8P7-X Carve

In this project there was not a huge step by step process, it took the most time just to figure out what my design would be. I wanted to make something for my Grandma for Christmas and show how good of a Grandma she was. I was eager to use the X carve machine so I designed a sign. After I used the Easel Inventables website to shared it with my teacher so It could be printed. Part of my design was way to intricate for the bits and the rest of the design was to deep to carve and it ended up having 3 bits broken. Me and my teacher thought about it and decided to print it on the Laser Cutter instead.

I learned a lot with this project. One thing was how to use the program Easel, they have a very easy way to design a carve. I learned how to send that design to my teacher and watch it get uploaded to the X-Carve machine. Before the design could print I had to clamp down the piece of wood that I brought in so I also learned how that worked. When we started the carve the machine made an indent that was clearly not in my design, and after a few tries I learned it wasn't working because the design was to small. However the design is not to small for the Laser cutter which I also now know that the Laser cutter is more accurate than the X-Carve.

Of the 7 standards that Michigan Integrated Technology Competencies for Students has set (Empowered Learner, Digital Citizen, Knowledge Constructor, Innovative Designer, Computational Thinker, Creative Communicator, and Global Collaborator) my project best ties to Computational Thinker. I think my project best ties to Computational Thinker because I had to problem solve through my project to come up with the best design. I had to think of a solution to my design being to small for the X-Carve. With the help of my teacher I decided that the Laser Cutter is better suited for my print. My project connects with Computation Thinker in other ways, such as I used technological tools to make this design and I understand how the mechanics of the Laser Cutter are better able to make smaller indents than the X-Carve.

A challenge that I overcame in this project was that my design was in cursive and the X-Carve could not carve the letters. I first thought my design was not printing correctly because I had some fancy swooshes on the top, but even with those removed the design still only half printed. The way that the X-Carve works is there is the machine itself that allows the bit holder to move right or left and up or down. Then there is the bit, there are multiple bit sizes you can use however even the smallest bit was not working for my design. To overcome this problem I will send it to the Laser Cutter to be carved there instead.

If I had a chance to redo this project, I would make sure it could be carved on the X-Carve. I would make the letters bigger, even if that means a bigger board. I would not make the cuts so deep so that no more bits break. If I could do this project again I would not make a sign for my grandma because once this project is done she will have a sign so I will try some other designs.

The Hastings High School Career and Technical Education Program offers Agriculture, Business Management, Computer Programming, Construction Trades, Culinary Arts, Digital Multimedia, Engineering Design, Finance, Insurance, and Marketing, my project ties to Computer Programming. With an X-Carve you can start your own business making, cabinets, signs, toys, and furniture.