEMY 2 Different?
The ACADEMY 2 isn’t just a smaller version of an industrial machine, it’s a CNC system designed from the ground up for education (literally). It ships fully assembled, rolls right out of the crate, and plugs into standard 110v. It’s fully-enclosed, with locking mechanisms to help prevent student injuries. A beautiful 7″ touchscreen rather than an outdated monochrome controller. It has its own dust collection system built in. It comes with software, tools, clamping solutions. All the hardware a teacher could possibly need to start a CNC program. And yes, it fits through a man door!
But more importantly, it’s not just hardware. It’s a complete solution.
Introducing EMPOWER[ED] ACADEMY
We don’t just want to sell CNC machines – enough companies do that already. We want to equip educators. That’s why every ACADEMY 2 is packaged with EMPOWER[ED] ACADEMY, our CAD + CNC Certification Course and Lesson Guide. It includes:
- 16-Session Teacher Training Course covering CAD design, CNC machining, and classroom application.
- Final Certification Test to assess teacher readiness and track progress.
- 16 Editable PowerPoint Presentations for classroom delivery.
- Printable Lesson Guides to help shape your own CNC curriculum.
- Lifetime access, to help with faculty changes.
- Ongoing support from our team.
It’s not a machine you figure out alone. It’s a solution that you grow with.
So, Does the World Need Another CNC Machine?
Not if it’s just more of the same.
But if it’s built to teach?
If it’s paired with real training resources?
If it’s backed by a team who knows what classrooms need?
Then yes.
The world absolutely needs the ACADEMY 2.
Peace & Grace,
—
Jeremy Stevenson
Co-Founder of Simply Technologies Group, Inc.
