3. Computer controlled cutting¶
Group assignment:¶
Finding the Kerf of the Laser
We used information from this source to find the kerf of the laser. We designed in CorelDRAW and cut a rectangle with 10 rectangles inside it. Thus, we have 11 line cuts.
After cutting, we merged the small rectangles together and measured their combined length with a caliper, obtaining 119.27 mm. Then we measured the size of the “frame” rectangle (120.30 mm), subtracted our first value from that, and divided by 11:
By subtracting the former value from the latter and subsequently dividing by 11, we obtained the laser kerf:
(120.30 - 119.27) / 11 = 0.09mm
Therefore, the kerf of the laser was determined to be 0.09mm.
The Vinyl cutter (2020 experience)¶
I started by reading the manual for the Roland GX-24 vinyl cutter. Personally, I found the section detailing force adjustment and test cuttings particularly interesting.
Perform a Cutting Test¶
To get high-quality cutting results, we have to do a cutting test to check the cutting quality for the material before doing the actual cutting.
The tutorial for changing the blade force in the original manual is well-explained. The procedure is the following:
- Check that the PEN FORCE slider is in its center setting (at “0” on the scale).
- Hold down key for one second or longer.
The test pattern is cut.
The position of the blade at the time the button is pressed is the cutting test start position. The position can be set as desired using the cursor keys.
- Press to feed the material forward.
- Peel off the circle.
Use tweezers to peel off the cut shape, and check the cutting quality.
If the circle peels off alone that is good result.
If other shapes also peel off / The Machine Cuts the Carrier Paper → Changing the Blade Force
Not designing¶
Since I’m not particularly strong in designing stickers, I searched for existing pictures or vector files that I could use for cutting. This approach allowed me to use existing designs and focus on the cutting process rather than designing from scratch. The first few stickers I made specifically for my laptop. Two of these stickers have been on my notebook since 2020, and they remain proudly displayed to this day. To convert JPEG files to SVG, I used a specific website. The other modifications were made using Inkscape for customization.
The next sticker I created was larger, for the car I was driving at the time. To be honest, the car was quite old, with a bit of rust here and there. We decided to craft a sizable sticker featuring the Jurassic Park logo, which we then put on the hood. This sticker remained proudly displayed on the car until we sold it in 2023.
Transferring a large sticker onto a car can be quite a process, especially considering the size and the details of the design.
Preparation begins by cleaning the area of the car where the sticker will be. Carefully position the sticker on the desired spot on the car’s surface. Wet the surface, lightly spray the surface of the car where the sticker will be applied with a mixture of water and a bit of soap. This will act as a lubricant, allowing to reposition the sticker as needed during the application process.
2024 Laser Cutting¶
Experience¶
For this week, I wanted to make a stand for my phone. Since I already made a snapfit kit in 2020, I wanted to make something useful for me now, even if it’s not a kit.
Step 1: Designing the Phone Stand
I used Fusion 360, and its parametric capabilities. In fusion I firstly design my phone in its real scale to design phone holder around it.
designing my phone.
Step 2: Selecting Materials
I used 6 mm plywood.
creating parameters
input created parameters instead of distance
Also, I used Fusion 360’s rendering capability and rendered the design. The first step is to choose a material (it can be done both from the design and render workspaces) by pressing “A” and selecting from the pop-out menu. Choose the material you like and drag and drop it onto the part or body, Adjust the lighting and camera settings to achieve the desired effect then start rendering.I can choose between a quick render or a detailed one, depending on requirements.
Step 3: Preparing the Design File
When the design was ready, I arranged the bodies in one plane using a specific tool called “Arrange.” Next, I needed to save these 3D parts in a 2D format, such as SVG or DXF. In Fusion 360, I can’t do this by simply saving the file; I have to create a sketch for each body and export the sketches separately. Alternatively, I can extrude one rectangle, subtract the parts from it, and save just one sketch as a DXF. In Fusion 360, to save a sketch as a DXF, you need to right-click on the sketch and select “Save as DXF.”
Step 4: Setting Up the Laser Cutter
First, I need to turn on the laser cutter, cooling pump, and ventilation. Then, I load the files into RDWorks, as our laser works through that software, and position the parts.
I positioned a 6mm plywood sheet onto the laser cutter bed. With settings calibrated and materials in place, we start the laser cutting process.
Testing with a Phone: Lastly, I put our creation to the ultimate test by placing our phone onto the stand.
2020 laser cutting¶
Task was to draw some parametric press fit-kit, at first I want to make a house from cardboard and actually done the drawing which is parametric as well but because of the short time I decided to cut something simpler.
After finding the right tolerance (which was minus 0.4mm from carboards thickness(4.1-0.4=3.7 )), I changed the parameters and start the cutting process. In our lab to work laser cutter, we use color drow. I export the files from fusion in .dxf format and import it in color then assort. the last steps before cutting were to adjust the laser’s focus and its power and speed turning on the compressor and fume extractor.
From this interface, we can regulate the actual cutting speed and power of the laser.
Cutting process.
Ready snapfit kit.
Conclusion¶
In 2020, designing something with parametric design felt like a miracle to me. After four years of work and development, I’m glad I was introduced to parametric design during that week in 2020. This was one of the most enjoyable weeks, as laser cutting or vinyl cutting doesn’t take much time, and the only limits are your imagination and design skills. I wanted to create something better than a phone holder, but unfortunately, I had limited time that week.
