Lesson 3 - Computer-Controlled Cutting

Press fit kit
This week we had to create a press fit kit from our design and we had the chance to get to know the vinyl cutter machine.

Vinyl cutter

The creation of a vector line was a familiar thing to do.
I have sketched both on Rhino and illustrator contour lines and than exported them to the printer.


Tracing Image
I have used both Photoshop and Illustrator in order to edit my image
And then to vectorize it and simplify it for cutting.
I have started with balancing the light and contrast,
creating trashold and then exported it to Illustrator, where I have used the Trace image feature and modified it.


After the editing I did a test on the cutter and fixed its origins in order to set the vinyl propperly.



Important things to keep in mind: 1.ungroup
2. Reduce line thickness to minimum (I used 0.01)
3. Check for multiple lines
4.Clear shapes without fill
5. x, y coordinates relative to the plotter.
The outcome was satisfying.



Laser cutting

Introduction to the machine and software: I was learning how to download a file to the machine, how to determine the different cutting parameters for the machine.
I was practicing in focusing the lens, determine a region and run few sessions of cutting,
from cardboard 6mm to birch 5mm.

Design
I used Rhino and illustrator for the design and planning of the model.
I haven't used any plug in or short cuts for the design of the object.









I have started with designing in solids,
and then I have realized my mistake - that I can't consider boolean cuts because they refer other axes than X and Y.



At this stage I design the object in 2D and 3D,
planning the shape in 3D surfaces and executing the files in 2D. The result was good.

I have started with the cardboard and realized that I need a stronger material,



I moved to birch.
Here, I had to create the thickness ruler in order to find the right relations between the parts.
I have changed the gaps of my press kit using 2D scaling in Rhino. I was surprised that the differences were so big
At the end I made it with 5mm thick.



Finally I assembled my object and it works just fine.