Computer-Controlled Cutting¶

Assignment:

Linked to the group assignment page.
Explained how you parametrically designed your files.
Documented how you made your press-fit kit.
Documented how you made your vinyl cutting.
Included your original design files.
Included your hero shots.

Laser Cutting:

Characterize your lasercutter’s focus, power, speed, rate, kerf, and joint clearance.
Design, lasercut, and document a parametric press-fit construction kit, which can be assembled in multiple ways.Account for the lasercutter kerf.
For extra credit include elements that aren’t flat.

Vinyl Cutting:

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 a parametric construction kit.
Identify and explain processes involved in using the vinyl cutter.

Click this link to view my rough time schedule for this course.

HERE IS MY SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK!!

Group Assignment¶

Laser Cutting

Click this link to view the group assignment

Laser Cutter

The laser cutter that exist in DGI Fablab is the following model.

Model: Fusion Edge 12
Software: Epilog software suite
Work area: 609 mm x 305 mm (24” x 12”)
Maximum material thickness: typically 6-9mm (1/4” to 3/8”)
Minimum material thickness: 0.25mm (0.01”)

We wanted to check the different settings for the laser cutter, so before that, our instructor briefly explained the workings of a laser cutter to us.

Before starting with the laser cutting here are some safety measures to keep in mind

Safety Measures:¶

Read the Manual:

Familiarize yourself with the user manual and safety guidelines.

Protective Gear:

Wear appropriate PPE like laser safety glasses.

Ventilation:

Ensure proper ventilation to remove fumes.

Material Compatibility:

Use approved materials and check MSDS.

Fire Safety:

Keep a fire extinguisher nearby and never leave the machine unattended.

Emergency Stop:

Know the location and use of the emergency stop button.

Workspace Organization:

Keep the workspace clean and organized.

Training:

Ensure operators are trained on safe usage.

Secure the Area:

Restrict access to authorized personnel.

Maintenance:

Regularly inspect and maintain the machine.

Now let’s proceed to the cutting part!!( We used inkscape to design the circles and write the descriptions)

Here is the setting we used for cutting the boards

Here is how it turned out on cardboard:

After that, we tried to find or check the kerf of our laser cutter in order to have an accurate design printed.

Kerf is the width of material removed by a cutting tool!

Then we measured the slots and tried to find the approximate kerf:

SO THE KERF OF OUR LASER CUTTER WAS ~0.2mm.

Individual Assignment¶

Parametric Design with Fusion 360¶

After Professor Neil’s session, I started researching parametric designs, and I found some cool inspirations from Ms. Yumi Nishihara

(SPOILER!: My design is not really similar to Yumi’s design)

Here is how I designed my file:

SOOO… Let’s start by creating parameters like this :

Then I started sketching the rectangles and the circles:

(Don’t forget to use the parameterss!!)

You could use midpoints to make your slots more accurate like this :

After that, excrude the sketches!!! Something like this:

NOW!! You can chamfer your design to enhance your design visuals and for easy assembly. If you want to, you can do it like this:

And it should look like this:

You can design that much only, but then I tried to stack it together and see how it was going to look:

SO firsly, I mirrored my components:

And after some time… the components were looking quite nice!

Here is is first design that I tried to assemble:

Then, I tried other designs like these:

(I will certainly compare these with the one I physically assemble !!! Stay tuned!)

Kerf¶

Now comes the tricky part (at least for me). So before I show you how I exported the DXF with kerf compensation, I will talk a bit about “kerf.”.

SO What is kerf???

Kerf is the width of material removed by a cutting tool.

OK… SO??

Well, Kerf is quite important as it affects precision and material usage in the cutting process. So unless you dont a precise output, well I guess you’ll be fine (Hopefully.)

So moving on, I followed a youtube video (Click here to view the video) to save the DXF file.

Here are some things I did:

Firstly, go to manufacture followed by fabrication :

Then, create setups and select the tools like this:

Hopefully, you are still with me…

Then, we do the post process:

Then, after saving it somewhere on your laptop, you can now proceed to the laser cutting step!

OR you could do this to consider your kerf:

Firstly, calculate the kerf of your laser cutter and subtract it from the thickness and width of your slot. Like this:

And then, since it is a parametric design, it will resize everything. After that, create projects for your design:

(Don’t forget to create projects for all the bodies!!)

Then, simply save the sketch as dxf file:

Then finally, after exporting the DXF file, go to inkscape and rearrange a bit and save it as a svg file!

