Fourth Week

COMPUTER CONTROLLED CUTTING

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ASSESSESMENTS

HAVE YOU : LASER MACHINE TASK COMPLETED
Explained what you did at Group Assignment YES
Explained how you Parametrically Designed your files YES
Shown how you made your Press-Fit Kit YES
Included your original design files photos of your finished project YES

NEIL´S LESSON

Index

  1. WEEK TASK : For the week´s assignment the goal is : to learn about Computer Controlled Cutting making practices with differents tools and techniques as a group and every one by himself.
    1. Laser Machine I. Group Practices : What we did for learn.
    2. Laser Machine II. What i was doing at my Group.
    3. Laser Machine III. My Press-Fit. Inkscape vs Antimony.
    4. Laser Machine IV. Extra app
    1. Vinyl Cutter Machine I. Making basic stickers
    2. Vinyl Cutter Machine II. Trying Traces for Soft Circuits
  2. Files
  3. My Week Problems Solved
  4. Things I Learned
  5. My Week Conclusions

MY LASER GROUP PRACTICES

1st. For this week , the first part of our assignments was to practice in group, cuts and engraves types with two differents machines in any material admited it for learn about some important concepts in digital fabrication asthe Kerf. The machines we used are :

  • A Roland Vinyl Cutter Machine.

  • 2 Laser Machines.

    • You can know the technicals details showing our fablab´s inventory.

    With this practice we learned about fabmodules too for prepare the files and sent them to the machine in correct way. Was a great experience, fabmodules symply a lot the task at the vinyl cutter machine .

    KERF: WHAT IS IT?

    Probably the one of the most important concept about fabrication in the week i gained because never use Laser Machines before. Why is important? When using subtractive fabrication technologies you must to pay attention to cutting kerf, the width of material that is removed by the laser cutting process, this quantity always will to depend on the laser machine model and the material so measuring the kerf is always neccesary. As a group task we experimented with different cutting parameters, materials and measured the cutting kerf of Fab Lab Madrid CEU laser cutters, results of this task are described in this page

    A schematic drawing of a saw blade looking head-on: the divergence between the teeth that protrude left-and-right is the kerf, it defines the width of the saw cut. (Another essential word for my Glossary )

    After we cleared basic things, my classmate Alvaro designed a basic template with differents forms or sizes for test things with the goal to calculate the kerf and practice this necessary item for cut and engrave with success any material´s used.

    Each layer was for make cuts or fills different engraving or for place in order of the machine :

    Our cardboard have 5mm so we test the different types of engraving stuffing and cutting.

    Finally I used the calliper tool, always recommended for be precise:

    Here begin our Week Problems the desig made by fabmate Alvaro is non parametric so i decided to solve this designing new one tester.

    WHAT I MADE FOR THE GROUP

    ANTIMONY

    As i Commented above, my fabmate miss to design the test parametric so i decided to use Antimony for design a basic cardboard for send to Javi who will to cut at Limerick´s Fablab where he work.

    This was the process that i followed for design with Antimony :

    Exporting image as a .png later. I used it at Inkscape for vectorize and Cut at the Laser Machine with two sizes of Cardboards :

    For finish this part, my fabmate Javier Burón and as he say at their website, he adjust some things for cut at FabLab Limerick where he work actually. He managed to measure the cutting kerf on Fab Lab Limerick's Speedy 400 but only on the corrugated cardboard that it was used for his press fit design. Since then he have had a look at some gauge designs for their fab lab users so they can measure the kerf more easily.

    On the left side incrementing the width of the slot by 0,01mm from bottom to top and or the right side decreasing the width by 0,01mm. This would allow us to measure the kerf of the laser cutter and the right parameters for a snug press fit joint.

    I made some things more for the group as a document about our tester´s processes with the machines, wrappers about speeds and power for each one, materials, other tools used. Basically all settings for our laser machines.

    Also i was making all photos and vídeos for document our webpage, look some pics for the Kerf´s template design and of course, i was working with the machines learning about all processes, preparing the files there, adjusting the main settings for calculate the file before sent to the laser machine.

    I learned a lot about settings for different materials, the main are :

  • Power : Wich depend of kind of material used and user needs.
  • Speed : Which depend of kind of material used.
  • Overlap : Never put under 11 but can be variant and depend of kinds of laser machine

    We develope a web page also which have more specific details. There we explaines about the problems and goals obtained and conclusions with the experience. For me was fantastic because never use one. I love them, they learned me a lot, definiteviley i will to add this technology to my final project.

    If you want to know more about our process practices here it´s the link :

    FABLAB CEU : LASER MACHINE PRACTICE GROUP

    Laser Machine III: My Press Fit Construction Kit. Processes

    3 rd. For last part, we must to make a "Press Fit Construction Kit" based in a game. Which learn us about parametrics concepts and to apply the kerf´s concept learned previously to this parametrics design.

    How never design parametrics, i was practicing whit differents tools like :

    INKSCAPE

  • 1. After some video tutorials for made a Parametric Design with Inskcape following clone technics.The steps for do that was really symple and consist in clone and allign the objetcs which are created and make differents keys for cloning again at the final design. Of course, scalling the forms. How i never do this with inkscape i was playing a bit first.

    Sometimes, i coded generative patterns for make visual clips with Processing and Max/Msp-Jitter and i was searching same results at inkscape, so , i design some patterns while i had thinking about the game.

    • For practice with more tools, after, i saved my file as svg.format and sent it to:

    • ILLUSTRATOR

  • 1. At Illustrator applied kernf data to interactives vortices :

  • 2. Alligned to compose a entire file which will be sent to the Lase Cutter Machine and here is my :

    • Code Learned Game Press Fit Construction Kit

    A game for practice codeMind and basics about Electronic Circuits

    RULES

  • Learn the code for knows what is each piece
  • Build a circuit with pieces
  • Show to your friends
  • They must to guess the circuit assembled

    SURE I USED some day in a lesson with my students playing but for the moment you must to wait to the pics. Sorry!

