Week 1 - Journal

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)

Are you a bookworm?

Is there anything worse than folding the paper’s end?

It’s not even an option nor an open discussion.

I thought of trying to make my own unique bookmark.

I actually made it for my mom because she likes small, cute things, and I decided to use it for the 3D printing assignment.

I chose the butterfly because it has a nice shape, and it actually looks just perfect !

For the laser cutting assignment, I didn’t have anything in mind,

so here we go again — why not choose something my mom loves and make it for her?

The horse is one of the most significant things she likes; it feels like it can express her or represent her in some way.

I searched and found this nice wall decoration.

Is this the final product? Did it turn out well?

Wait for me to tell you the journey in the sections below! 😁

Tool Chain

Which software/machines/materials did you use in the assignment? Why?

For the 3D Printing:

Software Used: Ultimaker Cura
Printer Model: Prusa i3 MK3/MK3S
Material Used: PLA filament

I started by using the slicing software to generate the G-code, then printed the model using PLA filament.

For Laser Cutting

Software Used: RDWorks
Printer Model: El Malky ML149 CO₂ Laser Cutter
Material Used: 3mm Plywood

I used RDWorks to modify the dxf file sending file to El Malky Laser Cutter and using 3mm Plywood for the materia.

Design/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?

For the butterfly bookmark, I started by searching for some designs to choose from on Thingiverse, where I actually found some interesting ones with cool shapes that weren’t too complicated.

Once I found the design I wanted, I downloaded the STL file and edited it in Cura, resizing it to fit the dimensions I had in mind. There was no need for supports—I only used adhesion since the design was quite small and there was little risk of the project failing. Finally, I saved my modifications as a G-code file.

For my horse, I started with 3axis to look for designs, and I found this wall decoration horse. I decided to turn it into a keychain instead of a wall decoration—saving wood 😁.

I downloaded the DXF file, then started changing the dimensions and adding my finishing touches.

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?

For the fabrication, I began by heating the bed for 3D printing , adding my file to the SD card, putting it back in, selecting my file, and starting the print.

And if you think that’s it… NOOOOT YEEEET! I had to stand next to the machine for the first couple of layers to make sure everything was working exactly as it was supposed to.

Following first levels.mp4

For the fabrication, I began by heating the bed for 3D printing , adding my file to the SD card, putting it back in, selecting my file, and starting the print.

When implementing, I started by resizing the horse on RDWorks. I didn’t really imagine the exact size I wanted it to be, so I just made something approximate and added a small circle at the top for the keychain.

Before starting, I modified the colors, specified the cut and scan settings, adjusted the speed, and changed the parameters. Then I saved it to the machine.

I started working with the laser cutting machine by turning it on using the big green button.

Then I chose my file, used the arrow keys to decide where to start on the wooden plate, and used the frame function to check that the whole design fit on the plate.

After that, I adjusted the laser orientation and pressed “pulse” to make sure everything was good to start.

And hereeee is my surviving horse—finally brought to life and ready for hard work and his new journey!

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?

Since I decided the height was too small, I unchecked the uniform scaling so I could make the height a little bigger, so it wouldn’t break. Although, when I did this, it wasn’t very user-friendly—it became so thick that it could actually rip some papers. To solve this, it’s better to just leave the uniform scaling as it is.

And as a general piece of advice: if you have a ready-made design that’s already been tested before, it’s usually safe to use their scaling. Just trust the process, even if you think it’s too thick—like in my case.

I just tried to approximate the size as much as possible, but it turned out to be very tiny—even for a keychain.

Maybe I didn’t consider that the tail and head were taking up part of the dimensions, not just the body.

To overcome this problem, we can simply resize it in RDWorks.

I didn’t really check the pulse either. I put the circular wood piece in and thought, “Ooh, it looks perfect!” But when I started, it didn’t cut at first. Then someone told me I needed to check it by opening the side panel every time and letting the laser handle go down each time.

I followed this process, and this time, the design actually came out of the wooden plate.

Final Project

How can you use the skills and knowledge that you've acquired this week in your final project?

I can use it by mixing the techniques I learned from the 3D printer and the laser cutting machine to create a product with a nice combination of wood and plastic.