Third week assignmet is Computer controlled cutting.In this assignmentlearnt lot of things related to laser cutting.The things I taught in my class about laser, actually find its applications.I also use vinyal cutter for loge making.

Hero shot

Hero shot

Assignment-3

COMPUTER CONTROLLED CUTTING

OBJECTIVES

Group assignment

  • Characterize your lasercutter's focus, power, speed, rate, kerf, and joint clearance
  • Document your work (individually or in group)

    • Individual assignments

  • Design, lasercut, and document a parametric press-fit construction kit, which can be assembled in multiple ways. Account for the lasercutter kerf.
  • Cut something on the vinylcutter

    • Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate and describe parametric 2D modelling processes.
  • Identify and explain processes involved in using the laser cutter.
  • Develop, evaluate and construct the parametric construction kit
  • Identify and explain processes involved in using the vinyl cutter.

    • About Group Assignment

    After the yesterday, Neils lecture on Computer controlled cutting , today our instructor details us about Laser cutter.Though its group assignment we divided our work for completed it smoothly. For the Group assignment, we had to Characterize your laser cutter’s focus, power, speed, rate, kerf, and joint clearance document our work (individually or in group).
    We have designed a Comb like design having 6 squares with variation in Speed and Power to calculate the kerf of the machine on various materials. We have divided the materials amongst us. The material used by us for the kerf calculation were Cardboard (6.91 mm thick), MDF – Medium Density Fiber (3.81 mm thick), Foam (4.49 mm thick), Plywood (5.25 mm thick) and Acrylic (3.75 mm thick). I have taken the reading for the MDF material. These reading were then documented in a Google Sheet circulated earlier. The consolidated results were then collectively presented in the Group assignment.



    Summary:

    After completing the experiment we found that 10mm/s is the prior speed and 65% is power for cutting Acrylic material with thickness 3.75mm.

    Individual assignment on Laser Cutting


  • About Laser
  • Parametric design in freecad using Spreadsheet.
  • Use of RD works software
  • Use of laser cutter
  • About Vinyl Cutter

    • ABOUT LASER

    Laser stand for Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.when atoms of active system of laser medium absorbed energy goes to the excited energy state , after completation of life time it jumped from higher energy level to the ground energy level.during this transition it emit photons by the process of stimulation emission.these photons get applied in resonator,emits Laser light which is highly coherent, monochromatic, intense and unidirection.
    In VA we are having CO2 laser which one the powerful laser among all the laser emit laser light in IR region(10.6µ).

    ABOUT LASER MACHINE



    Name : SIL Laser Engraving - Cutting Machine

    Application: SIL Laser Engraving - Cutting Machine is versatile & finds application in signage, indoor & outdoor advertisement, art & craft, gift, shoes, toys, garments, model cutting, papers & packaging, wood & MDF cutting industry, interior, decorators and many more.

    SPECIFICATION


    Model NO.
    1325-1318
    Engraving speed
    0-640000mm/min
    Cutting speed.
    0-30000mm/min
    Laser type
    Co2 DC glass laser tube
    Laser power
    80 Watt
    Positioning Accuracy
    80 Watt
    Processing area
    900 by 600mm
    Working speed
    Adjustable
    Power supply
    AC 220V+ 5%; 50/60Hz
    Format supported
    AI, BMP, PLT, .DXF, DST etc.

    FEATURES


  • Top cutting precision and positional accuracy
  • Improved edge quality and surface finish
  • Strong repeatability
  • The use of materials not cut by traditional devices
  • Drilling and engraving in addition to cutting
  • Negligible workpiece degradation
  • Cost-effectiveness
  • Minimal thermal stress zone
  • Cuts of complex shapes

    • Process to start Laser Machine


    Parametric design in freecad using Spreadsheet


    Parametric design is a process based on algorithmic thinking that enables the expression of parameters and rules that, together, define, encode and clarify the relationship between design intent and design response. Simply if we change any one parameter of design all the parameter are changes with relation of given one.(Wikipedia)

    For the parametric design consider the following steps

    Step 1. create new parametric spreadsheet

  • Open freecad, create new document.
  • Go to start select spreadsheet workbench.
  • Click on Spreadsheet to create new spreadsheet.



    • Step2.Create sketcher with spreadsheet

  • Now goto the workbench select sketcher mode.
  • Goto window menu select tile, so that you can view Spreadsheet as well as sketch.



