COMPUTER CONTROLLED CUTTING🔩

weekly assignments⚙

Characterize your lasercutter’s focus, power, speed, rate, kerf, joint clearance and types.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I SET A SOUNDTRACK TO ACCOMPANY MY WORK THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS(23.-"Rubicon" by Peso Pluma IS MY FAVORITE SONG ON THE SOUNDTRACK).

Why is important the computter control cutting?

is essential for its precision, efficiency, and versatility across industries. It enables the fabrication of complex designs, ensures reproducibility, and enhances safety through automation.

WTK!. What the KERF?

The "kerf" in CNC laser cutting refers to the width of the line that is cut when dividing a material with the laser. It's crucial to consider when designing to ensure the accuracy of the final size of the piece.

To address this issue, we conducted cuts on a series of rectangles. We tested it using 3mm MDF and 3mm acrylic. By determining the number of cuts needed, the equation becomes straightforward since we have a set number of internal cuts equivalent to a complete cut. By sliding all the pieces to one side, we created a gap that we can measure using a caliper. This means that the cut can be calculated by dividing the total space by the number of cuts made.

How cut?

The cutter we are using is one:

CFL-CMA1080K:

Area ⏩ 1.00 x 0.80 meters.
Table ⏩ Honeycomb or rod
Accesory ⏩ Double Tube
Cutting speed ⏩ 0–36,000 (min/mm)
Engraving speed ⏩ 0-64000 (min/mm)
Power ⏩ 100 Watts
Cutting thickness: ⏩ 0–25 mm
Cutting thickness: ⏩ 0–25 mm
Resolution ⏩ Up to 4000 DPI (typically between 600 DPI and 2000 DPI)
Motion accuracy ⏩ 0.01 mm

Facts:

When choosing materials for CNC cutting, it's important to consider their compatibility with the machine and the cutting process. Woods, plastics, and metals are typically suitable, while materials like glass and stone may not be. Selecting materials that match the machine's capabilities and cutting tools is crucial for optimal results.


Tool Function
Unfocused Laser Beam ⏩ The initial laser beam generated from the laser source, wider and less concentrated than when directed.
Focus Lens ⏩ Focuses the laser beam into a smaller, more potent point, vital for achieving effective concentration.
Focal Distance ⏩ Determines the location where the laser beam is highly concentrated, essential for aligning the focal point with the material surface.
Laser Nozzle ⏩ Guides the laser beam onto the material and eliminates residues from cutting or engraving.
Focused Laser Beam ⏩ Upon traversing the lens, the beam undergoes further concentration, thereby amplifying its intensity.
Focal Point ⏩ Where the laser beam is at its maximum concentration, resulting in the most significant cutting or engraving impact.
Focus Depth ⏩ Represents the span along the laser beam axis where the light persists within a confined point.

A distance of 5 mm from the nozzle is advised for achieving optimal focus. Occasionally, adjusting the focus below the material surface can manage the cutting shape, particularly with thicker materials.

Materials:

Materials you can cut Cut Engrave
Paper ✅ ✅
Cardboard ✅ ✅
Foaming ✅ ✅
Leather (Natural and synthetic) ✅ ✅
Cork ✅ ✅
MDF (pressed cardboard) ✅ ✅
Wood ✅ ✅
Plastic ✅ ✅
Acrylic ✅ ✅
Metal ❌ ✅
Materials you CAN'T cut ❌ Why not?
❌ PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) As it ruin the object it emits chlorine gas.
❌ ABS It tends to melt rather and has a chance of catching on fire and leaving behind melted gooey deposits on the vector cutting grid. Cutting ABS plastic emits hydrogen cyanide, which is unsafe at any concentration.
❌ HDPE/milk bottle plastic It melts. It gets gooey. It catches fire.
❌ PolyStyrene Foam It catches fire quickly, burns rapidly, it melts, and only thin pieces cut
❌ Epoxy Epoxy is an aliphatic resin, strongly cross-linked carbon chains. A CO2 laser can't cut it, and the resulting burned mess creates toxic fumes.
❌ Fiberglass Epoxy is an aliphatic resin, strongly cross-linked carbon chains. A CO2 laser can't cut it, and the resulting burned mess creates toxic fumes ( like cyanide! ).
❌ Foodstuff (meat, cookies, bread) Just don't.

