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Computer-Controlled Machining

Group Assignment:

  • Complete your lab’s safety training

  • Test runout, alignment, fixturing, speeds, feeds, materials and toolpaths for your machine

  • Document your work to the group work page and reflect on your individual page what you learned

Individual project

  • Make (design+mill+assemble) something big

As usual, here is my schedule!

Group Assignment

ShopBot

ShopBot is a digital 3-axis milling machine that can machine large target material into high-precision 3D shape.

The main machinable materials are wood, plastic, brass and others, but it does not machine metals.

Shopbot is a 3 dimensional milling machine whcih follows the tootpath and measurement based on the design files arranged on thw machine software.

Technical specifications

Maximum working area: 2440x1220x150 (Z) mm

Software used: Partworks 2D & 3D

Mechanical resolution: 0.015 mm

Position accuracy: +/- 0.127mm

Accepted formats: DXF, STL

Softwares

Some of the softwares used to computer control the shopbot are:

  • SHOPBOT 3,

  • COMMAND CONSLOE,

  • V-CARVE FOR GCODE GENERATING.

Safety Rules:

  • Wear safety glasses and hearing protection.

  • Never leave the machine unattended during operation.

  • Keep hands, hair, and clothing clear of moving parts.

  • Use appropriate feed rates and spindle speeds for materials.

  • Ensure workpiece is securely clamped.

  • Regularly check and maintain the machine.

  • Avoid loose clothing and tie up long hair.

  • Keep emergency stop button accessible at all times.

  • Clean debris and dust before use, especially if no dust collector is available.

Modeling and Cutting:

  • Design created using Fusion 360.

  • Material: 15mm ply board clamped onto workspace.

  • Tool path created using Vcarve software.

  • Cutting settings: RPM at 10000, 6mm endmill with 2 flutes, material thickness 15mm, 2 tabs added for stability.

Click here to view the group assignment

Individual Assignment

HERO SHOT!

Draft designing!

Before designing my design in fusion, I decided to make a sample drawing with no measurements and all!

Before designing, let’s add dogbones!!

Then after extracting it, do this:

Then open fusion and do this:

Now let’s design!!

Firstly, set the parameters:

Then, draw a slot and the required joints like this:

Use rectangular pattern to copy:

After that, extrude it and start making the legs for the table like this!!

Extruding:

Now design another layer for a storage like structure :

Extrude like this:

Now copy the leg and try connecting it to the other end :

Should look something like this:

Now create a shelf like structure like this:

And I decided to add some supports and chamfered it!

And this is how it looks!!

I changed the appearance and this is how it looks:

Now let’s add dogbones!!

Then do this for all the required edges:

Now save the files like this in dxf:

Firstly, create a project like this and finish the sketch like this:

Then, right click on the new sketch and save it as dxf like this:

Then save it somewhere in your laptop:

Then, I used inkscape to check my dxf files like this:

Here is my design:

Cutting

I used Vcarve for the toolpath.

Loading the board:

After loading the board, adjust/ fix the edges like this:

GOOD JOB!! NOW REMEMBER TO SET THE CLAMPS LIKE THIS SO THAT THE BOARD DOES NOT FLY OFF:

Measuring the board!

Firstly, Create a new file like this:

And select your board requirements:

Then, Import vectors in dxf format:

After that after editing by using the movement and the rotation buttons:

NICE!!! Now select all the imported files and go to toolpath and add tabs:

Then, go add tabs and save the toolpath/file:

Now, set your x, y and z axis. For z axis do these things:

  • Place the clip to the correct spot like this:

  • Set the plate below the drill:

  • NOW click here to set the z- axis:

  • DO NOT forget to take the clip off!

After that select “cut part” and start cutting after turning on the dust collector. (lift the red button in the image)

CUTTING!!

For this design, we are going to use the 6mm endmill with 2 flutes!!

HERE IS HOW IT TURNED OUT!

ASSEMBLE WITH ME!!

HERE IS THE BOARD!

(PS: SINCE OUR BOARDS DID NOT ARRIVE, WE HAD TO USE ALREADY USED BOARDS SO THAT’S HOW THE HOLE WAS BORN!!!)

THINGS TO REMEMBER!!

Remember to be near the emergency button at all times!!.

Use headsets and glasses.

Do NOT wear baggy clothings and make sure to tie your hair!!

MAKE SURE TO CLEAN!

Compressions:

Imagemagick

I used image magick for image compression. Here are some commands I used for compression:

Ffmpeg

I used ffmpeg for video compression. Here are some commands I used:

  1. Basic Conversion:

Convert a video file to another format:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 output.avi
  1. Changing Video Resolution:

Resize a video:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf scale=640:480 output.mp4
  1. Extracting Audio:

Extract audio from a video file:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vn -c:a copy output.mp3

Files

Table parts

THAT’S IT FOR TODAY!!

HAVE A NICE DAY!

Last update: April 12, 2024