FINALLYY!! THAT’S IT FOR THE DESIGNING PART!!

Printing!¶

After saving it as a svg file, I decided to cut the pressfit. Before that, remember to turn the exhaust fan on!!

Here are some processes involved in printing:

Focusing: Adjust the laser’s focus to the optimal distance from the material’s surface for the best results.

Sending the Job: Send the design file to the Epilog Fusion Edge 12 using the appropriate software

Laser Processing: The machine’s laser head moves across the material according to the design, either engraving or cutting as instructed.

Material Removal (if cutting): If cutting, remove the cut pieces from the material once the job is complete.

Unloading: Remove the finished piece from the machine’s bed.

Now set the setting like this:

Epilog Control Panel

1 : With this menu, you can move the gantry with a joystick or gently move it with the touchscreen arrows to different locations within the Epilog.

2 : You can also lock the x-axis or y-axis to only move the gantry in one axis at a time.

3 : Additionally, you can use the Park Axis, which returns the gantry to its home position in the machine’s far left corner, and Move To, which would move the gantry head to a specific location in the cutting bed.

4 : To move the gantry head to a new location, use the Jog menu. Pressing the button with the joystick and laser light on it will bring up this menu.

Here is a picture of me setting the focus:

NOW after setting the focus, I started to print my pressfit!

And now let the laser cutter do its work!!

Output!!!¶

Oh no! I forgot to adjust the settings and kept the speed a bit too low!! And then this happened!

But then, after adjusting the speed, it didn’t burn like that anymore!

Here is how it turned out for the design where I subtracted the kerf from the width!

And for the other one where I created setups to create my own g-code, it turned out like this:

THAT’S IT FOR LASER CUTTING, AND THE DXF AND SVG FILES ARE AT THE END OF THE WEBSITE!

Vinyl Cutter¶

Model: Roland CAMM-1 GS-24
Software: Roland CutStudio and Adobe Illustrator
Cutting area: Maximum 584 (W) × 25000 (L) mm (22-1/1 (W) × 984-1/4 (L) in.)
Maximum material thickness: Typically around 0.1 inches (2.5 mm)
Cutting speed: 10 to 500 mm/s (all directions)
Usable tools: Roland CAMM-1 series blade
Settings:
- Textile Vinyl: Speed: 15 cm/s / Force: 90gf
- Copper Vinyl: Speed: 1 cm/s / Force: 40gf

Here is a detailed labeling of the parts for the vinyl cutter:

Let’s now talk about the blades that can be changed depending on the work done!

These are the most common angles of the cutting blade:

The most common angles are 30, 45 and 60 degrees.

For dense material cutting, 30º yellow blades are utilized.
Red 45º blades are commonly used for regular cuts in calendered and cast vinyl.
The blue 60º blades are used for cutting materials for thermal transfer, sandblasting masks, magnets, and small characters.

Now let’s move on to the safety measures!

Safety measures:¶

Study the user handbook.
Put on gloves and safety glasses.
Stable arrangement
An insulated workstation
Safe products
Use caution when handling blades
Be aware of emergency stops
Never go unsupervised
Instruction for users
When not in use, turn off the power and unplug.
Consistent maintenance

SO....During week 2, I designed the logo for my project, and I am planning on printing it.

This is the image of my logo:

Don’t forget to outline your image!!!

Here is a picture of me editing it!

Similarly, for vinyl cutting, here are some steps involved:

Material Selection: Choose the appropriate vinyl material for your project based on color, finish, and adhesive type. Load the vinyl sheet or roll onto the cutter’s feeding mechanism.

Setup and Calibration: Ensure the vinyl cutter is properly set up and calibrated. This includes adjusting blade depth and ensuring proper alignment to achieve accurate cuts.

Design Transfer: Send the design file to the vinyl cutter via USB, Bluetooth, or a similar connection method. Some vinyl cutters may have a built-in control panel for direct design input.

Cutting: Initiate the cutting process. The vinyl cutter will precisely follow the paths defined in the design file, cutting through the vinyl material but not the backing sheet. The blade is controlled by a motorized carriage that moves along the X and Y axes.

Weeding: Once the cutting is complete, remove the excess vinyl material from around the design using a process called weeding. This typically involves using a weeding tool to peel away the unwanted vinyl, leaving only the desired design on the backing sheet.

NOW to set up the machine for cutting: