8. Computer controlled machining¶
Individual Assignment: Make something big on a CNC machine.
Research¶
My goal is to make a bed-side night stand/end table. That’s something that I’ll make use of very frequently. Originally, I intended to create a convertible coffee table/dinner table. However, that would have required an additional purchase of spring-loaded or hydraulic joints that would lift the convertible portion of the table. I didn’t want to risk the wait for delivery before I could construct my project.
Design Work¶
So, shifting from the more complex design to a simpler one, here is my concept design:
Design file images in VCarve (with pieces of an additional job):
While all of my parts cut successfully, the ShopBot had an error that hindered cutting my Fab Academy mate’s project:
Failures¶
ShopBot Failure: So to the best of my understanding, the ShopBot failed to maintain Z-position integrity while cutting. We heard a loud wailing from the ShopBot toward the end of cutting the first piece of Kwame Braxton’s Light Table, so we stopped the ShopBot. Not fully understanding what happened, we restarted the machine, then saw what happened in the image above. Some deduction lead me to believe that for some yet undetermined reason, the ShopBot lost z-axis position. You will notice in the image the diagonal sweep to arrive at the next cut position. However, the end mill didn’t raise above the surfave of the plywood stock and cut through it, then plunged well below the cut depth of 0.25” on the first pass of the next cut. VCarve failed to respond at that point, until the ShopBot and the PC computer were both restarted individually. Ultimately, the second piece of the light box was cut successfully, but we ran out of Lab time for the day failing to complete Kwame’s assignment until a later date.
Night Stand¶
While incomplete because I rushed to translate my Fusion 360 file to a valid VCarve file and cut path, here is the outer skeleton of my bed-side night stand:
