Computer Numerical Control, or CNC, has become one of the most crucial technologies in today's modern manufacturing world. Various mass-produced components in the manufacturing industry are swiftly and precisely produced by CNC machines. Operational movements in production no longer rely on human hands; everything is computerized. CNC could be considered the mother of all machines.

In Indonesia, the need for CNC machines is predominantly fulfilled through imports. Originating from this import phenomenon, Harki Apri Yanto and his team from Politeknik Astra took the initiative to create their CNC machine called Innostra.

Unlike conventional CNC machines that perform a single function, CNC Innostra excels by performing three actions: milling, laser engraving, and 3D printing. This distinction makes Innostra the first 3-in-1 hybrid CNC machine in Indonesia.

"Many local and imported players cater to only one function. Consequently, when they want to mill, they need one machine. When they need laser cutting, another machine is required. For 3D printing, yet another machine is necessary. In our CNC Innostra, we designed it compactly to serve three functions," he explained during the LPDP Festival research exhibition on Wednesday (8/1) afternoon. Innostra also boasts features like Advanced CNC Technology, ensuring consistent product quality and minimizing human errors.

Regarding the user interface, CNC Innostra was designed to be more interactive, enabling anyone to operate it easily. Weighing 1.5 tons, this CNC machine can be operated by just one person, with a comprehensive manual provided as a user guide. CNC Innostra also targets vocational school markets, indicated by the presence of educational menus related to machine operational processes.

Ready for Vocational Schools and SMEs

The sales target for CNC Innostra primarily focuses on educational institutions, especially vocational schools and polytechnics. Harki further explained that the user controller's side of CNC Innostra can double as a learning module, shifting the paradigm that vocational teachers are not only confined to classrooms but can interactively engage with the machine and its products.

"With the machine and students learning directly, here we have an e-course that can be continuously updated according to vocational teachers' needs," he said while showcasing the CNC Innostra controller display.

His team continues researching to add various content usable by students and educators.

Moreover, Harki and his team also pay attention to making CNC Innostra accessible for SMEs, including those outside Java. This is evident in the electrical system and power consumption, utilizing only a single phase and a maximum power draw of 2000 watts. This configuration fits within a 25-square-centimeter working area.

"Infrastructure for three phases is very expensive and obtaining permits is challenging. Therefore, after conducting market surveys, we noticed a strong push for starting CNC machine development with a single-phase approach. So, we use 220 single-phase electricity, with a maximum power of 2000 watts," stated Harki.

Harki, a lecturer and Head of the Product Development and Technology Implementation Institute (LP3T) at ASTRAtech, doesn't deny the possibility of developing a larger-powered CNC Innostra, for instance, with three phases. The experience gained from developing machines by PT Astra Otopart and Winteq has provided sufficient capability to meet such demands. Moreover, after showcasing it at the LPDP Festival 2023, many companies have expressed interest in CNC Innostra.

RISPRO Funding for Innostra

The research and development of CNC Innostra have been ongoing for a while. According to Tony Harley Silalahi, the Director of Politeknik Astra, Innostra's development started in 2014. A series of extensive processes in its journey led to collaborations like partnering with the manufacturing industry PT Astra Otoparts Tbk – WINTEQ in 2018 and receiving grants from Kemenristek-DIKTI-BRIN and the Ministry of Finance through the Education Fund Management Agency (LPDP).

The success of producing CNC Innostra has been supported by LPDP through the RISPRO Competition research funding scheme. Since 2020 until now, LPDP has provided research funding support to Politeknik Astra under the title "Commercialization of a Multifunctional CNC Machine (milling, laser cutting, 3D printing) to Reduce Imports."

CNC Innostra boasts a Domestic Component Level (TKDN) exceeding standards, standing at 43.06 percent and aiming for continuous improvement. With a TKDN surpassing the national standard, Innostra is expected to meet the demands of both the industrial and vocational education sectors.

To enhance local content, CNC Innostra incorporates components producible locally, such as the dust cover, which prevents debris from entering crucial parts of the CNC machine. The dust cover technology, utilizing a telescopic movement principle, can be handed over to SMEs for duplication and production to supply Innostra components.

On Wednesday (7/26) at the Politeknik Astra Cikarang campus, CNC Innostra was officially launched to the public. The launching event was attended by various parties involved from research to the production of the CNC Innostra machine, including LPDP's Research Facilitation Director, Wisnu Sardjono Soenarso.

The marketing of CNC Innostra will be undertaken by WINTEQ in collaboration with PT Ometraco Samanta. They aim to sell this machine to educational institutions and government agencies. PT Ometraco Arya Samanta will serve as a distributor to sell CNC Innostra and Special Purpose Machines (SPMs) to government institutions.