WEEK 3: COMPUTER CONTROLLED CUTTING:

GROUP ASSIGNMENT
CHARACTERIZE YOUR LASERCUTTER'S FOCUS, POWER, SPEED, RATE,KERF, AND JOINT CLEARANCE

KERF TEST

In this week we have to work on laser cutter, so first of all we need to characterize few things of our laser cutter. Number one is Kerf. When laser burn the material, the thickness or area of material which burn away are called kerf. The area/thickness may vary.

In order to measure the kerf of our laser cutter, we have designed test file in INKSPACE. Firstly we have measured the thickness of our material then we have made rectangular boxes of different thickness with 0.05mm difference around the actual thickness of material. we have cut one long slit of same height. Idea is to check which hole is perfect fit for that slit so that we can use that thickness.

MEASURING THE THICKNESS

WORKING IN INKSPACE

SETTING IN EPILOG

SETTING IN EPILOG

TESTING KERF IN DIFFERENT SLOTS

We measure the 22mm box using vernier caliper after laser cutting. Due to material burning during laser cutting, there is a 0.4mm gap.

 A 22mm piece of material is easily fitted into the kerf card box, which shows the laser's burning effect on material.

TEST CARD FOR POWER,SPEED,FOCUS,RATE

Similarly in order to test the power, speed, focus and rate we took the test from here. Edited it and then processed through epilog and cut it. We can see from below test card that changing the shades can effect in engraving. The darker the shade, the more it will engrave. Also it show the hole size, flexible cut and engraved writing

TEST CARD FOR LASERCUTTER

This is the material test card for Acylic, 3mm.

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT
DESIGN, LASERCUT, AND DOCUMENT A PARAMETRIC CONSTRUCTION KIT, ACCOUNTING FOR THE LASERCUTTER KERF,WHICH CAN BE ASSEMBLED IN MULTIPLE WAYS,

Requirement for this week is that design should be parametric. solidworks was more versatile, flexible and easy to handle so, I decided to choose solidwork. Solid works is parametric software and user friendly. I was new in solid work, I decided to construct the andriod mobile Phone as well tablet holder or stand. It will be very easy for everyone to watch any thing without holding tablet in the hand.

PARAMETRIC MODELING

Parametric modeling is a modeling process with the ability to change the shape of model geometry as soon as the dimension value is modified. Parametric modeling is implemented through the design computer programming code such as a script to define the dimension and the shape of the model. Parametric modeling is an approach to 3D CAD in which you capture design intent using features and constraints, and this allows users to automate repetitive changes, such as those found in families of product parts.

ENABLE THE EQUATION

To start working of parametric design in Solid work, first of all we need to enable the equation. Create variable of different name and assign them value. We can also assign them relations or any equation e.g length=width/2 where we only need to give value of with variable.

Start the drawing my dragging the 2D object and using the smart dimensions give them variable. In direct modeling we give direct number to side. But in parametric designing we assign variable in smart dimension by press ="variable". Whatever value we assign that variable in the equation box, that value will assigned to that side. It helps us in press fit design alot. If any thing goes wrong we don't need to draw all from begining. Just change the value in variable and model will be changed accordingly.

ASSIGNING THE PARAMETRIC DIMENSIONS

Here, I gave the global variables to alomost every part for making it parametric.

After extruded bose first part of the design was ready.

Here, is the second part of the design, this is the strip which is used to hold the first part.

I made two teeths in strip to hold the first part.

ASSEMBLY

Open solid work select file click on new then select Assembly. Now we move towards the Assembly where we mate the parts with each other

Here, we will browse the parts in Assembly for mating.

In mate we have only 3 mate points to join the parts with each other.

mating the parts of the design in Assembly.

we change the axis direction while clicking on x,y and z axis to place the parts in correct position.

this is final look of the paramateric design.

GENERATING .DXF FILE

I created a new Assembly to put all of the parts together. Here, we create a .dxf file.

moving from Assembly to drawing then select the custom size "width=48in & length=36in" due to Epilog bed size.

Drag the front and select the 1:1 size.

Now, save the file in dxf formate to generate the gcode.

INKSCAPE

open the inkscape and set the bed setting. Click on file and go to document properties then click onArch E

Open the .dxf file in the inkscape

for setting the stroke "control+shift+f" then give the value to "width=0.001in

save the file to pdf for printing it in EPILOG.

Opening the Epilog for laser cutting.

Setting the file in EPILOG according to cardboard size.

Setting the speed, power, frequency for vector cutting and turn on the vector Grid.

After laser cutting the cardboard with 4mm thickness.

Assembling the parts unfortunately, unavaibility of tablet I am just placing the mobile phone.

CUT SOME THING ON VINYLCUTTER

The second assignment of this week is to cut something on vinyl cutter So, I choose to cut the logo of Fablab khairpur along with my name.

OPEN THE INKSCAPE SOFTWARE

First of all download the logo or any picture you want to cut on vinyl cutter. Open Inkscape software and import the logo. Go to "Path" and select the trace bit map. Select the brightness cutoff and adjust the threshold. Then remove the original picture and keep trace bit map logo.

Open the LOGO in the inkscape.

add the text in the inkscpe.

Go to file click on Export PNG image then set the dpi.

Export as image in PNG to save it in required folder.

Export image as PNG to save it in required folder.

Export image as PNG to save it in required folder.

Open PNG image in paint and Save as BMP for CUT STUDIO Software.

CUT STUDIO SOFTWARE

Open the cut studio software and trag the BMP file.

Set the expect retio "WIDTH/HEIGHT" according to your requirnment.

Click on MOVE to give the origin position to the file.

Right click on image then select the Image Outline.

Click on Contour lines machine will follow the path to cut these lines.

Now, move towards cutting Click on cuting.

Now press key ctrl+p or click on cut then then click on change in order to get width and length from machine.

Select get from machine and then click ok it will show you the size of your sheet in your software.

SHEET INSERTION

The sheet can be inserted from behind, and these two rollers will hold it. The important thing to remember is that you can only use the roller on these white markers.

SHEET SETTING

Open the Roland machine and select the sheet. If you are using piece of vinyl, then select the piece. Then click enter.

Head will move and give you dimensions.

Roland machine calcualted the length and with of paper in millimeters.

CUT

Then go to software and select cut. Vinyl-cutter will cut on piece of vinyl. Then you have to remove the unwanted parts.

AFTER REMOVING UNWANTED PART

Here is result after removing unwanted parts. To paste it on any surface we need transfer paper. Take a part of transfer paper and paste on top of it.

PASTE STICKER USING TRANSFER PAPER

Now gently take out transfer paper. Now our striker is on transfer paper. Then paste your transfer paper on surface where you want to put your sticker.

CLEANING THE SURFACE

Now, clean the surface where you want to paste the sticker.

PASTED STICKER

Press the sticker with card. Then gently remove the transfer paper so, that sticker remains on surface and only remove the transfer paper.

FINAL RESULT

Finally sticker is pasted on Laptop.

Propeller Led Pendulum Clock by Engr. Rashid Ali is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International