At TechSoft, our approach to new machines is always the same. First we read all the manuals and guides to find out exactly how to set-up the machine. Sometimes we talk to the manufacturer and ask them to change things to make it safer, or more reliable, for schools to use. We then find ways to make it even simpler to operate, and we write extensions and extra features into our software to make output as easy and logical as it can be. We know that teachers have more than enough to contend with so, wherever possible, we make sure that everything works in the same way as other TechSoft machines.
Once we are happy with the machine and software side of things we find ways to make it as easy as possible to set and change cutters, or load materials for print alignment, for example. We design special collets and tooling and have these manufactured. Next, we wrack our brains to come up with interesting projects you could use the machine for in school. We source new materials and test these to make sure they give interesting and reliable results. When we’re certain that the machine is as good as it can be, and that the projects work perfectly every time, we burn all the projects onto a CD, collect samples of all the materials and we put them in a box. We add all the special tools and accessories we have designed, and then we write a simple, jargon-free book that distils everything we have done into a straightforward series of Tutorials.
We call this a Training Pack and teachers tell us it is the quickest and most helpful way possible to really get to know a machine, and to generate an inspiring set of sample projects - which is exactly why we write them.