Computer Controlled Cutting

As per our assignment for week 3 in Fablab, I was asked to learn some tools for creating a stickers and objects through laser cutting. The idea is to know create a design for my final project.

Vinyl Cutting

Using a online program called Inskcape to develop a logo or picture to turn it into a sticker.

What is Inkscape

Inkscape is professional quality vector graphics software which runs on Windows, Mac OS X and GNU/Linux. It is used by design professionals and hobbyists worldwide, for creating a wide variety of graphics such as illustrations, icons, logos, diagrams, maps and web graphics. Inkscape has sophisticated drawing tools with capabilities comparable to Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW and Xara Xtreme. It can import and export various file formats, including SVG, AI, EPS, PDF, PS and PNG. It has a comprehensive feaature set, a simple face, multi-lingual support and is designed to be extensible; users can customize Inkscape's functionality with add ons.

Printing My Stickers

by using a printer called Cameo we developed our own sticker

Cameo:

A vinyl cutter which the one were using is called "Silhouette Cameo"is a type of computer-controlled machine with a small cutters that look like a regular printer. The computer controls the movement of a sharp cutter and the material that you need to cut . For this week we are to use the vinyl cutter to make our own sticker

First We have to "Power On" the Machine using the button in Right side and it is connected to the PC via USB cable in which silhouette Studio is installed.

Secondly, Load the cutting blade to the machine after pulling the knob to open the slot.After placing the blade, Close the knob

Using Inskshape I created a simple logo for my sticker using "text" tool.

After making the logo and Cameo already set up then we upload the picture in the Vinyl cutter. As seen in the picture above my logo is printout

I started peeling the logo from the sticker. I made more than one sticker due some error when I peeling the sticker.

Finally I peeled corrctly:

Using transfer tape, I took the design out then o paste it in a white paper

. My final result of the sticker:

Laser Cutting

Laser cutting is a technology that uses a laser to cut materials, and is typically used for industrial manufacturing applications. Laser cutting works by directing the output of a high-power laser most commonly through optics. The laser optics and CNC (computer numerical control) are used to direct the material or the laser beam generated.

the laser cutter were using in fablab kuwait

The laser cutter have an emergency switch button, on/off switch and coordinates x,y and z to test/ move the cutter as we please. We upload the file in the laser system to shape the palstic material as in design.

Onshape:

These are the tool on onshape to create any design

I clicked on sketch and a choosed a circle shape to start designing my shape. Then I used "trim" tool to cut the egdes.

I started working on Onshape for designing a shape for my laser cutting machine and transform and save as DXF.

my logo is below link laser design dxf



Removing the paper away from the plastic surounding my design


My Final Result: