Week 3: Computer- controlled cutting

Goal: design, make and document a press-fit construction kit

"HOUSE OF CARDS", REVISITING EAMES'S WORK My work this week to make a press-fit kit is based on the toy cards designed by Ray and Charles Eames in 1952. The main changes with the original model have been customizing the cards using laser engraving and cutting for transparency effects and drawings in cards. Also a modification of the position of the anchor holes allow a free-standing and organic result in the final model. The material used in this New house of cards is 2mm thick MD wood, worked with laser to cut and engrave.

Template sheet:

The CAD software used to design the cards was AutoCAD, This is the drawing template used for cutting

Cut Parameters:

I used three cutting parameters divided into four layers. One for vector engraving (green layer), with power 100 and speed 50 , Other for raster engraving (red layer) with power and speed 100. And for inside and outside cuts (yellow and blue layers) a power of 100 speed of 5.

The laser machine we used in the FabLab UPM is the Spirit GLS with 80 Watts. Its work surface is 960 x 610 mm.

And the results: