Task:
GROUP assignment: characterize your laser cutter, making test part(s) that vary cutting settings and dimensions
INDIVIDUAL assignment: cut something on the vinyl cutter design, laser cut, and document a parametric press-fit construction kit, accounting for the laser cutter kerf, which can be assembled in multiple ways
Characterize your laser cutter, making test part(s) that vary cutting settings and dimensions
INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT: VINYL CUTTER
Inkscape
I use Inkscape to start the design for the Fab-bag.
- I enter the first text (FAB) with the ‘Text and Font’ command and the second text (Just/uolus) with the Wacom tablet.
And change both texts to a path >Path >Object to Path with no fillings.
- To get the outlines of the text #2 (just/ulous) go to >Path >Union. It may be necessary to delete some vectors or nodes and simplify the outline/path.
- Export the file as a PDF if there are any problems with the SVG file and open it in CorelDRAW or Illustrator.
Vectors in Inkscape
Inkscape: Outlines
Inkscape: Delete errors CorelDRAW
Now I continue working with CorelDRAW and the Roland plug-in.
Note: The Roland cutting plotter driver has a plug-in tool only for CorelDRAW or Illustrator. I only use CorelDRAW to set the outline paths for the vinyl cutter:
- First, I set the outlines to ‘hairline’ with no fillings.
- For the T-Shirt transfer, I mirror the drawing horizontally. You can scale it if you need to.
- I want to use different materials for the bag-transfer, so I use different layers and export the paths in two steps with the Roland Plug-In.
CorelDRAW | Plug-In Roland Cut Studio
Plug-In Roland Cut Studio:selected layer Setting the Vinylcutter ROLAND GS-24
- To load the material, you must lower the loading lever. Place the roll or piece with the left edge (long side) so that it is parallel to the guide lines. Move the pinch rollers to
the edge of the material within the grit marks. Raise the loading lever. The material is fixed.
- Press Power button and select the sheet to display the cutting area of the cutting plotter.
Making a test pattern
- Move the position of the blade with the cursor keys and press the Test button for one second or longer. The cut shapes should peel off separately, the blade should leave faint traces on the carrier paper of the material.
Setting the Origin
- User the cursor keys to move the Cutting Carriage and material forward or backward. Press the Origin button for one second or longer.
Setting the Blade Force for the material
- the Pen force slider should be centered ('0'). Press the Force button and set the value.
For the material ‘Transfer Flex Neon Blue’ (text #2) I set the blade force to 120 gf, speed 20 cm/s
For the material ‘Transfer Flock Magenta’ (text #1) I make a test and change the blade force to 140 gf and the cut depth, speed 20 cm/s.
Parts
Operation Panel 
Load the material Roland Driver: Roland Cut Studio
- It is also possible to move, scale or copy the paths in Roland Cut Studio.
Note: If you have simple drawings or cutting paths you can draw them directly in Roland Cut Studio.
- Check that the paths fit in the cutting area.
- Go to >File >Cutting to start the cutting data.
CutStudio 
Roland camm-1 GS-2
Weeding Remove the material and make a bag
To remove the material in the vinyl cutter: on the Operation Panel you have to
- Press > Menu > Unsetup > Enter on the Operation Panel, lower the loading lever.
- Now you can remove the material.
- After weeding both materials, I set the heat press to 160° and 15 seconds.
- It takes a few minutes for the machine to reach the set temperature. The timer starts running as soon as the press is closed with the press lever. When the timer ends, a warning signal sounds.
- To reset the counter, press RESET for 5 seconds.
- I repeat this procedure for the second transfer material.
Heat Press
Heat Press Settings
Just a fabulous bagGROUP ASSIGNMENT
For the group assignment I made some tests with acrylic, 3 mm thick.
Link to the page of the group assignment
INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT:
PARAMETRIC PRESS-FIT CONSTRUCTION KIT
LASER CUTTER
Here is a brief description of the laser engraving machine I use:
Trotec Speedy 360.
Technical specifications:
Laser type: CO2
Work area: 813 x 508 mm
Laser Power: 80 Watt
Maximum material thickness: 8 mm
Engraving materials: acrylic, glass, laminates, leather, paper, plastics, stone, textiles, wood.
Cut materials: acrylic, laminates, leather, paper, plastics, textiles, wood.
Process
- Preparation:
Finish your 2D design in Inkscape, Illustrator or CorelDRAW. If you worked with Inkscape, export your design as DXF or PDF to open them later in CorelDRAW. Settings:
Cut line (vector):
stroke width 0.01 mm or hairline; RGB 255/0/0
Engraving (raster image):
Fill or stroke thickness > 0.3 mm; RGB 0/0/0
Image (engraving) save as PNG or JPG files → grayscale > 300 DPI.
- CAM:
Start laser and Job Control, then connect laser to JobControl.
- Design:
Start CorelDRAW and open the file. Check if there are double lines and delete them. One polyline is better lasered than many small lines. To save laser time, join the small single lines into one polyline.
Then enter Ctrl + P and set the size and laser parameters. Call the job in JobControl and check the laser parameters using the parameter list.
- Material:
Insert the material, if necessary fix it with a vacuum so that the focus remains constant.
→ Always check that you are using suitable materials. More information on this can be found in the operating instructions.
- Focus:
Then focus the laser, align the starting point and connect the air suction (the air suction starts automatically).
→ Check that there is nothing in the laser that could cause different heights.
- Cutting:
Start job on the laser cutter.
→ Permanent observation must be maintained during use. If a flame develops, press the emergency stop switch immediately.
- Afterrun:
You must always allow the workpiece to cool down. Toxic fumes are also produced shortly after the cutting process. Therefore, always wait until the automatic run-on of the air extraction (2 minutes) is finished to open the lid.
- Finish:
Remove all material parts and clean them. Then switch off the laser cutter: first press the ON/OFF button on the control panel and only then turn and pull the key.
Trotec speedy 360
Trotec speedy 360
2D design settings
Cutting Settings 01 | Cardboard 1 layer 3 mm
First, I draw a grid of rectangles (10 x 20 mm) in CorelDRAW and set the power and speed values for the laser cutter. Then in CorelDRAW, I load the default color pattern of the laser cutter, so that each rectangle has a default color for the settings.
Then I create a new topic in the material database for the tests and enter different power, speed and Hz values for each color. Finally, I send the data to the laser cutter.
Almost every rectangle is completely cut out completely, so that I can’t compare the cutting settings. I will do a second test.
Test #1
Test #1 Cutting Settings 02 | Cardboard 1 layer 3 mm
I change the values for power and speed in CorelDraw and JobCenter. This time the result is better because I can compare with which values the rectangle was cut out and with which not. Take a look at the back side photo of the tests.
The best settings are: Power 65%, Speed 3,00%
Kerf: 0,20 mm
For this assignment I use the laser cutter
Test #2
Test #2, back side RHINO | GRASSHOPPER
After a week, I start with some tutorials that I mentioned in the second week. After refreshing my knowledge of the basic tools, I start:
- Using components for geometry in Grasshopper. This part was not complicated because the “raw” geometry is already done. I use the Number slider and Panel components to set the parametric values of the circle, rectangle, Move, and Polar Array.
- Note: You can draw the geometry you need in Rhino and then load it in Grasshopper:
For example, draw a circle in Rhino and click on it, go back to Grasshopper and select the Geometry component, then RMB > Set a Geometry. Grasshopper will recognize the geometry and save it. This way is much faster.
- After that, I search for components for the offset. It takes me a long time to find a way to do this. Maybe there is an easier way to set the offset.
- For the offset, I set at Boolean Toggle at the beginning: when you click it, you can choose True or False. I set True for the outlines with an offset of +0,2 mm and False for the cutouts or holes in a piece with the offset -0,2 mm. For this part, I also use the Number slider, Panel, Dispatch and Offset components.
- The last step is to get the geometry for the laser cutter. I select the Region Difference component with the input A “Curves to subtract from” (circle) and the input B “Curves to subtract” (rectangles) and connect them. Then RMB on Region Difference and > Bake to transfer the geometry into Rhino and export it as a DWG File. I load the file in CorelDRAW, copy the geometry and send the data to the Trotec’s software JobControl.
- I repeated the same steps for the second piece of my press-fit construction. You can see the result in the photos.
Grasshopper
Grasshopper
Grasshopper
Grasshopper
Grasshopper
Trotec JobControl
Construction Kit
Construction Kit
Construction KitDownload
| Inkscape, CorelDRAW files for the vinyl cutter (zip) | Download |
| Inkscape, Rhino, Grasshopper, DWG files for the laser cutter(zip) | Download |