Week 03: Computer-controlled Cutting

What does Computer-controlled Cutting mean?

We learned that Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) means the process of operating a machine. It involves the processes that control automated machines and processes in the background. We talked about the difference between additive and subtractive manufacturing. Laser cutting and vinyl cutting are subtractive processes, where we cut something out. Laser cutting is a faster process compared to CNC.

We discussed how the laser works. Inside a laser, there are different mirrors that reflect the light and focus it at the end. To cut a piece, it is very important that the laser meets the material at the right position. So, it's always necessary to focus the lens. To focus the lens, it's necessary to move the bed around. The material has to be as flat as possible. It's forbidden to use reflective materials because the lens will be damaged of the refleciton. It's not possible to cut metal with a laser cutter. There are some parameters that you have to change depending on the cut (fine cut or rough cut) and on the material: Power, Speed, Frequency

There are three options for how you can cut: Engravig, Marking, Cutting. To make different cuts consecutively, it's necessary to put the lines in different colors: black, red, blue. To save material, it's always recommended to make a nesting. There are several options for what you can use laser cutting for (T-shirt printing, Origami etc.)

Group assignment

On this page, you will find all the information regarding to our group assignment.

Parametric Design and Laser Cutting

Fusion 360

I was eagerly anticipating this week, as I haven't had much experience with laser cutting before. Also I hadn't even heard of parametric design. When I tried it for the first time in class with Fusion, it felt a bit like magic and was realy cool.

For my weekly project, I had the idea to create a parametric and flexible dollhouse, as I'm interested in working with kids in the future. However, creating my first parametric design in Fusion turned out to be more stressful than I had anticipated. I encountered many challenges, as things often didn't work out the way I wanted them to, leading me to create numerous relationship and construction lines. This tutorial helped me a lot. After several hours and with the help of a classmate, it finally has worked, and I was very relieved.

Rhino and Cutting

Having never worked with Rhino before, setting up the construction in Rhino was also challenging for me. However, I had to do it because all the machines at FabLab Barcelona operate with Rhino.I needed assistance again, and finally, my cutting sheet was finished, and I could proceed with my first cut.

Initially, the test cut didn't go as planned, as it didn't cut all the way through. After adjusting the speed slightly, the second cut was successful. However, when I attempted to cut the entire piece, there was a fire in the machine, leading us to stop it. Despite changing the speed, it burned again during the second attempt. Ultimately, we decided to flip the cardboard over, and the cutting process went smoothly from there. Unfortunately, due to the time lost and material wasted, I couldn't produce as many pieces as I had hoped. Nonetheless, I learned a great deal from all the mistakes I made. My final oversight was that the cut of one shape overlapped another.

The dollhouse is designed in such a way that you can choose whether to place the pieces next to each other or stack them on top. In the end, my daughter filled it with her Playmobil toys and began playing with it.