Characterization of Laser Cutting Power and Speed:⚡

To evaluate the power and speed of laser cutters, two graphical tests were implemented that combined both variables.

Power: A range of 10% to 95% of the total laser power (100 watts) was used, following the manufacturer's recommendations. The test started with 10% power and gradually increased in 10% intervals. Speed: Speeds from 15 mm/s to 40 mm/s were evaluated, increasing by 5 mm/s each time.

In this experiment, it's evident that power percentages of 30% or lower failed to cut through the material, with the 10% mark even failing to leave a mark. At 40% power, the laser barely managed to cut at the slowest speed, making it the only successful cut. Other power percentages allowed for material cutting, yet the cleanest cut was achieved at 50% power with a speed of 40 mm/s. It's also notable that slower speeds resulted in more burning, indicating poorer cutting quality.

The second test is more comprehensive, involving a larger matrix to explore a wider range of speeds. Additionally, it incorporates a 10% increase in power and includes speeds ranging from 10 mm/s to 100 mm/s in increments of 10 mm/s. This setup allows for a more thorough examination of the laser's performance across various speeds and power levels.

The results from the second test are more extensive, prompting us to create a table to display the findings. However, it's worth noting that there was an issue with the number of combinations and layers, resulting in the loss of the first row, which contained the combination of a speed of 10 mm/s within the power range of 10% to 50%. Nevertheless, a clear linear pattern between engraving and cutting is evident, indicating a correlation where lower power is needed for cutting, while higher speeds require more power.

LEARNING HOW TO USE IT

I had a class on how to use the CNC machine with my professor Oliver. It wasn't as complicated as it sounded.

first step.

  • Ensure the machine's ventilation remains clear and unobstructed.
  • To activate the machine's fan using the button situated on the lower left side.

    • Second step.

  • Turn on the machine using the red button located on the right side of the machine.
  • The safety stop by turning in the direction indicated on the machine, also located on the right side.

    • Third step.

  • Insert the machine key and turn. The lock is located on the top of the machine on the right.
  • Turn on the laser by pressing the button. The button is located next to the key.

    • Fourth step.

  • Place the material you wish to cut on the worktable, ensuring it is securely fastened and level.
  • Ensure the material is within the maximum dimensions allowed by the laser cutter.

    • Fifth step.

  • Ensure the electronic key is connected to the computer to allow the cutting software to open.
  • the laser cutter control software "Smart Carve" on the computer.
  • the design or drawing you wish to cut, ensuring you pick the uit system used

    • Sixth step

  • To adjust the cutting speed and laser power, select your design, then click a configuration number (you can change the color of the configuration to identify where you apply these specifications).
  • Below the configurations, you'll find the speed and power parameters that you can adjust according to your needs (consult the power table).
  • To apply the modifications, double-click on the checkmark next to the configuration number.

    • Seventh step.

  • the height of the cutting table and its start at the top controls of the machine, use the arrow controls to position the "x" and "y" axes, moving forward, backward, right, and left to align with the corner of your material.
  • adjust the distance between the laser and the material until a sharp focal point is obtained. To modify the "z" axis, press Z/U and then "Z move" and adjust the height to 5mm from the material (a reference material can be used to verify this measurement and ensure the laser is at its maximum power).
  • Ensure the laser is correctly focused to guarantee a precise and clean cut.

    • eighth step.

  • To verify that the total material needed matches the material available, press "Go scale" and the laser will outline the cut to confirm it fits within the material.
  • Once all settings are ready and the safety check is complete, start the cutting process from the software with the "start" button.
  • Monitor the cutting process throughout to ensure it is proceeding correctly.
  • Once the cutting is complete, stop the laser cutter from the software and wait for the laser to completely turn off before removing the material.

