Written by Oliver
How do you turn CAD and CAM from abstract software lessons into an engineering project that students will remember?
At Highgate School, the answer began with a classic childhood toy: the Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle. The school’s updated Year 12 engineering unit challenged 16- and 17-year-old pupils to redesign the idea as a motorized model, manufacture key aluminum parts, and assemble a working mechanical system.
The Genmitsu 3020-PRO Ultra desktop CNC became an important part of that workflow. Students used it to machine the two aluminum side plates that form the core of the model, while other components were produced using manual turning, manual milling, drilling, and hand tools.
Project at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Highgate School |
| Learners | Year 12 pupils, approximately 16–17 years old |
| Project goal | Update an older engineering unit with a more engaging CAD/CAM challenge |
| CNC machine | Genmitsu 3020-PRO Ultra |
| CNC-machined material | 3 mm aluminum |
| Cutting tool | SainSmart 3 mm flat end mill |
| CAM strategies | Adaptive clearing and contour toolpaths |
| Other processes | Manual turning, manual milling, drilling, hand fitting, and assembly |
| Final result | A motorized stunt-cycle-inspired model assembled with bearings |
Why this project works as a CAD/CAM teaching unit
The aim was broader than producing one finished model. The teaching team wanted pupils to experience the complete path from a digital idea to a physical assembly.
The learning objectives included:
- Creating sketches, 3D models, and engineering drawings
- Planning CAM setups, tooling, workholding, and CNC programs
- Using a manual mill and manual lathe
- Applying hand-tool skills during fitting and assembly
- Understanding how separately manufactured parts interact in a mechanical system
That combination makes the project useful for engineering education. Students are not simply following a CNC file that someone else prepared. They must connect design intent, manufacturing constraints, toolpath decisions, and assembly requirements.
Step 1: Turning inspiration into a manufacturable CAD model
The original stunt-cycle toy stored energy in a heavy rear wheel. Once spun up by hand, the wheel helped propel the motorcycle toward ramps and jumps.
Highgate School’s version reinterpreted that principle with a powered launcher. The model uses two side panels around the wheel and axle system, while a separate three-plate launcher assembly holds the brushless motor used to accelerate the rear wheel.
An exploded CAD view is especially valuable in the classroom because it reveals relationships that are difficult to see in a finished assembly. Pupils can examine the order of components, identify interfaces, and consider where dimensions and tolerances matter.
Step 2: Dividing the job between CNC and manual processes
Not every part was assigned to the CNC router. Instead, the project used each manufacturing process where it made sense:
- The two side panels were machined on the Genmitsu 3020-PRO Ultra.
- The wheels were produced on a manual lathe.
- The axles were cut by hand.
- A wheel flange was modified using a drill press and manual mill.
- The launcher used three plates connected with threaded rod.
This mixed-process approach reflects real manufacturing. It also gives pupils a reason to compare CNC machining with manual methods instead of treating them as unrelated skills.
Step 3: Planning the aluminum setup and workholding
Before cutting, pupils developed a setup for machining the side plates from 3 mm aluminum. This stage connects the CAD model to the physical limits of the stock, cutter, clamps, and machine.
Workholding deserves special attention in any aluminum CNC project. The stock must remain stable while the cutter removes material, but clamps and fixtures must stay clear of the toolpath. Students also need to consider how the parts will remain attached until machining is complete.
Step 4: Creating adaptive clearing and contour toolpaths
The side plates were programmed with adaptive clearing and contour toolpaths using a SainSmart 3 mm flat end mill.
Adaptive clearing removes material while managing cutter engagement. The contour operation then follows the required profile to define the part’s outer geometry and circular features.
For students, the CAM stage creates an important feedback loop:
- Does the tool fit the smallest feature?
- Can the cutter reach every required area?
- Is the stock origin clear and repeatable?
- Will the workholding remain clear of the spindle and cutter?
- Does the simulated toolpath match the design intent?
These questions turn CAM from a software exercise into practical engineering decision-making.
Step 5: Machining the side plates on the Genmitsu 3020-PRO Ultra
With the aluminum secured and the program checked, the two side plates were cut on the 3020-PRO Ultra.
The project notes highlight the quality of the edge finish straight from the machine. That matters because the side plates are both structural and visible in the completed model.
Step 6: Assembly turns separate lessons into one engineering system
After machining, the model was assembled with bearings, wheels, axles, plates, the motor, and the launcher structure.
This is where the educational value becomes most visible. A dimension in a CAD sketch affects a bearing fit. A CAM decision affects the edge of a finished plate. The relationship between two holes affects whether an axle runs correctly. Each earlier choice appears again during assembly.
What students can learn from a desktop CNC project like this
A well-designed CNC education project can develop more than machine-operation skills. It can help pupils learn to:
- Break a product into manufacturable components
- Select an appropriate process for each part
- Plan stock, tooling, origins, and workholding
- Read a CAM simulation before cutting
- Inspect machined features and surface finish
- Diagnose fit and alignment during assembly
- Document the design-to-manufacture workflow
The stunt-cycle project succeeds because there is a clear reason for every task. The drawings, toolpaths, machined parts, and assembly are all connected to an engaging final outcome.
A practical model for teaching CAD and CAM
Highgate School’s project shows how a compact CNC machine can support a wider engineering curriculum. The Genmitsu 3020-PRO Ultra handled the matched aluminum side plates, but the finished model also depended on turning, milling, drilling, hand fitting, and mechanical assembly.
That balance is the key lesson: desktop CNC is most powerful in education when it is part of a complete design-and-make process.
For schools, makerspaces, and training programs planning a similar unit, start with a product students can understand, give each manufacturing operation a clear purpose, and make the final assembly the test of the whole workflow.
Frequently asked questions
What machine was used for this school CNC project?
The two aluminum side plates were machined on a Genmitsu 3020-PRO Ultra desktop CNC.
What material did the students machine?
The CNC setup used 3 mm aluminum for the two matching side plates.
What cutting tool and toolpaths were used?
The project documentation identifies a SainSmart 3 mm flat end mill, with adaptive clearing and contour toolpaths.
Was every part made on the CNC machine?
No. The side plates were CNC machined, while the project also used manual turning, manual milling, a drill press, hand cutting, and assembly work.
Why is this a useful CAD/CAM education project?
It links sketches, 3D modeling, drawings, workholding, CAM programming, CNC machining, inspection, and assembly in one understandable mechanical system.
Source note: This article was developed from the Highgate School project document supplied for editorial use. Descriptions of the machining process are limited to the details recorded in that document.
