`

Computer Controlled Cutting

Design and make a corrugated cardboard press-fit construction kit. The week started with understanding how a drawing software interfaces to a cutting machine. From either the vectors or the rasters created with the CAD tool, a text file is generated where the movements of the machine are coded. Formats differ quite a lot, and some need a proprietary software to be generated. In sequence, this page reports the work I did with the vinyl cutter and the laser cutter. Included the design files and photos of the finished projects.
First I had to understand What Parametric designs are and I found out it is a process based on algorithmic thinking that enables the expression of parameters and rules that, together, define, encode and clarify the relationship between design intent and design response In Brief:It is a way to make all dimensions in the design related having algorithmic ratios so that when you change one dimension others will also change accordingly. Designing the parametric parts into Solidworks This step I am setting "t" as a variable of any distance I might need to add in my sketch and this second step I am setting the ratio that all distances shall be multiplied to>

At this stage if I designed 1 inner part at each side that width and length so the role of parametric design if I changed one length at one side its width would automatically change with the given ratio and also the other parameters on the other sides could also change easily

Setting the Power to use on a laser cutter

After importing the solidworks designs saved in .DXF in Coral draw.I wanted to print using Epilog Mini laser cutter. In particular with you have to be carefull since more power can burn it and also less power could result in not cutting,so you have to be careful with power and speed.

  • In this case i decided to use a speed of 14% and a power of 100%

    • Since it's a 3mm thickness Mdf I was using i had to use less speed and high power so as not to burn out the cardboard and the same time to ensure that it did the cutting

    After cutting the parts I assembled them trying to find a concrete form it would have!So I made form of an architectural house.

    First form of House

    Side View of assembly1 2nd form of Airplane

    Front View

    Laser Cutter details

    Schematic of the laser cutter we use Its parametric The settings indicated to successfully engrave(raster) or cut(vector) on various materials A schematic of how it is.

    VINLY CUTTER

    With Vinly cutter I imported 2 images one of a full satellite and one of an antenna that symbolises a groundstation which i downloaded on google,Then I imported them into CutStudio and cut it.After I rubbed it on my computer for it to stick well.

    Roland CAMM-1SERVO Vinyl cutter

    Imported Pictures into CutStudio

    Cutstudio interface

    Adjusting the sticker in the Roland CAMM-1SERVO

    So about taping I added a masking sheet on the sticker and rubbed it gently so that the cut parts may stick to it and be also be gently rubbed to the back of my computer at their turn.

    I had no problem rubbing it so I think taping on a masking sheet is a good way to apply your stickers.

    Roland CAMM-1SERVO Vinyl cutter

    Final Result

    Some details about Vinyl cutter

    Its Mechanical Resolution is 0.0005”,its Cutting speeds up to 20 inches per second and also its power Max down force of 250 grams

    Challenges I met

    The challenge I met was I sometimes failed to adjust the nozzle and it would sometimes cut from a lower depth and damage the sticker or it would not cut because I didn,t well adjust te nozzle.

    The other problem was the resolution of the images I was importing when it was lower than 96dpi it couldn't be imported.