The assignment of this week is to prepare two files. one for laser cutting and the other for 3D printing.
I saw many objects on Thingiverse library for the 3D printing and 3axis library for dxf files for laser cutting.
The idea of the 3D printing object is to get an object from online source library in the form of STL file. I chose a paste pusher 3D printing. The printing process must not take more than one and half hour.
The idea of the laser
Paste pusher 3D printing
Cartoon character for Laser cutting
For 3D printing
Software: Ultimaker Cura
Machine: Prusa i3 mk2 3D printer
Material: PLA
Cura software for 3D printing
Prusa i3 mk2
PLA material for 3D printing
For laser cutting
Software: LaserWork
Machine: Morn MT3050D Laser Cutter
Material: Wood
LaserWork software for lasercutting
Morn MT3050D Laser Cutter
3mm Wood used in Lasercutting
Settings on Cura
For 3D printing:
I downloaded an STL file from Thingverse library.
Open it from Cura from file >> open.
I have changed the dimensions to fit the limitations required.
I did not use the support option as the object did not require support.
Then I clicked on slice, it shows that the part will take 34 minutes and 5g.
I clicked on save to disk button to save the gcode of the part.
The part with the dimensions
This is the slice on cura for paste pusher. The infill is 10%, with support, no adhesion and layer height 0.2mm.
Settings on LaserWork
For laser cutting:
I downloaded a DXF file from Thingverse library.
Open it from LaserWorks from file >> Import.
I have determined the parts will be cut, graved and marked.
The lines in black is for cut, red lines for grave and blue lines is for marking.
The black lines are cut at speed 25 and power 60, Red lines at speed 300 and power 25 and blue lines at speed 300 and power 20.
Save in .rld file.
The part with the dimensions
For the 3D printing:
I entered the design on cura. Then I set the setting for the shape. I set the infill with 10% with supports and 0.3 mm layer height. Then the specialist helped me to check the parameters again. Then I sliced the shape it took 30 minutes and 5g. Then I get the gcode for the object then upload it on the memory of the machine. I entered the memory card and selected the program then the program started.
For the Laser cutting:
I enter the design on RDworks. I started to set the settings of the shape. I decided to do 3 operations cut, speed cut and grave. Then the specialist connected the PC to the laser cutter machine to upload the file.
Settings on LaserWork
Smurfs medal and paste pusher
At the 3D printing, the paste pusher stl file was not prepared very well as the height of the pusher was too small and the size was too big for the assignment requirements.
The instructor advised me to change the height and to rescale the size to be smaller.
The rescaling of the paste pusher lead to that it is not fitted to all paste sizes only the small sizes.
The height in the z axis was too low so I unchecked the uniform scaling box. I changed the height in z axis to be 10mm and changed the length in x and y from the arrows on the object so the time and grams change.
Before editing
After editing
This photos prove that the paste pusher cannot fit all the pastes' sizes. This was necessary to fit the assignment requirements.
I will design the shape of the project and use these steps for the final product.
I learned how to use the machines by myself. Coolest thing is the specialists in the lab are very helpful and learned me how to use the machines and to do all the steps by myself.
This dinosaur we made as an activity. We faced a problem that there is voids between the layers but this is due to the the layer height.