    Disawño de mi kit parametrico de construccion:

    • Para empezar primero abrire el software de corel drawn y ya abierto dare click en la opcion de nuevo para crear un plano en 2D
    • del lado derecho(barra de herramientas) esta la opcion de rectangulo en el cual dare clic y aparte tambien hare un rectangulo mas chico para que ese sea el que se ensable con las demas piezas
    • copiare el rectagulo chico y lo pegare 3 veces mas para asi no tener que hacer 1x1(me es mas rapido) y lo colocare en las caras del cuadrado (dos rectangulos copiados a un angulo de 90°)
    • Empezare a quitar los borde de los rectangulos para que se pueda cortar y las piezas se puedan unir. Con la herramienta de unir en la parte superior del software, manteniendo los rectangulos y el cuadrado con shift
    • Hare el mismo paso, aunque ahora lo hare con difentes figuras geometricas, en este caso sera un circulo con rectangulos por dentro.
    • Volvere a hacer el paso anterior, solo que ahora con la forma de un triangulo el cual en la parte superior pondre el numero de caras que quiero que tenga mi poligono y cambiando los angulos de 2 rectangulos, esta vez a 45°
    • El mismo paso que los anteriores, pero ahora con una hexagono, cambiando angulos a 90° y 45°
    • Mismo paso pero ahora recortando los bordes del rectangulo con una herramienta del lado superior del software, dos de estos rectangulos con angulos de 90°
    • Asi es como quedarian todas las piezas parametricas

    Parametric construction kit:

    The first step I did was read the “How to Use” section. After doing all that procedure: I was able to turn on the cnc machine and open my file in .DXF format

    • After opening the file in the smartcarve program, I selected which vectors I wanted at a specific power and also gave priority to which vectors would be cut first with the colors.
    • The control panel helps me to be able to give priority to certain specific figures and thus be able to make the machine faster
    • adjust the power so that the green cuts and the red is only recorded

      • When you finish assigning the priority and power colors for each figure, click on the start button to start cutting.

      And it will begin to cut according to the priority, speed and power that I set for each element.

    Vinyl cutting practice

    • order to start, the file with which I will work must be opened (upper left, open button)

    • Select the desired file to start

    • Once the file is opened in .cst format, select it to move it and modify the original file.

    • Modify the file by putting 4 circles on each side so that it could serve as a guide when sticking the vinyl (right side, tools section, draw circle/ellipse button).

    • I clicked the edit button (top left) so I could select everything, you can also just select everything with the mouse but I wanted to make it more efficient.

    • Since I have 5 colors in the design I made in week 2, I will need to place 5 different vectors of the same design (for that I will use the multiple copy tool, this is found in edit>multiple copy. This tool is useful to be faster and have better symmetry) but these will be incomplete since the vectors that are not of the same color will be removed (do this for all 5 vectors).

    • I will enter the number I need from my vectors (in the Horizontal part it only accepts multiples, you will have to manually remove the excess) and click the OK button to create the copies of these vectors.

    • I clicked on the vector and right click, delete button.

    • Having everything ready, I will start right clicking on the break polyline button to delete what is not the same color of the vector.

    • Taking as a reference the colors of my design

    • Select each vector you did not need (with shift+select) and delete them.

    • Here are the 5 vectors with respect to the corresponding colors

    • Right click and select the complete vector to convert to the polyline

    • after what I did above, right-clicking again will give me a new option called integrate polyline so I can move the vector to any side and all this together

    • move 4 vectors outside the white grid so that only the color of a single piece can be cut in vinyl.

    • use the move option (top middle bar>MOVE button) to make the cut centered and save more material

    • to finish, we use the cutting tool (upper left bar) and if the machine is not configured to be used, configure it, and click OK.

    • we do the same step for the 4 vectors until we have all the colors in vinyl.

    • Having already cut the vinyl, it is time to start gluing part by part according to the color hierarchy of the design.

    • And just cut & paste

    My files