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A Sheffield-based social enterprise uses a Trotec Speedy 300 to empower local unemployed designers to create beautiful and innovative products.
The Learn, Create, Sell (LCS) platform works with Sheffield’s unemployed community to unlock their creative potential, teaching digital fabrication and developing skills and knowledge.
Members of LCS are encouraged to research, design and test their ideas before going in to production. The Trotec Speedy 300 30W laser cutter is used to create a wide range of products such as jewellery, home décor and accessories, artworks, product packaging and even an adjustable set square.
Completed products are then sold on the Learn Create Sell website, where all profits are returned to the designer. The scheme exists to provide an opportunity for local unemployed or graduate designers to realise their creative ideas.
Zak Ahmed, co-founder of LCS, said: “We aim to inspire creatives to get involved in digital fabrication, particularly laser cutting as a means to design new product ideas, improve their current manufacturing processes or just to meet other creatives to share ideas.
“Through our programmes, we guide participants on a journey of training, product development and trading. Our ultimate aim is to develop Makerpreneurs; a well-rounded individual who feels independent with a sense of purpose and role in the wider community.”
The Trotec Speedy 300 laser cutting machine is at the core of LCS’s ability to provide its members with an opportunity to learn a new skill. It has so far been used to laser engrave and cut a vast number of products and materials such as wood, cardboard, acrylic, textiles and card.
Mr Ahmed chose the Trotec Speedy because of the ease of operation in contrast to other machines.
He said: “We were mostly impressed by Trotec’s JobControl application with its simple and easy interface. A tool which is easy to understand, with a vast array of unique settings and a pre-set database list of materials settings.
This enables us as training facilitators to teach elements of laser cutting to complete novices in a very short space of time.”
The Speedy 300 laser cutter provides a working area of 726x432mm and a top processing speed of 3.55m/sec. Available with C02, fibre or both laser sources (Flexx), it’s a versatile laser plotter, ideal for cutting, marking or engraving a range of materials.
