pamela chami

week03

Computer-Controlled Cutting

This week assignment is to design, make and document a press-fit construction kit.

Inkscape:

After we had been introduced to the basics of Inkscape, I started drawing and creating boxes to get more used to it as it was my first time working with Inkscape. We downloaded a plugging from the following website Hackaday that helps create boxes in 2D design:

Click on: look into this box maker extension

Download one of the two extensions. I have downloaded: BoxMaker 0.85 For Inkscape 0.48

Open the zip file downloaded, copy and paste boxmaker.inx and boxmaker.py into the extensions folder in the Inkscape file

Open Inkscape, go to extensions - laser tools - tabbed maker box (if the inkscape was already open and the plugging won't appear, you must restart the software)

This is a very easy way to create boxes using Inkscape that I found interesting to use and give it a try

AutoCAD and Rhino:

First press-fit kit:

I wanted to try different possibilities to design and laser cut a press-fit kit. I worked with Autocad and Rhino for the second trial. I designed my module and tried to fabricate it with a 3 mm cardboard using the same idea of the boxes. I wanted to test as well the flexibility of the material by choosing the curved shape.

I created a 2D PDF drawing in Autodcad then imported it to rhino and print it in .dxf file on the Epilog Mini 24 Laser Cutter using a speed=50 and a power=45.

I have tried the same thing with a 6 mm cardboard which I had more difficult to cut. Finally, I have used a speed=20 and power=90 and it worked !

It is very important to :

Always set you origins (home position) and focus.

Make sure that the surface of the material is flat and secure all sides of the material with tape so that the surface stays flat.

Test your speed and power before cutting your final pieces depending on the material used and the thickness as well

Test different dimensions (slightly different from each other) to evaluate the size of the gaps to fit two pieces together perfectly

The cutting or engraving part is quite fast, the preparation and design part however should take more time at the begining and should be well studied to avoid a lot of correction and trials.

I had a bit difficulties with the measurements at first but after few trials I have managed to fit them together.

The following images show the module box that I have failed because of the bad measurments. I used this module as an experimental exercice.

Second press-fit kit:

I also tried to press-fit a coffee table using the same material, cardboard 3 mm cut on the multicam laser cutting machine with a speed=50 and a power=90. I went to the same process to design the coffee table using autoCAD and Rhino.

Here is a great site FabLabBCN Wiki showing a list of configurations used with the machines and materials that was helpful.

Download the files here : cut files

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