This is the laser cutter we have available in our BRAND NEW Fab Lab. You can use the left/right/up/down buttons to set the speed and force that the blade will apply to the vinyl, and by pressing the on/off line button, the same four arrow buttons allow you adjust the origin for the cut. That lever in the back is for securing the vinyl in place.
The software we use here at Wheaton for rendering the toolpath for images is called Sure Cuts A Lot 3 Pro, and we uploaded a .png of our desired sticker(s) into the workspace with the icon that looks like a tree, and placed a border around it with the shape tool.
Once we had all images in the workspace, we duplicated the pattern to create multiple stickers, adjusted our dimensions, and aligned them closest to where we placed our origin for the blade (in our case, the bottom right-hand corner) Once that was done, we started the cut using the tool with the scissors.
We cut our stickers away from the rest of the vinyl roll as well as cut out each individual sticker. The next step is "weeding" the sticker. This process involves taking a specific tool (or an excato knife like me) and removing the excess vinyl from the innner regions of your sticker design. It seems like since my sticker design has thin, long strips, I occasionally needed to hold down the design while peeling away the excess, this is more of a problem with small stickers and intricate designs.
This is what the sticker looks like after weeding. I later decided that I did not like the thick border around the tree, so I just removed it from the backing before moving on.
To keep the design aligned and any separate pieces are kept where they are supposed to be, you then have to cover the design with transfer tape.
If I had just peeled this sticker off the backing, all the branches would curl up, and it would be ruined. After lifting the design off with the transfer tape, you can then place it on the surface you would like to put the sticker on.
To keep air bubbles to a minimum, it is common to "roll" the design over onto the surface, while scraping a card or spatula over it. Going over each bit of the design to ensure even contact across the design.
Once the design is transferred, you can then remove the transfer tape, and appreciate your sticker!
Laser-Cut Press-Fit Construction Kit
What is KERF?
The definition of the term "kerf" is often listed as, the width of a cut made by a cutting implement. In terms of the laser cutter, it is analogous to the width of the beam as it cuts through the material. To measure the kerf of our laser cutter, you can use a kerf measuring gauge; I will link some .svg files for kerf gauges here and here.
Different cutting tools (as well as even the same tool with different settings) will have different kerf values. Accounting for the kerf of your cutting tool is important when dealing with close tolerances. That is, when parts fit together with higher levels of precision in the fit between them.
To determine the kerf of our GlowForge Pro, I used a kerf gauge and recorded the settings of the cuts on the gauges themselves. By using calipers to measure the inner diameter of a cut that was set to a specific inner dimension, any difference between the expected and measured dimensions is on account of the kerf of the laser.
In the sketch editor for Fusion 360, this is what the parameter menu looks like. I have entered some basic parameters for the sizes of certain parts of my design. Accounting for kerf isn't necessary when working with cardboard press-fit prototypes; but I went and did it anyways.
These are the basic shapes that I wanted to use, a square and an equilateral triangle. These are common shapes for building in certain games I play, so I was curious about their application in this setting.
I then duplicated my original shapes into a separate sketch, and made an array of them for mass-production. When cutting shapes out of cardboard, it isn't as important to pack your shapes efficiently; but when you're cutting parts from more expensive materials, it's a good idea to organize all your parts so as not to waste material.
I then selected the array sketch and extruded each piece to a thickness of my desired material. Creating these bodies are important for generating a toolpath for the piece outlines.
I then used the Project tool on the top-faces of the pieces to generate this toolpath, and saved it as a .DXF file. The software for GlowForge can use .SVG or .DXF files for uploading your own design, or you can make the design with their browser-based editor.
This is the final product after cutting and assembly. The pieces fit together in interesting ways and I am pleased with how much easier it is to fit the pieces together with the chamfers at the end of the slots.
