Computer Controlled Machining

I want to use the techniques learnt this week to prototype my Fan Man (Electric Fan with Human Form). My plan was to build the torso part first and then other parts in coming weeks.

I did the design in Solidworks. I sketched each layer invidually and kept re-designing so as to get a nice-looking curvature. I'm new to Solidworks so this really took me a lot of time... Actually after getting this done my friend told me that it would probably be easier if I design the whole shape as a solid model first and then turn that into waffle structure by using Rhino and Grasshopper. I will test with that next time. Also after my experiments with OSB, the best width for the press-fit slot would be 0.42".

I then exported each surface as a .dxf file then went to the SHOP and imported them into PartWorks. It brought me some frustrations initially because PartWorks kept telling me some of my shapes are open vectors and hence the tool path cannot be calculated. Yet I checked the shapes very carefully and couldn't find a gap. Eventually I found that the way to fix this is to use the "Close Vectors" under the Edit menu.

I added the T-Bone fillets with the radius of 0.19". The end mill was 0.25" and it was suggested that the radius should be half of that (0.125"). But in my experiment, fillet with 0.125" is too small...

Then I loaded the file from PartWorks into ShopBot and the machine started cutting.

It took around 35 minutes to complete the cutting. I labelled each part with a specific code so that assembling would be much easier.

Assembling was ok but I wouldn't say it's easy. The surface of the OSB is very rough and it really took some effots to push the wood pieces into the slots. I had to be careful not breaking them too.

Finally after some sanding the work is finished.