15. Wildcard Week!¶
Introduction¶
Welcome to the Wildcard Week!! The weeks are just flying so fast, it seems that it was just a few days back when neil introduced us and welcomed us to the cousre. In this week we had to try out any machine that is controlled with a computer but not the ones that we have used over and in the course structure.
Processess attempted¶
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Metal Lazer Cutting
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Metal Etching
What to Make!¶
I always wanted to make something in metal, always wanted to do something in metal either manually or with the machines, even in the machining week one side of the mount I had made with cutting a sheet of metal manually. I want to make a dog tag to gift my friends as I was unable to go their birthday this year because of some personal issues I had, was really sad about it and was actually planning to gift them something, It clicked me that they both like chains and even wear chains when we go out for a party. So thought of making Dog Tags which are in fashion right now and it is made using stainless stell so it did tick off the boxes for the week and I got the gift ready as well!
If you dont know what dog tags are here is an image of it!
Metal Laser cutting¶
We dont have a metal laser cutting machine inhouse so we went to a place in mumbai itself. We had already visited before in one of our modules in college, We called up the owner before going there for knowing what the rates are he was very genrous and said that we dont charge college students for their projects, He is really good even told us a lot of things about the machine as well.
We asked him the file format he will need for the machine as its a 2D thing he said even a dxf is fine, I made a quick dxf file for the dog tags just the shape of the dogtag that I wanted and rushed to his shop.
Here is the screenshot of my illustrator file
The Metal Lazer Machine
Got some information about the machine
Kerf for the metal lazer cutter - 0.2mm
Smallest part that can be cut for SS (Stainless steel)- 0.5mm to 8mm
Smallest part that can be cut for MS (mild steel)- 0.5mm to 16mm
There are different nozzeles for different materials, MS has different nozzle and SS has different nozzles. have clicked the photos of the nozzles as well.
Process¶
Once the Dxf file is done he uploaded the file in thee machine software, dont exactly know the name of the software but it give you an outline of the bed on the screen, the same as it happens in RD works (normal lazer cutter). couldnt get the screenshots of the software but have taken pictures of the screen.
there are two files he has added here one file is of Himanshi Jain who is also my batchmate in doing this fab academy course, who has also made something with metal lazer cutter (do check her page out!)
then the next step was to set up the material on the bed of the lazer cutter, we used 0.2mm Stainless steel the owner was so helpful he even gave us the material he had a piece in his scrap which he gave us to use.
The next step we did was to set up the speed and power for the lazer, I found 2 things very interesting here the speed is set normally that we set in our regular laser cutter but the power here is set through percentage of gas provided and type of gas. There are two types of gases used for the power of laser one is Oxygen what oxygen does is it leaves black residue on the material and the quality is not that good. The second gas used for the power is Nitrogen it does not leave any residue on the material and the quality of the cut is really good. I have clicked a picture for the settings of the cut below
The next step is to set origin on the material that we have placed on the laser bed. It is done with the help of a red laser pointer that comes through the nozzel.
as we see here with the help of the red dot we can set the origin. The next step is check the frame before we cut, like we normally do on our laser cutter.
The final step CUT CUT CUT!¶
took a timelapse of the cutting have added it as a gif
The Final Cut Piece¶
Metal etching¶
About the Machine¶
In our lab we have the machine for metal etching, it was perfect to make the customized dog tag for my friends, I had never used it personally but was really easy to use as it is just more or less same as the laser cutter that we use in our lab, just the difference of the software and some settings (tbh all machines work that way xd).
Below are the specifications of the machines.
first I made the file for etching in illustrator as the software requires a dxf file
The software that is used for the machine to feed data is Samlite which was also very easy to use the interface was really easy to get things done. I opened my dxf file on the software.
then ungrouped and removed all the unwanted things that I did not need to be engraved on the dog tags
The next step was to set the speed power and frequency as the etching works on frequency of the materials.
After setting up the speed power and frequency we place the material inside and calibrate where the material is with the callibration rod in the machine itself
after we place the material we turn on the pointer that frames the part that it is going to get engraved
once the pointer is placed just press start the mark on the software and done it starts engraving.
Here is the final product ready now that I’m going to gift my friends! Enjoy some Hero shots!
