- Assignment 03
Computer-Controlled Cutting
This week is dedicated to the use of machines working in 2D.
Vinyl Cutting
The tools that i used are Solidworks to design, Silhouette Studio like CAM and my Silhouette Cameo.
Design
I designed a parametric photo box using Solidworks. I have parameterized so that I can easily change the dimensions of the box.
download Photobox 64,3 kB (.sldprt)![Figure 01](src/03/vinyl-sw-draw.png)
Figure 01. Drawing in Solidworks
For the next step I exported the sketch in dxf.
download Photobox 27,6 kB (.dxf)![Figure 02](src/03/vinyl-sw-export.png)
Figure 02. Export by Solidworks
CAM
I imported the dxf in Silhouette Studio, set A4 landscape as paper and converted the dashed lines into continuous lines.
![Figure 03](src/03/vinyl-cam-paper.png)
Figure 03. File after fixing
The machine had mounted two heads, one for the cut and one pen. So I set the red lines for cutting and the blue lines for drawing.
![Figure 04](src/03/vinyl-cam-cut.png)
Figure 04. All settings
Cutting
The machine is equipped with an adhesive sheet on which I affixed the paper sheet to cut (A4, 200
g/m2).
Afterward I placed it against the wheels of the machine. Before proceeding I moved the right-hand wheel for
adapt it to the size of the adhesive sheet,
the difference between Figure 5 and Figure 6 can be seen.
![Figure 05](src/03/vinyl-cut-1.jpg)
Figure 05.
To insert the sheets I pressed charge (CARICA) on the screen. Now everything is ready for cutting.
![Figure 06](src/03/vinyl-cut-2.jpg)
Figure 06. Ready to cut
From the screen visible in Figure 4 I pressed send (INVIA). The cut was successful.
![Figure 07](src/03/vinyl-cut-3.jpg)
Figure 07. The cut was successful
This is the final result after I removed everything
![Figure 08](src/03/vinyl-cut-4.jpg)
Figure 08. The result
Assembly
Following the pen lines I bent the sheet to give it the desired shape.
![Figure 09](src/03/vinyl-assembly.jpg)
Figure 09. The final result
And this is a photo test with a miniature painted by me.
![Figure 10](src/03/vinyl-origin.jpg)
Figure 10. The original photo
![Figure 11](src/03/vinyl-crop.jpg)
Figure 11. The cropped photo
Other
Using the same process, but without using the adhesive sheet, I also made a vinyl sticker using a file made last week with Inkscape.
![Figure 12](src/03/vinyl-sticker.jpg)
Figure 12. The Fabacademy sticker logo.
![Figure 13](src/03/vinyl-sticker-pc.jpg)
Figure 13. The sticker on my PC.
Laser Cutting
For lasercutting I decided to design a Rubik's Snake to cut with a SpiritGLS by GCC.
Design
Also with Solidworks I designed the project and parameterized it with the thickness of panel "t" and the tolerance for the joint "i".
![Figure 14](src/03/laser-equations.png)
Figure 14. Equations
The design is unique and divided into 4 different bodies, two of them, which I mirrored, are repeated twice for each segment of the snake.
download RubikSnake 347 KB (.SLDPRT)![Figure 15](src/03/laser-3d.png)
Figure 15. Drawing in Solidworks
Separately I exported the faces in DXF and with Rhinoceros I made the table and add a 0.1mm
kerf with Offset command. Since the program I used later to send the file to the lasercut
is always Rhinoceros I saved in its native 3DM format.
For completeness also attached the DXF.
![Figure 16](src/03/laser-table.png)
Figure 16. Table in Rhinoceros
download RubikSnake 140 KB (.3dm) download RubikSnake 190 KB (.dxf)CAM
On the computer connected to the lasercut I opened the 3DM file, cloned the segment a few times and in the Properties I made sure that they were all defined as By Layers to prevent lines from getting thick.
![Figure 17](src/03/laser-rhino.png)
Figure 17. Ready to cut in Rhinoceros
The program sees the lasercut as any printer so I did File -> Print to open the CAM interface.
![Figure 18](src/03/laser-print.png)
Figure 18. The print screen
In View and Output Scale I clicked Set... to set the virtual workspace. Then I opened the Properties to set the cutting parameters.
![Figure 19](src/03/laser-option.png)
Figure 19. Option
In Pen I reduced the cutting speed to 2.0 mm/s.
![Figure 20](src/03/laser-pen.png)
Figure 20. Pen
In Advance I set the Position Mode to Relative to start cutting from the top left corner of the drawing starting from the laser position in the machine.
![Figure 21](src/03/laser-advance.png)
Figure 21. Advance
Therefore I clicked on OK and Print to send the file to the lasercutter.Cutting
The lasercutter is a SpiritGLS by GCC with a 960x610 cutting area. I placed a 3mm MDF panel under the machine head and from the control panel I pressed Auto Focus to adapt the table top to the thickness of the material to be cut.
![Figure 22](src/03/laser-controller.jpg)
Figure 22. The controller
The head from which the laser comes out can be moved by hand, so I placed it in the top right corner for panel and, after closing the protective cover, I pressed on Start.
You can see the laser cutting through the protective cover.
This is the result once the machine is finished.
![Figure 23](src/03/laser-cutted.jpg)
Figure 23. After cutting
![Figure 24](src/03/laser-pieces.jpg)
Figure 24. Some pieces
Assembly
This is the assembly sequence I followed.
![Figure 25](src/03/laser-01.jpg)
Figure 25. Step 1
![Figure 26](src/03/laser-02.jpg)
Figure 26. Step 2
![Figure 27](src/03/laser-03.jpg)
Figure 27. Step 3
![Figure 28](src/03/laser-04.jpg)
Figure 28. Step 4
![Figure 30](src/03/laser-05.jpg)
Figure 30. Step 5
![Figure 31](src/03/laser-06.jpg)
Figure 32. Step 6
![Figure 33](src/03/laser-07.jpg)
Figure 33. Step 7
![Figure 34](src/03/laser-08.jpg)
Figure 34. Two joined segments
![Figure 35](src/03/laser-09.jpg)
Figure 35. Two joined segments
All the pieces fitted perfectly without the use of glue, but for safety I put some vinyl on the outer sides.
This is my Rubik's snake with 14 segments!
![Figure 36](src/03/laser-snake.jpg)
Figure 36. My Rubik's snake
![Figure 37](src/03/laser-dog.jpg)
Figure 37. The dog figure
Group Assignment
More info on the Opendot group assignment page.