Skip to content

3.Computer controlled cutting

This week I worked on three types of cutting:

1- Laser cutting (group work)

2- Laser cutting(My own design)

3- Vinyl Cutting Machine(Sticker)

In every operation the most important thing is personal safety,There are some safety measures to take when you want to use the laser cutter,such as:

1- Ensure that the machine cover is closed before starting the cutting process.

2- Staying at a safe distance.

3- If any error or fire happen, the machine must be stopped immediately by pressing the stop button.

Press fit

Press fit is a method of fastening two components together by using friction. This is achieved by designing one part to be slightly larger than the hole into which it is inserted. When the larger part is pressed into the smaller hole, the resulting friction between the surfaces creates a tight and secure connection without the need for adhesives, welding, or additional fasteners. This method is commonly used in mechanical engineering and manufacturing for assembling components such as gears, bearings, and dowel pins, ensuring a strong, reliable fit that can withstand significant loads and stresses.

Parametric design

Parametric design is algorithmic a process that uses thinking to enable the expression If parameters and rules that, in turn, define and clarify the relationship between design intent and design response.This method allows designers to use parameters, such as dimensions, material properties, or performance criteria, to generate a wide array of possible solutions through computational means. By adjusting these parameters, designers can quickly iterate through various design alternatives, leading to innovative and efficient outcomes that might be difficult to achieve through traditional design methods.

Cuttel

  • go to project on the left side of the screen
  • click on the plus sign to add a parameter and name it
  • when editting size, write the parameter’s name

Fusion360

  • go to modify >>> click on >>> plus sign >>> add parameter
  • after drowing, go to creat >>> dimantion choose >>> write parameter’s name.

Examples

1- Furniture Assembly: Many flat-pack furniture pieces use wooden dowels that are press-fitted into pre-drilled holes to join parts together without screws or nails. 2- Automotive Components: Parts such as wheel bearings are press-fitted into hubs, ensuring a secure and precise fit essential for the vehicle’s performance and safety. 3- Electronic Connectors: Many electrical connectors use press fit pins to secure the connection between the connector and the printed circuit board (PCB), providing reliable electrical contact without soldering•

Vinyl Cutting

In this assignment, I used Silhouette Cameo. It has great features like touch screen, its settings doesn’t depend on material and you can cut electronics board. One drawback, the software took along time to download it.

  • Download Silhouette Studio

  • Open .png file

  • Go to Trace >>> select & adjest >>> click on trace

  • Press Load cut mat & put the mat in the right place

  • change the cutting head

  • Go to send >>> Line >>> change material >>> connect through USB >>> send

Important steps

1- cute the paper

2- Fixing paper to the board

3- put the paper inside the printer

4- take the part which we want

Preview

Saftey rules

  • make sure nothing is behind and front the cutting machine
  • Don’t put your hand inside the machine while cutting

Laser Cutting with Cardboard

Individual assignment

1- First I made the design in Cuttle.

2- Put the design in the computer and select the power and the speed.

3- Take the origin point and check the frame of the design and start using this board.

4-Now this video shows how the cutting process is done

5- in this step I take my part As you can see in the picture below.

6- Finally,I put the parts together.

Group Assignment

Laser cutting machine

1- It is a large, advanced machine that use a two laser tubes directed to create X shape to make a cut through material or graving.

2- Here you can see Ali al-jeshi using the computer to put the required parameter for the cut we want.

3- As we can see in the screen over here, we can choose multiple colors that can represent a setting group that we can use on multiple or singular shape with other groups that carry deferent settings.

4- As shown in the picture we are controlling the speed and the power to test and see the effect and find the best setting for acrylic.

5- Before starting to cut the provided data we will do a line test on a small piece to find the focal point by drawing a line in the computer and putting the object on an angle and start the cut.

6- After that and back to the previous example we can use this controller to move the laser head and start a new origin point to make a cut on deferent points on the board, you can click on frame to see the laser movement and to make sure that the laser is on perfect hight to get perfect strength we use a small lego peace that we put under the laser gun exactly to make sure we are on the required Z.

7- The result (Based on the speed / power for each color that we changed)

8- We conclude that the best cut for acrylic is speed=20 , power=65


Last update: August 5, 2024