Dorchester Retrofit: First 50% Milled

Over the past few weeks, our team has been heads down, focused on a major milestone for the Dorchester case study. We’re excited to share that we have successfully milled the first 50% of the retrofit panels! It’s been an intense push getting us to this critical stage of the project.

One of the biggest days in our production process came when we milled almost 50 panels in a single day—just 4.5 hours of focused machining and material handling. This comes to roughly ten panels an hour for profiles and surface patterns, a huge leap forward considering that when we first started, we were managing about one panel every two hours. This drastic improvement was a testament to our workflow optimizations, teamwork, and the incredible capabilities of the equipment we’ve been working with. Of course, the process wasn’t without its challenges. We initially ran into some hiccups with the g-code, but thanks to Ben’s expertise, we were able to quickly troubleshoot the issues and get back on pace.

During this first manufacturing run, we also learned the importance of properly labeling each panel. Let’s just say we ended up labeling the panels multiple times—lesson learned! Proper labeling has now become a top priority to keep things running smoothly for organization in future runs. Another interesting takeaway from this process was the sheer volume of material that was milled off—what we’re calling "panel fuzz." By the end of the run, we had collected enough “fuzz” to fill nearly 50 garbage bags! Fortunately, all of this material can be recycled and repurposed into loose-fill insulation, making for a more sustainable workflow.

Looking ahead, we plan to be on-site by mid-April to install the first set of panels. Before we begin installation, a demo crew will first remove the existing siding. Once that’s complete, we’ll install a weather barrier to ensure the building is properly sealed and ready for our retrofit system.

A huge shoutout to the team at Autodesk for allowing us to use their facilities during this production phase. Their generosity in providing both the space and resources has been invaluable, and we truly appreciate them accommodating our large-scale workflow.

With this milestone behind us, we’re eager to keep the momentum going. Stay tuned for more updates as we approach installation!