Week3 : Computer-Controlled Cutting

When using the laser cutter on several previous occasions getting the desired results is always subject to trial and error. We would initially search for a previous documented experience or guidelines. One fact we try to keep in our minds is that most of the materials that are available here (in our region) are not always similar to those mentioned by others. But the initial problem we faced was to get our the laser to cut every time we restart the desktop. Specifically for Windows 8,8.1 a link to a support page for those versions is possibly overlooked when one tries to head to the drivers download page. I am not sure exactly if I understand the details of what really happens but when if one disables the

Palm trees were at one point in history one of the main economical sources in Bahrain, the numbers have decreased tremendous in the last 4 decades.

While trying to find a suitable project for this week I thought I should first find a locally available material to test it with laser cutting or engraving and by pure chance I saw the cover of the palm pollen outside the kitchen window. ../week3/images/palm2.jpg

It was the time of the year when farmers lay open the tree pollen and remove the covering layer. I was impressed by the texture and thickness of the material, but still it will need some work before it could be used in a laser cutter for any arbitrary project.

My inspiration for the press fit design also came from the palm trees, I decided to make a single element press fit system that could replicate or mimic the outer layer of a palm tree trunk.

The pieces showld fit together and make a spiral shape. The design piece was symmetrical with a incomplete and complete cuts I thought the dotted or incomplete cuts will allow for bending along the lines of those cuts.

I thought the step like shape which have been used for decades to aid on palm tree harvesting an interesting load bearing design mechanism.