{"id":18389,"date":"2025-12-15T09:32:18","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T14:32:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/?p=18389"},"modified":"2026-03-26T07:41:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T11:41:41","slug":"from-classroom-to-workshop-blending-education-and-digital-craftsmanship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/from-classroom-to-workshop-blending-education-and-digital-craftsmanship\/","title":{"rendered":"From classroom to workshop: Blending education and digital craftsmanship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Estonian woodcraft company Artem Arbor designs and manufactures intricate laser-cut wooden toys and decorations with the help of Designcenter Solid Edge.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Estonia, craftsmanship has always meant more than simply producing goods. Forests, traditions, and a strong work ethic have shaped creative practices for generations. Artem Arbor<\/a>, a small woodcraft company founded by two friends, is firmly rooted in that heritage. While the brand is known for laser-cut wooden toys and decorative objects, its story is less about scale and more about the joy and discipline of making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Artem Arbor operates from a modest workshop, using Designcenter Solid Edge to design laser-cut toys and gifts. (Image: Artem Arbor.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At the heart of the company is M\u00e4rt Tammisaar<\/a>, who navigates life as both educator and craftsman. \u201cI\u2019m a teacher, and I also have a small hobby company,\u201d he says, describing how Artem Arbor began as a passion project alongside his teaching career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The name Artem Arbor is derived from Latin, meaning \u201cart wood.\u201d From the beginning, the company was never intended to be a fast-growing startup or a shortcut to financial success. Instead, it grew from curiosity, collaboration, and the freedom to experiment. \u201cI teach what comes before engineering \u2014 simple tools, woodcraft, metal craft, and their machines \u2014 in the eighth and ninth grade,\u201d Tammisaar explains. \u201cFor example, students design their own key chain, and I cut it out with the laser using plexiglass.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Tammisaar uses Solid Edge and a laser cutter to teach students the basics of design for manufacturability. (Image: M\u00e4rt Tammisaar.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

That experimental mindset was shaped long before he entered the classroom. Prior to teaching, Tammisaar spent summers doing physically demanding industrial work, including welding in sewer construction, and gained early exposure to CAD through military service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those experiences instilled a deep respect for hands-on skills and practical design. \u201cIt really helps you when you design something,\u201d he says. \u201cYou know how something works and how this piece comes together with that one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That combination of practical insight and thoughtful design is evident in Artem Arbor\u2019s products. The company focuses on objects that are tactile, purposeful, and carefully considered. The designs reflect Estonia\u2019s broader relationship with nature and making \u2014 where craft is not about nostalgia, but about continuity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New iterations and new products<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even the smallest craft businesses must adapt and iterate. Over time, Artem Arbor has refined many products, sometimes with unexpected outcomes. One of its best-selling items \u2014 a miniature stable \u2014 started as a side idea rather than a core concept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was just a random thought. Someone liked stables, and they were popular,\u201d Tammisaar says. \u201cSo, we did a stable, and now it\u2019s our most popular product, but not the one that we started with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Artem Arbor\u2019s stable began as a casual suggestion before becoming its most popular product, designed with Solid Edge and produced on a laser cutter. (Image: Artem Arbor.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a familiar lesson for many makers: success often comes from emotional connection rather than technical cleverness alone. \u201cYou may think one way, but the customer is the other,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artem Arbor has never aimed for rapid growth or mass production. Estonia\u2019s domestic market is small, so the company naturally looks beyond national borders, but success is measured on its own terms. \u201cYou want a self-sustaining company\u2026 to be able to do what you want to do,\u201d Tammisaar explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For him, sustainability means having time \u2014 time to create, refine, collaborate, and solve problems. It also means maintaining machines and keeping the workshop running. As he jokes, \u201cI\u2019m the one who makes the machines go. If there\u2019s maintenance and something\u2019s wrong, then I\u2019m the guy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His business partner, Erik Pappel, focuses more on day-to-day production and ideation. Together, they\u2019ve built a small-scale micro-factory for wooden toys and decorative objects. Their partnership is less about rigid roles and more about trust and complementary skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
M\u00e4rt Tammisaar and Erik Pappel. (Image: Artem Arbor.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Designing with digital precision<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While Artem Arbor is grounded in traditional craftsmanship, digital tools play a crucial role behind the scenes. Like many small businesses that blend art and engineering, the team relies on DesignCenter Solid Edge from Siemens to visualize and refine ideas long before materials meet machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The modeling environment allows them to iterate on geometry, tolerances, and joinery digitally, then move seamlessly into production using a CNC laser cutter. For a small operation, that precision shortens the distance between imagination and execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Draft of a toy house component in Designcenter Solid Edge (Image: Artem Arbor.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The value here isn\u2019t automation for its own sake or producing millions of parts. It\u2019s about control. Designcenter Solid Edge\u2019s combination of synchronous technology and history-based modeling enables Artem Arbor to design like makers rather than machine operators. The result is products that retain a handmade character while benefiting from engineering-grade accuracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That same philosophy extends to how Artem Arbor engages with its customers. Each product feels personal because it is \u2014 shaped by real feedback, produced in small batches, and designed with longevity in mind. This isn\u2019t factory manufacturing. It\u2019s careful, intentional making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Complete toy house assembly in Designcenter Solid Edge (Image: Artem Arbor.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Educating leads to good business<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tammisaar teaches, designs, builds, repairs, experiments, and adapts. His work demonstrates that craftsmanship can evolve without losing its foundation, and that independence is as much a mindset as it is a financial goal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
M\u00e4rt (right) is teaching two of his students at the school workshop how to design with Designcenter Solid Edge (Image: Artem Arbor.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What makes Artem Arbor distinctive is its authenticity. It isn\u2019t trying to be louder or flashier than it needs to be. It is simply a small workshop creating meaningful objects, guided by lived experience in both digital design and physical making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Encouraging sustainability is a key lesson for Tammisaar\u2019s students. These dominoes are CNC-milled from reclaimed flooring. (Image: M\u00e4rt Tammisaar.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the last Estonian teachers\u2019 conference, the shop teachers visited my school,\u201d Tammisaar recalls. \u201cI ran a small workshop showing what we can do with CAD and lasers. I brought together everything I use \u2014 TinkerCAD for younger students and Solid Edge for older ones \u2014 in one room. There was 3D-printed work, laser-cut projects, and CNC-milled pieces. Their jaws dropped. They hadn\u2019t seen that much machine-made work in a school workshop before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he continues to grow both his business and his teaching practice, Tammisaar seems to have found a balance between digital tools and hands-on craftsmanship. By using the same technologies to educate students and build a company, he brings a practical, grounded perspective to both worlds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit Siemens to learn more about the Solid Edge for Startups program <\/a>and the Solid Edge Maker Community Edition<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Estonian woodcraft company Artem Arbor designs and manufactures intricate laser-cut wooden toys and decorations with the help of Designcenter Solid…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17910,"featured_media":18412,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spanish_translation":"","french_translation":"","german_translation":"","italian_translation":"","polish_translation":"","japanese_translation":"","chinese_translation":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[179,77,1],"tags":[3077,193,11375,7,11374,9],"industry":[170],"product":[439],"coauthors":[595],"class_list":["post-18389","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-customer-success-story","category-featured","category-news","tag-cnc-machining","tag-computer-aided-design-cad","tag-maker","tag-manufacturing","tag-solid-edge-community-edition","tag-startup","industry-small-medium-business","product-solid-edge"],"featured_image_url":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/12\/artemarbor-Stabble.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18389","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17910"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18389"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18389\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18408,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18389\/revisions\/18408"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18412"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18389"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18389"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=18389"},{"taxonomy":"product","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product?post=18389"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=18389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}