Project 5

MAS.863 Computer Controlled Machining

CNC Milling

We cut out our designes from cheap, sturdy Oriented Strand Board. I decided to make a minimal bed frame, to protect from flooding.

  • Task: Make something big.
  • Tools: MakerBot Milling Machine

Design was in SOLIDWORKS. Again, I used parametric design.

Bed frame assembly
Here's the SOLIDWORKS model.
Big material rebuild
Just to demonstrate the parametric model, here's a rebuild with unrealistically thick material--all the geometry still works out for assembly.
Milling
The ShopBot at work...
Laying out parts
All parts accounted for.

Note the T-bone extensions on each of the slots designed to accept a tab. Without these T-bones, the tool would not be able to mill the corners of the (exactly sized) slots, and the pieces would not fit all the way together.

T-bone detail
T-bones allow enough room for corner-mating parts to fit together.
Gluing
Fully assembled, waiting for glue to dry.

Glue holds the outside edges onto the large rectangular frame, but the fit at the joints was tight enough that the whole assembly can be broken down in less than a minute into a flat-pack configuration for transportation.

That's how I got it home. At time of writing, it's my bed frame!