How Riverside Secondary Built Their Makerspace with Epilog

The Challenge

Riverside Secondary’s technology program had the curriculum — CAD/CAM concepts, design thinking, prototyping — but lacked a production tool that could translate digital designs into physical objects quickly enough to keep students engaged. Their existing equipment was aging, and the workflow from design to physical output involved sending files to an outside shop and waiting days for results.

The district wanted to invest in equipment that would support modern technical education, stay relevant as the curriculum evolved, and be safe to operate in a school environment without dedicated technical staff.

The Solution

After a demonstration at Synergy Products’ Delta showroom, Riverside chose the Epilog Fusion 36 — a 36” × 24” CO₂ laser engraver with both engraving and cutting capabilities. The machine was installed in the school’s newly renovated technology room alongside a Filtrabox Trident fume extraction unit, providing safe enclosed filtration appropriate for an occupied classroom.

Synergy’s installation team handled delivery, setup, ventilation configuration, and initial teacher training. A follow-up training session was arranged six weeks after installation to address questions that emerged during early use.

The software workflow — CorelDRAW to Epilog Job Manager — fit naturally into the school’s existing design curriculum.

Results

Within one semester, the laser engraver had been integrated into three separate course units. Students were producing wood enclosures for electronics projects, laser-cut acrylic displays, engraved award plaques for school events, and custom name badges for a student-run enterprise.

The most significant change was the feedback loop. Students could iterate on a design, cut a prototype, evaluate it, and run a revised version — all within a single class period. That immediate connection between digital design and physical output changed how students engaged with the design process.

Program enrollment increased by 40% in the following school year, with the makerspace becoming one of the school’s most visible and talked-about programs.

The machine runs four class periods per day and has required no unplanned downtime in its first year of operation.

Equipment Used

• Epilog Fusion 36 — 36” × 24” work area, 60W CO₂, autofocus, vector and raster capability
• Filtrabox Trident — enclosed fume extraction for indoor classroom use

What They Said

“[Placeholder — customer quote to be added upon review and approval.]”

— Technology Teacher, Riverside Secondary School

Interested in setting up a makerspace or laser lab at your school? Contact our team or visit our Schools page for more information.