Introduction

In this week focused on 2D and 3D modeling, the basics of new modeling were learned.

Computer-Controlled Cutting

This week, we worked on cutting a design in vinyl and laser cutting using the ScanNCut SDX225, a cutting plotter from Brother that features a built-in scanner. This machine allows us to cut a variety of materials such as paper, cardstock, vinyl, and fabric, making it ideal for crafting and business projects. We took into account the kerf, which is the amount of material lost due to the thickness of the laser.

In the case of vinyl cutting, a blade was used to make the cuts, ensuring precision in the design contours. The process of measurement and calibration was carried out to achieve precise and high-quality cuts in both methods.

Vinyl Cutting

To create the design, the software Inkscape was used to obtain an SVG file for the vinyl cutter.

To create the design, I searched for an image of a headphone drawing to use as a guide. Inkscape allows the use of layers, so you can use a background image as a guide.

Creating the Design

To recreate the design, I created two arcs and removed the inner part. The inner arc should be smaller. Then, by selecting the nodes at the ends and using the node editing tool, I joined the ends to obtain the following image.

Adding Details

To create the next figure, we can use the rectangle tool and curve the edges to simulate the connection of the headphones.

Finally, for the lower part of the headphones, you can use the rectangle tool and curve the edges. Then, with the ellipse tool, create 3 closed segments and join them to the rectangle to form the headphone part. Using the duplicate tool, place the last set on the other side by rotating it.

This would be the result, and the file should be saved in SVG format so that the machine can recognize it.

Steps to Use the Cutter

Initial Setup

Turn On/Off: To power the machine, press the power button.

Start the Machine: Press the "home" button to access the home screen.

Load/Unload the Cutting Mat

Load Files

Edit Files

Once all settings are configured, select "continue" to start the cutting process.

The final drawing produced by the machine is shown below:

Laser Cutting

For the second part of the task, my idea was to create the skeleton of a dinosaur. To get a base idea, I searched for dinosaur puzzle ideas on Pinterest and used the image as a background guide in Fusion, using the sketch tool with lines and curves.

In Fusion 360, go to the "Insert" tab and select "Canvas", then select the plane and load the dinosaur skeleton image. Adjust the size and position of the image to fit your workspace.

In this image, you can see an example. The idea is to follow the same procedure with each of the bones in the base image. For larger parts, it's better to mentally divide the bone into two parts to make drawing easier.

Once we have a base to work on, it's necessary to use other tools to minimize errors, starting with using Fusion's constraints. We used the parallel function to find symmetry for the joint spaces, and based on the kerf tests, it was determined that a good joint space is 2.28mm.

To create the dinosaur's spine, one way is to use Fusion's scale tool, selecting a piece, such as a vertebra, and adjusting it to be smaller or larger. Then, adjust the joint space to 2.28mm to ensure a proper fit.

To make it parametric, it's necessary to avoid this adjustment always. One test to perform is to use the scale function on the entire design and observe how the different pieces behave. Another idea is to perform this scaling while keeping the 2.28mm parameter constant to ensure the joints.

Finally, the idea of creating a base is to make two configurations where the dinosaur skeleton is the same, but we can interchange some pieces, such as the head, to have different dinosaurs.

Problems with the Laser Cutter

The first issue was that the software for the laser cutter wouldn't install correctly on my computer, and I received the following message.

Once I managed to use the software on another computer and convert my files to the required format, the laser cutter did not recognize my file.

This problem was solved by using another computer and formatting the USB drive so that it could read my file correctly. Once the issue was resolved, the laser cutting work began, a crucial step in the process of creating the dinosaur skeleton.

The final result was satisfactory, successfully obtaining the pieces of the dinosaur skeleton with precision and quality. Each component was meticulously cut, ensuring that they fit perfectly together. This process not only required attention to detail but also careful planning to ensure that all pieces were functional and aesthetically pleasing.

In the end, the pieces were ready to be assembled, allowing me to visualize the complete dinosaur skeleton. This project not only taught me about the use of laser cutting technology but also provided me with valuable experience in troubleshooting technical issues