Parametric Construction Kit

After sketching out the cabinet portion of my final project, I had been working in fusion 360 to create a parametric design for my final project, and had hoped I could use it for this project.
I overcame many hurdles in fusion360 including:

1. My dimensions not working

   • I had used an undefined variable
   • set variables for parametric functions with "change parameters" in the modify menu. I was very excited about learning this as I typically draw out my designs parametrically, because my guesses on measurements are almost always wrong.

2. Remembering how the measurements of the pattern tool worked again.

   • I had written out a whole equation when learning the tutorial for making a handlebar grip.

3. Making a sketch on the correct surface

4. Remembering to create different components in the file

Unfortunatly, I was on a roll, and created my whole assembly in one component. I had remembered to label each sketch though.

After I watched Dr. Taylor's recommended youtube videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKoJa2913cQ, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGeL6ot2mZ0, and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhjdP1SLU-M, I came to the conclusion that I could export each sketch as a .dxf file. Then I could import those files as components in a new file. I had additional sections to add to this cabinet to make the full construction kit I hoped to make, and I had been researching living hinges which created another, hopefully better, way to make my cabinet.

By this point I was up against the deadline, and I had broken my gitlab so badly that my website disappeared. Mr. Dubick and Dr. Taylor worked with me to get my website up again, and clean up my files. I was also having trouble logging into Fusion360, and my corelDraw kept crashing.

Getting Help page

The assignment is to design, lasercut, and document a parametric construction kit, accounting for the lasercutter kerf, which can be assembled in multiple ways. While it would have been ideal to use this to create part of my final project, I thought it was more important to get something made meeting the requirements on time. I went with a simple desk organizer starting with a box assembled by sliding together. This was based off of the I had made in the past. In that project I had purchased the design, and tweaked it in corelDraw. I have since wished to make a smaller version for another project. So I thought it would be a good opportunity to make a box that could be altered for future projects. The problems I had next on this assignment continued:

1. I miss one constraint. As a result my first cut did not line up properly. I fixed this in corelDraw, and later in my fusion file.

2. I somehow removed the sketch dimension tool from the quick toolbar at the top of the page. I held the down my mouse a moment too long, and I saw the shortcut move, then disappear. I have not figured out how to get it back yet. Luckily the tool is in the pull down menu, and there is a shortcut control+D.

3. I made the double pieces by tracing over the earlier sketch in a new component. Then copy, pasting, and moving the new piece a distance of "width" to the side. I then deleted the overlapping piece. However, I ended up moving, and deleting part of the other sketch.

I didn't know it was possible to do this when I was not editing that sketch. I fixed this by moving the altered sketch, and drawing the missing lines. Then constraining it again.

1. One piece will not turn blue. I believe this means there is some constraint missing, but I cannot figure out where.

It can now be assembled in different ways, and because I accounted for the kerf in the different materials, the wood and cardboard pieces fit together. This also meant that the cardboard was too tight to fit with other cardboard pieces properly, but I wanted to test how different materials could fit together. Furthermore, I defined k as 1/2Kerf so that each cut needed to account for k. In the future I will define k as kerf. Since there were more instances of me having to use 2k than k, this definition will save reduce chances for error. I also added a laser engraving of my old bakery logo when in CorelDraw. I did not chamfer the joints, but I would like to explore different joint types in the future as time allows.

Cutting on the Epilog Laser Engraver

• Check to make sure the machine is turned on, and the vent fans are running
• Measure and place your material into the Epilog Laser Engraver
• Use clips to hold the material down, especially cardboard as our current batch at the lab is significantly bowed.
• Download your file onto the lab computer connected to the Engraver, and open it in CorelDraw
• Press print, it will send the file to the Epilog program
• Align your file on the material in the Epilog program
• Select the settings for your project according to the lab tested settings guide
• these settings were tested in the group project
• press print
• go to machine, focus the laser to your material by first moving the table down with align, jogging to where your cut will be on the material, and pressing the auto focus button or by doing it manually with the focusing tool that dangles from the front of the laser, and moving the bed up until it just touches.
• find your file in the machine queue, and press print
• watch the machine as it works, do not lean on the lid!
• stopping the machine lets the machine run through the current cut, emergency stop will fully stop the machine
• if the laser does not start, but the tool is moving, the likely problem is the sensor on the lid is messed up from people leaning on the lid
• wait until your cut is finished, and remove your materials, clean up, and put clips back into the clip pile on the side of the machine.

Final images:

Pastry Power desktop organizer from cardboard using settings 25f, 15s, 100p to cut and 300DPI, 100s, 25p for the engraving

Pastry Power desktop organizer from 1/8" wood using settings 10f, 8s, 100p to cut and 300DPI, 40s, 100p for the engraving

Final files:

desktop organizer Fusion360 file

desktop organizer corelDraw file

desktop organizer dxf