RAVEN Update – February 2023

Designer 5 Beta

Designer 5 is ready for Beta testing, and all RAVEN purchasers are eligible to join. Here is your chance to help shape the product! We will be issuing licenses so users will be able to experiment with every feature, provide us feedback, and save any projects you design to be ready to carve as soon as you receive your RAVEN.

Brushless Motor Fan Redesign and Tooling Complete. More than 10dB sound reduction!

Raven’s innovative DC brushless spindle motor has received an upgrade. One major innovation in our brushless motor design is the unique air cooling jacket that routes the air through the outside of the motor coils, rather than through the center. One drawback to air cooling is how loud the fan noise can be. Our original iteration was coming in around 73dB which is in the loud category on a decibel chart. The new fan is now 62dB at peak RPM which is within conversational range. Now, not only does it cool the motor without getting dust into the mechanism, but it is significantly quieter. We’re very excited about this accomplishment and the improvement to the user experience it will afford.

Internal USB LED Light

RAVEN is a very enclosed design. This helps to contain the dust and ensure a very safe operating environment, but it can also be a bit dark inside the machine. Watching the carving action, changing bits, or looking for that adaptor you dropped can be difficult in the dark. There are always aftermarket options, but we decided to add a USB powered light to our new cover switch and accessory port board. Not only does this provide you out-of-the-box light in the machine, but it gives those aftermarket kits a 5v power source to do more.