Week 2: 2D Press Fit

This is my first use of the lasercutter. I used AutoCAD to create these patterns. (That is the one program I am very proficient in, since I've been using it every day for the past four years.) Ultimately I hope to make a single pattern for my "leaf" that would accomodate a PV cell and some folding, which can attach to the adjacent piece. But in this assignment I started making spherical voids in a matrix.

Photos of finished product

What I Noticed:

I found that the cardboard I used was forgiving enough for me not to need any chamfers. But I do think I didn't offset the notches enough-- when all four notches are filled the piece becomes difficult to fit. I tried to re-cut but adjusted the speed to 20 (from 15) and then two passes were not enough. (The power was set at 75%.) Then I ran out of time on the machine. I also wanted to do a fold. I was planning to do one pass with the dashed line and then change those lines to solid on the second pass. Again, the change in speed to 20 messed that plan up. Also, I do not like the smell.