3. Computer Controlled Cutting¶

This week, our Fab Academy journey took a practical turn as we dove into the world of laser cutting and vinyl cutting. Led by Neil, we explored the inner workings of these machines and discussed our assignments for the week. Prior to this, we familiarized ourselves with design software essential for crafting laser and vinyl cutting designs. The excitement is very much there as we embarked on this hands-on learning adventure and delve deeper into fabrication.

Also from past lecture from neil I have collected a reference Sheet where I have put up references used in the entire week, Also I am making a combined sheet where there are references date wise which I have attached at my home page.

Lets see how a lazer nozzle works!¶

To be honest I have used lazer cutter quite a few times but did now know all the components that go into the nozzele to make the lazer pass through it was really insightful for me.

Machine Details¶

Our laser cutter machine at riidl is a CO2 Laser cutter from SIL (Suresh Indu Lasers Pvt. Ltd). Below is the picture of the laser cutter

Group Assignment¶

For the Group assignment please refer to the link mentioned below

Group work on Siddharths page - We at riidl are 3 students who are in for the fabacademy Program this year an we have decided that for every group assignment we will post it turn by turn on our website.

Parametric kit - Lazer Cutting¶

Getting Rough Sketches¶

For the parametric kit I first started with sketching some units on paper to visualize how the units will look like for the parametric kit. Tried out some Organic and inorganic shapes for my units with slits according to my material.

Making the Sketches on Fusion¶

Made a Basic shape of a pentagon and have added slits according to the kerf of the material the material I have used here is plywood with the thickness of 2 mm

Extrusion and making multiple pieces for kit¶

Here I have Extruded the single unit according to the thickness of my material and made multiple copies of it for the final parametric kit I am making.

Converting into DXF format for the Lazer cutting¶

After the whole unit was made I took the sketches of the unit and converted into DXF as lazer cutter reads a vector file and not a 3D file, Hence DXF.

Nesting¶

According to the material that was available and my size of the unit and to not waste any material I nested all the units so that nothing goes waste.

Lets Cut!!!¶

This is the interface of the RD works software which is connected to the lazer Cutter, Here I uploaded the nested DXF file for the cutting I set up the Power and speed of the machine in the software itself according to the material I used which was 2 mm thick play

Power = 75.0 % (power is set in the units of percentage) speed = 8.0 mm/sec

After setting up the power and speed for the the lazer cutter I pressed the download button and the files got uploaded into the machine.

Next step I did was to go to the lazer cutter screen pannel to select the file and making the frame on the bed to see how much space on the material will the cut take. The pannel screen looks like this.

Next I started the cutting by entering on the panel

After the cutting was done I started with my assembly of the Kit and came up with a concept everyone must have heard about the two koi fish japanese painting that resembles balance and harmony

I tried to recreate this the concept of the two koi fish in my parametric kit so stared making shapes of the fish.

This is how the Lazer cut pieces were looking after the assembly! to take it further I actually painted it Black and white to give actual feel of balance and harmony.

Below is how the Final look of the Parametric kit

New Parametric Kit¶

Hello everyone! I have made a new shape and made a new parametric kit that can be joined and made into many things!!! Let me show you the process of making it! First I started off with making a very random shape that came in my mind.

I made a sketch on fusion 360 and and then gave it slots and extruded according to the thickness of the material I have. The material that I am using is corrogated cardboard sheets which had a thickness of 5mm.

after the sketch and my the design of the piece was ready I went ahead to laser cut it! for that I exported the dxf of the sketch and on illustrator I nested all the shapes in a row

Nesting¶

This is how all the parts looked once the nesting was done I moved ahead to laser cut it

Lets cut!¶

As I have mentioned earlier the the material that I am using is Corrogated cardnoard which essentially is cardboard so does not require much power to be cut but the thickness plays an important role as it is 5mm thick the power and speed were set accordingly.

Parameters for laser cut¶

There are 3 primary features for laser cutting that is speed, Maximum Power and minimum Power let me explain below each parameter for better understanding

Speed

Speed refers to the feed rate when the laser is active, distinct from the rapid move rate used between cuts. By default, speeds are measured in mm/sec, but for lower power diode lasers, this can be switched to mm/minute in the settings.

Max Power This indicates the maximum power percentage the laser will output during a cut.

Min Power For DSP devices (not GCode-based controllers), this is the minimum power percentage the laser will output during a cut. On Ruida machines, this setting is used when the machine slows down to change direction or make sharp corners. It should be set just above the threshold where the laser fires. Setting it equal to Max Power means the laser won’t adjust its power output with speed changes, resulting in lower cut quality, especially on thinner materials.

Note: Ruida controllers have a “Start Speed” value at which they start ramping power from Min to Max. Below this speed, only Min Power is used. For slow cuts, set Min and Max to the same value.

I am attaching a website where you can have much better understanding about the machine More about laser cutter settings

Speed : 35 mm/sec

Maximum Power: 65 % 

Minimum Power: 65 %

we have a chart in our lab put up by our lab instructor that gives us the power and speed readings for most of the materials

Assembly¶

The whole point of making the parametric kit is to make many things from one part so here are some hero shots on what I made with my kit!

Vinyl cutter - Making sticker for my book¶

It was the first time for me to use the Vinyl cutter ever so thought of putting in the love for my favourite sport here with the favourite thing I carry everywhere that is the making sticker about Cricket which I love a lot and for my skecthbook that I carry everywhere I go.

About machine¶

The machine we used for this vinyl cutting is GRAPHTEC Cutting Plotter CE7000. This is the machine we have in our lab,It was really new for us so even we were figuring stuff out about how to use it. This is how the machine looks like.

For my project, I used the Standard Cutting Blade. This blade is versatile and ideal for general-purpose cutting tasks. I primarily worked with vinyl and the standard cutting blade provided clean and precise cuts for these materials. Its general-purpose nature made it suitable for various designs, from simple shapes to more intricate patterns, ensuring the project was completed efficiently and accurately.

The parameters at which the vinyl cutter cuts are cutting Speed, cutting force, Blade offset and adjusting overcut.

Tools¶

Here is a list of tools that can be used with the GRAPHTEC Cutting Plotter CE7000:

Standard Cutting Blade (we used)
Kiss-Cut Blade
High-Force Blade
Pen Holder
Creasing Tool
Pouncing Tool
Fiber-Tip Pen
Blade Holder for Tangential Control
Rotary Blade

Below I have explained the parameters in detail so that it is easier to understand what parameter is applicable to what.

About The Tool¶

The tool that I hadve used is a standard cutting blade with an angle of 30 degrees. Using a 30-degree cutting tool offers significant advantages, particularly in precision and finish quality. This tool provides higher precision, making it ideal for intricate and detailed work, and its sharp angle allows for finer control, resulting in cleaner cuts. The lower cutting force reduces stress on materials, preventing damage to delicate or thin materials. Additionally, the sharper cutting edge ensures a smoother finish, enhancing the aesthetic quality of the cut. Its versatility across various materials, such as vinyl, paper, and thin plastics, makes the 30-degree cutting tool a valuable asset for diverse cutting applications.

Cutting Speed

Cutting speed refers to the rate at which the cutting blade moves along the material. Measured in millimeters per second (mm/sec), this parameter is crucial for achieving the right balance between cutting precision and efficiency. A higher cutting speed allows for faster production but may compromise the quality of cuts, especially with intricate designs or thicker materials. Conversely, a lower cutting speed ensures cleaner, more precise cuts, making it ideal for detailed or delicate work. Adjusting the cutting speed according to the material type and design complexity is essential for optimal performance.

Cutting Force

Cutting force, measured in gram-force (gf), is the downward pressure exerted by the blade onto the material. This parameter is vital for ensuring the blade cuts through the material cleanly without causing damage or incomplete cuts. A higher cutting force is necessary for thicker or tougher materials to penetrate effectively, while a lower force is suitable for thinner or more delicate materials to avoid tearing or excessive wear on the blade. Properly setting the cutting force ensures that the blade makes a complete cut through the material without unnecessary strain on the plotter or the blade.

Blade Offset

Blade offset is the distance between the tip of the blade and the center of the blade holder, typically measured in millimeters (mm). This parameter is critical for achieving accurate cuts, as it compensates for the blade’s tip being slightly off-center. Setting the correct blade offset ensures that the starting and ending points of a cut meet precisely, preventing gaps or overlaps in the design. The offset value varies depending on the type of blade used, so it’s important to follow the blade manufacturer’s recommendations to maintain cutting accuracy.

Adjusting Overcut

Adjusting overcut involves extending the cutting path slightly beyond the intended endpoint to ensure that corners and edges are fully cut through. This setting compensates for the blade’s offset and ensures that the cut lines intersect cleanly, preventing any uncut material at the corners. Overcut is particularly useful for achieving sharp, precise corners and is typically measured in millimeters (mm). By fine-tuning the overcut value based on the material thickness and design requirements, users can ensure that their cuts are complete and accurate, enhancing the overall quality of the finished product.

Now let me start with the process of vinyl cutting¶

I started Making file on the illustrator of a bat that is used to play cricket. Below is the file,

Next I Inserted the file in the vinyl cutter software that is Graphtech studio 2.0

Setting up the tool (blade)

The next step was to adjust the blade. Carefully insert the blade into the holder, ensuring that it is seated correctly and securely. Use the adjustment dial on the blade holder to set the blade depth; the blade should protrude only slightly, enough to cut through the vinyl but not the backing material. A good rule of thumb is to expose just the tip of the blade for thin materials and adjust slightly more for thicker materials. Once set, reinsert the blade holder into the plotter, ensuring it is firmly locked in place.