Week # 1
Ideation
Tell us about your assignment's idea for this week. Why do you care about this idea? What inspired you? (Please include images or links to sources of inspiration)
This week's assignment was to prepare design files and fabricate models of our choice using 3D Printing and Laser Cutting
we have to follow these steps:
Browse an opensource CAD library to chose and download the .dxf file for laser cutting, and .stl for 3D Printing
Use the suitable Software for each task to prepare the files and save them in a proper format for the 3D printer and the Laser Cutting Machine after going through some videos descripting the general and main points to do so and also reading the manuals for using each machine
Finally we have to finish the task by solely use the 3D printing machine to print the model with a proper quality without exceeding 90 minutes of printing, and also use the laser cutting machine to cut / engrave the model with proper quality
first I explored the internet for opensource websites with free .stl and .dxf files suitable for the task's requirements, and I found many useful resources besides the ones already mentioned by the instructors, some of them are below, I got excited about many complex designs, but I had to go with simple ones to full fill the requirements
Tool Chain
Which software/machines/materials did you use in the assignment? Why?
For laser cutting task we used "LaserWork" software to prepare the .dxf file according to the required dimensions and position on the cutting area and to convert the file to the required format for the laser cutting machine
the material used was 3 mm wooden sheets
Morn MT3050D CO2 Laser Cutter
For the 3D printing task we used "Ultimaker Cura" software to prepare the .stl file according to the suitable scale and printing parameter to fulfill the printing time limit and to convert the file to the required format for the 3D printer
the material used was Filament PLA 1.75 mm
PRUSA i3 MK2 3D Printer
Preparation Process
Explain the design and/or preparation process of your assignment. How did you use the tool or software to design and/or prepare your assignment before fabrication/implementation?
Far the laser cutting task I followed these steps:
Downloaded a car design .dxf file that I found to be nice
Imported the file to the LaserWorks
Changed the scale of the design by changing the X dimension to match 13 cm after locking the ratio between X & Y, and changed the position of the design on the cutting area to the top left side
Chose the shapes that I want to cut and the areas I want to engrave and assigned each of them to different layers
Set the speed and power properties for each layer according to the machine's recommended settings with the wooden sheets
Finally I I saved the file as .rdl format to be ready for the machine
Far the 3D Printing task I followed these steps:
Downloaded a gear design .stl file
Opened the file by the Ultimaker Cura
Tried slicing with the default printing parameter of 0.3 profile, 10% infill, and without supports or adhesion as the design already has an adequate surface area and well balanced, and that resulted in a printing d time of 104 min and 16 gm which exceeding the task time limit of 90 min
So I started decreasing the gear's dimensions to 45 x 45 x 15 mm and it resulted in a printing time of 55 min and 12 gm
Finally I saved the file as .gcode format to be ready for the machine
Development/Implementation Process
Explain the development/implementation process of your assignment. How did you use the machine/tool to manufacture or implement the design of your assignment?
Far the laser cutting process I followed these steps:
opened the .rdl file on the computer connected to the laser cutting machine
the lab specialist readjusted the cutting parameters to 75% power and 15 speed for the best outcome, then downloaded the file to the machine
then I turned on the machine and exhaust fan
put the wooden sheet in the location, and adjusted the focal of the laser
selected the file and tried Track Frame
then fixed the sheet it it's position using tape, and started the cutting process
Far the 3D Printing process I followed these steps:
copied the file to the printer's SD card
turned on the printing machine and cleaned the printing surface
then selected the file and the lab specialist adjusted the heat to 215 for the best outcome, and started printing
The Final The Final Outcome
Community of Learning
Did you ask for feedback? What are the ideas that others have contributed or suggested? What was someone else’s idea that you built upon? How did you help your peers? How did your peers help you?
Overcoming Challenges
When you got stuck, what/who did you turn to? At what point did you have to pause to research or learn more before moving on? What are some mistakes, pitfalls, or challenges that others can avoid if they were doing this assignment?
for the 3D printing software it was obvious to find out the exact time and material needed for a job, but for laser cutting it wasn't clear to find the time needed to fabricate
After exploring other tabs and options of the software I found the Simulation tab which carried out this task simply by showing the time that will be used by the machine and also a real time simulation if needed, and the estimated time for my task was about 3 min
Final Project
How can you use the skills and knowledge that you've acquired this week in your final project?
WOW!
What is the coolest thing that you've learned this week? What is something that you will never forget from this week?
I found out during the laser task of Marrio, that I can't only change the laser speed and power for different finishing, but I can also change the scan mode and intervals for different outcomes and engraving direction on the finished product
I found out during the 3D Printing task of T-rix that different profile doesn't affect the printing weight but it affects the time, the thicker the profile the less time it takes,
also from different trials by other teams and by comparing the final products it was clear that the same product can be printed in different scale on the same duration mainly by changing the profile and the infill
scale 40% with 0.2 and 20% infill - 2g
scale 70% with 0.6 and 15% infill - 6g