This machine was reviewed as part of our 2017 Desktop Fabrication Shootout. See more machines in our 3D Printer Guide and non-3D printer reviews here.
Roland is a trusted name in vinyl cutters and makes the legendary Modela MDX40 PCB Mill. Their desktop CNC, the monoFab SRM-20, boasts accuracy comparable to other manufacturers. However, the user experience is where the monoFab really excels.
Lessons from 3D Printers
There are no fancy lights or features, but the thorough documentation means using the machine is very clear. The monoFab uses different software for 3D parts, 2D parts, and on-the-fly 2D operations, but they all share a user-friendly approach. Once tool paths are defined, clicking “cut” starts the job, just like clicking “print” in popular 3D printing software. You can tweak the parameters, but often the default settings are acceptable.
A Straightforward Machine
If you want a small CNC mill from a trusted brand that can ace small jobs with the user-friendly workflow of a 3D printer, the monoFab SRM-20 is for you.
Details
Manufacturer Roland
Base Price $4,495
Price as Tested $4,495
Accessories Included at Base Price Cutting tool, collet, set screw, spanners (7,10mm / 0.28, 0.39 inches), hexagonal wrench (size 2,3 mm / 0.059, 0.12 inches), positioning pins, double-sided tape
Additional Accessories Provided for Testing None
Build Volume 203×152.4×60.5mm
Materials Handled Modeling wax, wood, foam, acrylic, polyacetate, ABS, PCBs
Work Untethered? No. Unit must be connected by USB to a computer running VPanel for SRM-20 during cutting.
Onboard Controls? Power switch only
Design Software Click Mill (V1.32) for simple cutting, iModela Creator (V1.2) for 2D, MODELA Player 4 (V2.12) for 3D
Cutting Software VPanel
OS Windows 7, 8, 10 (32 and 64 bit)
Firmware Proprietary
Open Software? No
Open Hardware? No
Pro Tips
If you wake up your computer by hitting the space bar, you could inadvertently cancel your job. Minimize the VPanel control software if you plan to walk away from the machine.
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