06 Week
This week our assignment was to make something big using the CNC machines. For my assignment, I downloaded a set from opendesk.cc. I liked the small childrens’ set because I could make a plant stand and an accent table quite easily. The process of setting up the files was a bit challenging, since they come set up in a very specific way and for a different thickness of wood (which I did not realize until later). I made several mistakes when setting up the file, that I was able to troubleshoot with some help, which I will address here.
First, during the set up process, I missed a crucial step which is adjusting the notches of the legs for the thickness of the chip board we are using (1/2 inch) before loading into the program. I ended up using hardware to fix it. Overall, I followed the steps as shown in the tutorial, and with the help of my partner we were able to set up my board and program pretty closely. However when It came time to start the actual cutting, I ran into a potentially dangerous issue. I kept getting the following message on the screen after the machine shut down with a loud bang.
I tried resetting the computer, the CNC computer, lightly twisting the emergency stop button, and ran through the issue with several people. John helped me the next day, and it turned out there was an offset that was throwing off my paths, and causing the machine to veer off. If you run into this issue make sure there aren't any goofy OFFSETS throwing off your paths. Tom helped me set my file correctly as well, and add tabs to the tool path for easier removal from the bed.
In the middle of cutting, we ran into another issue, this time with the machine/computer. It would suddenly STOP in the middle of cutting some of my profile paths. A solution as coming from the TA was to take a picture of the line of code where it stopped AND the X,Y axis location. This allows you to manually input where the computer left off, as opposed to just telling it to start on the last line of code. This could potentially damage your board or cause the job to restart from line 0001 for no reason.
This is the XYZ
This is the line of code where it left off:
And the following is the dialogue box where it can be input. I believe the XY axis was moved with the yellow keyboard. Its basically assisting the machine to be as close as possible to where it left off, therefore minimizing any potential damage to your wood.
After this the cutting went pretty smoothly, it definitely helped to have people available. My advice is to just ask. I know it seems daunting to do so late in the day, but it's better to be a bit late than unsafe and put yourself at danger.
At this point is where I realized I made the mistake of the width. I ended up adding 3 screws to the top of the coffee table and the plant stand to support it. However, if you print double legs on the CNC, you could double it and glue it later, and it would perfectly fit into the slots.
I sanded the parts well, added a coat of primer and a top coat in charcoal grey. Even though I didn't design these pieces I was quite happy to be able to make something with my little experience. I'm excited to get a plant baby to put on the cute plant stand / kid's stool.
