3. COMPUTER CONTROLLED CUTTING¶
Sunday 14/07/2024 - Thursday 18/07/2024
VINYL CUTTING
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Search for the image you want, you can visit this link to get the same image I chose.
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Download Cricut from this link and create an account. Then you can start your project by clicking on “New Project.”
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Here is the empty page to start creating or uploading images.
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I uploaded the image I saved earlier and then proceeded to cut it with the vinyl cutter
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I used a cutting mat to place a piece of adhesive vinyl in green, and taped it with transparent tape to make it rigid. Then, I removed the unwanted vinyl pieces to achieve the desired design. Unfortunately, I made a mistake while removing the peak, so I decided to reprint it separately. This time, I changed the peak to orange. Afterward, I used vinyl transfer tape to apply it to the surface of my bird’s nest box.
CHARACTERIZING - Tranparent Acrylic
FOCUS¶
POWER & SPEED¶
We picked random speed and power settings to test on a 1cm x 1cm square that we duplicated. We found that the best settings were 20 for speed and 65 for power. It was the fastest, and the piece fell out immediately.
KERF & JOINT CLEARANCE¶
To measure the kerf, we use calipers to find the difference between the shape created in the software and the cut piece. The difference between them is called the kerf, which indicates how much material is lost during the cutting process.
For the joint clearance, we conducted a test using a clearance test from this website.
The pictures below show the perfect joint.
PARAMETRIC PRESS-FIT CONSTRUCTION KIT
for my press-fit design, I got inspired by this digital art, the source will be in this link
This is the same design concept I made using cardstock to take measurements and understand how the design will be.
A sketch using PowerPoint and the measurements listed ( <6cm/3cm) because the CNC cutting machine burns the material and takes away some of it. Also, the cut holes loosen over time.
Here, I explain how to make a parametric design using Fusion.
The design I made using fusion
To download my design you can click here
The measurements for the cardboard kerf and joint clearance were taken from another group that conducted a test on cardboard, determining the thickness to be 1.6 mm.
The CNC machines use RDWorks software for laser cutting.
For our settings, we adjusted the power to 50% and the speed to 80 mm/s.
Here is my design on the software, along with the designs of my fellow trainees.
After assembling the parts together following the cutting process.
I painted the shape I created using acrylic paint. However, I don’t recommend using acrylic paint on cardboard, as it weakens the structure, making it prone to bending and damage. The joints were easier to fit before the paint; they were firm, and the measurements were suitable. Despite this, playing with the colors was an interesting experience. Next time, I might choose a different type of paint.