    WEEK PROBLEMS

    1. After test mades at Laser Machine, i had a problem when exported my file as SVG to Illustrator, the size of kerf changed :

    2. When my guru said me that Clones Tool from inkscape dissapear soon and my design will to turn in a " non parametric design", i can´t believe... so i decided to try another things with real parametric tool like :

    ANTIMONY PARAMETRIC PRESS FIT

    1. I used the basics for make a rectangle at the center plane :

    2. Copied and paste rectangles center and later allign with x, y coordinates :

    3. Maths : Parametric Differences

    Antimony is powerfull, the process and the GUI user interface was more intuitive. I designed parametrics parts for a possible "Press Fit" spending bit time. With Antimony i can to exporte each model for work with meshes or heightmap quickly. I exported each object like a heightmap .png :

    So i decided practice more how learn to make Chamfers so this was i made

    1.Draw a 2D Polygon first :

    2. Put another geometryBox and the union script :

    3. I made an array polar for intersections :

    You can see at the script how my design is now iterative :

    4. For finish with the design, i made the difference :

    5. For export the design, i choosed Heightmap :

    6. As the design is parametric, you can choose the surface just adjusting bit things :

    So i decided to export some models for made the same process made at Illustrator but this time at AUTOCAD.

    LASER CUTTING TIME : The results

    First i made was prepare my file at the computer of machine setting the parameters for cut :

    At the pic below you can see the parameters used:

    I made a contour test for be sure where the laser will to begin :

    This was teh results for the first attempts :

    With the toolpath clear i decided to made the last attempt :

    This is my hero pic :

    My new Laser friends, the guys who working here:

    RESEARCHING EXTRAS

    The last thing i was trying was use the 123DMake mobile device App for generate differents possibles patterns. A friendly use with a lot of limitations but fun for explore the possibilities, export files and redesign them or for introduce in on interlockings.

    ASSESSESMENTS

    VINYL CUTTER MACHINE PRACTICE

    HAVE YOU: VINYL CUTTER MACHINE TASK COMPLETED
    Explained how you drew your files YES
    Shown how you made your vinyl project YES
    Included your design files and photos of your finished project YES
    Included your original design files photos of your finished project YES

    2nd. The next part of the assignment consist in practice with the Vinyl Cutter Machine and fabmodules :

    - I used Inkscape for continue practicing the last assignments and composed some basic stickers, the workflow was :

    1. I import a file found on internet, a led image from Adafruit that i use for add some letters later to the design:

    2. Selected the design and i vectorized it with bitmap Tool :

    3. Later deleted the image import first :

    4. Finally i added a basic line of text :

    5. The last step was export the file such as .png adjusting resolution to 1000 dpi :

    During this task was my first problem :

    The inkscape version i had installed on my laptop sometimes do vectors right sometimes no. This made me delay on symple task but for RESOLVE, i was researching and i discovered that maybe it´s libraries missed. So i decided uninstall and install again while used the fablab´s computer for export my files as a 999,99 dpi .png.

    - After basic problems resolved, i made testers with speed and power for learn about materials response :

    - At the computer : See the pic below, me calculating the file with fabmodules before to send it to Vinyl Cutter machine.

    1. Fab modules: I opened the server and execute the comand line at terminal writing :

    ./fab_modules

    2. Selected the Machine used in our fablab > Roland Vinyl Output

    3. Selected file format > .png

    4. Selected materials for Cut > Vinyl 80g

    5. Sent my first sticker to the Vinyl Cutter Machine.

    6. Later, i adjusted the roll to the vinyl cutter machine and set the machine.

    For finish, i repeated the same with others designs but with vinyl´s pieces thinking in the use of small parts for differents materials.

    Here are the settings for my results without problems :

    Vinyl Cutter Machine Settings

    Vinyl Cutter Machine Model : Material Thickness Speed Cut
    Vinyl Diode Pink Vinyl Roll 5mm 100 Yes
    Vinyl Kite Sticker Black Vinyl Roll 2.50mm 100 Yes
    Copper Tape Circuit Copper Tape 3.60mm 40 Yes

    I´m really interested in Soft Circuits or make flexibles assembled for electronics for my final project, so i was trying sizes traces with copper tape .

    Testers with Copper Tape learned me a lot about the speed and force for cut correctly the traces on this material : Low speed and Power are better . First attends, the knife up the smaller traces and this cause bad results and usually can break another traces.

    I want to practice more and hope i deserve time for try real electronics designs .

    WEEK FILES

    Vinyl Sticker Laser

    Vinyl Diodo

    Circuit Vinyl Test

    Antimony Test File

    Press Fit before Kerf

    Parametric Pressfit Antimony File

    Parametric Pressfit Antimony AutoCad

    Parametric Pressfit DXF

    Parametric Test I Pressfit DXF

    Parametric Test a Pressfit DXF

    Parametric Test b Pressfit DXF

    Antimony File Pressfit DXF

    123D App Make File I

    Press Fit Final

    WEEK CONCLUSIONS

  • Things I Design : Basic shapes, surfaces, objects... practicing 2D and 3D concepts again for advance designing - A Code Learned Press Fit Construction Kit - Pieces for Testers - Basic Stickers - Laser Tester with Antimony - Parametric Pieces with Antimony - Quick things with 123D Make iOS App.

  • Things I Learned : Parametrics concepts and practices at differents softwares for adquire more design skills.

  • Problems : A less than last week. Mostly by my unexperience.

  • Goals : Understand new tools - practice design concepts - learn more about formats - feel proud about my trying - Cut things without problems.

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