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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Other Machine Co. raised $3 million in 2014 to increase production of its desktop CNC mill, the Othermill, according to Make. The raise followed a reported $311,000 Kickstarter campaign. This is a historical account—not a report that the company is raising money now or that the machine is currently available.
What Other Machine Co. was building
Other Machine Co. developed the Othermill, a desktop computer-controlled milling machine. Unlike a 3D printer, which builds an object by adding material, a mill cuts material away to make a part. The 2015 profile in DEVELOP3D describes uses including circuit boards, jewelry, and other small objects.
That subtractive approach put the machine in a maker’s workshop as a complement to 3D printing: it offered a way to turn a digital design into a cut part, rather than a printed one. The examples in the profile illustrate possible work; they are not a claim that every material or project is suitable for the machine.
What the $3 million raise was for
Make reported in 2014 that Other Machine Co. raised $3 million from investors to ramp up production of the Othermill, after its Kickstarter campaign brought in $311,000. These are figures reported for the company’s financing history, not estimates of the broader maker or CNC market.
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Fortune’s 2014 coverage characterized the financing as a Series A and named CrunchFund, VegasTechFund, Core Ventures Group, Allegro Venture Partners, Sonja Perkins, Tim O’Reilly, and Chris Anderson among the backers. That is Fortune’s reported list, not a claim that it is exhaustive.
The production challenge helps explain why a funding announcement mattered beyond the headline amount. DEVELOP3D reported that the company formed around the Othermill following the Kickstarter development effort, and that the first 205 Kickstarter machines had been built and shipped by August 2014. The same profile described the difficulty of producing machines to the expected quality and schedule.
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- 4th Axis Module for Expanded Capabilities: The 4th axis module expands your capabilities, enabling cylindrical machining, double-sided objects, and 3D shapes. With a rotary work area of 3.6 inch diameter x 7.9 inch length (9.2cm x 20cm), Carvera Air supports true 4th-axis simultaneous machining for crafting detailed 3D models
- Quick Tool Changer for Efficient Workflow: Speed up your workflow with the quick tool changer, switching tools in just 10 seconds. Whether milling wood, plastics, or metals, transitions between tools are seamless for advanced multi-step projects
- Precision Auto-Probing and Leveling System: With auto-probing and leveling, Carvera Air ensures precise calibration and flawless cuts on uneven materials. The closed-loop spindle control (0-13,000 RPM) and spindle runout less than 0.01mm guarantee exceptional accuracy and surface quality, even for high-complexity machining
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How the Othermill and Otherplan workflow worked
In DEVELOP3D’s 2015 account, Otherplan was the software that guided users through milling and helped take design inputs toward machine-ready toolpaths. The profile reported support for SVG, Eagle board, Gerber, and G-code inputs, and discussed CAM workflows involving HSMWorks and Fusion 360. These are historical details from that profile, not confirmation of compatibility with current software or operating systems.
The article reported a 5.5 × 4.5 × 1.25-inch build area, 0.001-inch (0.0254 mm) precision, a spindle speed range of 7,000–16,500 rpm, and a weight of 16.8 pounds (7.62 kg). Those specifications describe the Othermill as profiled in 2015; they should not be treated as specifications for a currently sold model.
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What the founders said about scaling
DEVELOP3D quoted CEO Danielle Applestone describing the investor strategy as bringing in early-stage backers with operational expertise and broad networks to support the company as it scaled.
“Our strategy in raising this round was to bring together a group of early stage investors who are passionate about our potential to impact the manufacturing sector, can lend their deep operational expertise as we scale, and have incredibly broad networks,” says Applestone.
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- 【One More Axis, Infinite Possibilities】The 4th axis module expands your capabilities, enabling cylindrical machining, double-sided objects, and 3D shapes. With a rotary work area of 3.6" diameter x 7.9" length (9.2cm x 20cm), Carvera Air supports true 4th-axis simultaneous machining, perfect for crafting detailed 3D models.
- 【Quick Tool Changes for Complex Projects】Speed up your workflow with the quick tool changer, switching tools in just 10 seconds. Whether you're milling wood, plastics, or metals, transitions between tools are seamless, making it ideal for advanced multi-step projects.
- 【Precision Meets Automation】With auto-probing and leveling, Carvera Air ensures precise calibration and flawless cuts on uneven materials. The closed-loop spindle control (0–13,000 RPM) and spindle runout <0.01mm guarantee exceptional accuracy and surface quality, even for high-complexity machining.
- 【Smart Control with Cross-Platform Software】Operate your CNC effortlessly with WiFi or USB connectivity. The intuitive Makera CAM software supports Mac OS, Windows; The Controller supports iOS, Android, Mac OS, Windows, and Linux, and integrates with popular CAD/CAM tools such as Fusion360, SolidWorks, and VCarve Pro.
CTO Mike Estee also described a lesson from the Kickstarter production effort: the team needed to understand the fine details of building its own product before it could effectively instruct someone else to manufacture it to the desired quality and schedule.
“One of the original painful lessons learned from the Kickstarter is that if we didn’t know how to build in very intricate detail our own products, we were not going to effectively be able to instruct somebody else to do it in a timely fashion to the quality levels we came to expect,” comments Estee.
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What this historical story does—and does not—establish
The funding and product coverage documents an effort to move a crowdfunded desktop mill into production. The available reporting does not establish Other Machine Co.’s present status, current product sales or pricing, ownership, or which accessories are compatible. Accordingly, the 2014 raise should not be read as a current investment opportunity or as evidence of present-day product availability.
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