    • Step3.Adding parameters in the Spreadshee

  • Go to the spread sheet add parameter, enter its required value e,g parameter is l1 and its value is 10.
  • Right click on value and select property.
  • Click on alias,write respective parameter name in the box.
  • Click ok.



    • Step4.Drawing shape in Sketcher and adding constraints

  • Before drawing any shape note that applying vertical and horizontal constraint so the position of a shape is fixed on x-y plane.
  • Go to the sketcher workbench, draw any shape.
  • Apply constraints like length, width.



    • Step 5. Draft workbench

  • Goto start click on draft
  • Select the sketch with parametric constraint
  • Goto the file menu.
  • Click on export, save the file as Autodesk DXF 2D(.dxf)
  • Note that when you are saving ,system should be connected to internet.



    • Step6. use RD works Software

  • Download and open the RD work software.
  • Goto the file menu and select import .



  • Select the Dxf file you want to open in RD works.
  • Once the file is opened replicate it in no.



    • Step7.Set the layer parameters(Speed & power)

  • Select design you have to cut ,give it proper color default color is black .
  • Doulble click on cut mode present at right side of the screen with color layer.
  • Set the layer parameters.
  • Note that the speed and power for card board (6.9mm)is set as 35mm/s and70% respect.as per group assignment.



  • Make sure that USB port is properly connected with laser cutter other wise it will provide communication error.
  • Click on download and file will be downloaded in machine..



    • Step 8.Hands on Laser cutter

  • This is the monitoring panel of SIL laser cutter.through that we can change different parameters of machine before cutting the materials.



  • Placed the material on the bed.
  • Set the origin
  • Adjust Z axis i.e position of laser head from the material surface.
  • Select the file in panel. identify the cutting area with frame.
  • Click on start/ pause button.



    • Step 9.Different Press fit assembly.



    Hero Shot.



    About Vinyl Cutter


    A vinyl cutter is a type of computer-controlled machine. like a printer controls a nozzle, the computer controls the movement of a sharp blade over the surface of the material. This blade is used to cut out shapes and letters from sheets of thin self-adhesive plastic (vinyl). Our FabLab-0 at Vigyan Ashram, Pabal has Roland Camm-1000. It is used for cutting the vinyl, even plastic film, copper film for electronics PCB design. We had to cut the logo or any design on this machine. This machine tempts you to be creative and adds aesthetics to the product.


    Different prats of Vinyl cutter


    Control Panel of Vinyl cutter


    Creating Logo using Inkscape


    In the previous assignment, I had already done a logo image using Inkscape bit map operation.I used the same for the vinyl cutting.


    How to used Vinyl Cutter

  • Switch ON the mains.
  • Set the parameters for the image to be cut in the mods on desktop PC.
  • Set the rolls by placing them under the white markings. (There are 3 markings in the machine. This defines the cut area.)
  • To avoid Weeding (Picking/Cutting what is not needed and leaving that is needed), adjust the blade properly. Be cautious while dealing with the blade as it is very sharp and placed at 45-degree angle.
  • Load the Vinyl paper or copper film.
  • Lift the clamp situated at the back side of the machine. This clamp holds the material in its place and allows proper cutting.

    • Vinyl Cutting Order Flow:

  • Boot the Desktop terminal using Ubuntu OS.
  • Open Terminal and use commands
  • cd Documents to change directory mods & bash mods
  • Again Open New Terminal and use commands
  • Cd Documents / http – server
  • This will open a Window in Google Browser.
  • Four options will be displayed like Modules, Programs, Edit, Options etc.
  • Select Program Select cut Select the Photo/Image to be used for vinyl cutting
  • Check the format of the image (.svg or .png)
  • Check the Tool Path
  • Open the Socket by inserting (ttyUSB0)
  • Calculate the path
  • Send the File for vinyl cutting.

    • Note:

  • select properly roll or piece of vinyl paper used for cutting.
  • Always placed paper on sensor so, machine sense it.
  • Set the position key according to the cutting size.
  • Set the origin position from where you want to start the cutting.

    • Weeding sticker carefully.


    Removing and pasting logo sticker


    First logo Sticker made with Vinyl cutter



    Learning out comes


  • Understand the characteristics, specification and operation of laser.
  • Most important things, I have actually used laser for cutting and engraving the objects.
  • identify the relation between speed & power, calculate kerf its used in press fit
  • understand how to used Vinyl cutter for cutting logo image.


    • Downloads


  • Freecad File
  • Logo image

    • SAMS-Smart Azolla Multiplier System by Anand S. Tale is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0