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Makarevitz Uses Music and Design in Harmony

Building a guitar with computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software and 3D modeling.

Cody Makarevitz with the guitar he built

Cody Makarevitz had to pull a few strings when it came to finishing his senior capstone project – guitar strings that is.

Makarevitz spent much of the spring semester of his senior year building an electric guitar using computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software and 3D modeling. He completed an independent study over the course of the semester by putting over four months of work into designing, modeling and building a fully functional electric guitar.

The project began when Makarevitz initially designed the guitar in fall 2014 during a computer numerical control machining course. Throughout the course, designs produced in Computer Aided Design (CAD) software are converted into numbers to be used as coordinates to direct the motion of a cutter. In order to successfully direct the machine’s movement, the programmer must translate the commands for the computer to understand where and how fast to move to make a cut. Makarevitz quickly realized he would not be able to complete the project by the time the fall semester ended and continued work on the guitar into the spring.

“I knew that I would only have three classes in the spring and a bunch of free time. I decided that it would be a great learning adventure and look good on my resume,” he said.

Just as musicians have to hit the right notes, so do designers in order to ensure accuracy when the final cuts are made. As the project furthered and the designs were completed, the process became more hands on for Makarevitz as well.

“Once all the programming was complete and ready, I had to purchase, mill and glue wood together for the body, neck and fingerboard,” he said.

With no previous experience on a project of this scale, Makarevitz utilized the knowledge he had learned during his time in CAD classes along with advisement from Dr. Mark A. Atwater, assistant professor of Applied Engineering, Safety & Technology.

“This project has helped tie together a multitude of classes I have taken throughout my undergrad experience,” Makarevitz said. “This project was a test of all my collective knowledge learned here at Millersville University.”

Makarevitz recently graduated with a bachelor of science in Applied Engineering and Technology Management with a concentration in CAD and drafting. To him, the guitar will show future employers his technical skills, dedication and attention to detail, but as of right now, Makarevitz has a single plan for the guitar: to play it.

“Making an electric guitar from scratch seems like such a daunting task at the beginning.  Now that it is complete, I can take the satisfaction of knowing I did it all by myself and that I have been given that capability to learn how to do something I previously knew nothing about,” he said. “This project was important to me because it gave me confidence to know that I could do something bigger than myself.”

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