Group Project
Launching GitLab
Vinyl and Laser Cutting
Finally! Something hands-on. Working digitally is satisfying in its way, and I've wrestled with and become functional in more new environments this week than I thought was possible in that time. Git/html/VSCode (html editor); FreeCAD, then OnShape. Inkscape. The lab itself.
Vinyl Cutter
I started with what I thought would be simple: the vinyl sticker. Monochrome, straightforward. I thought that I'd just run a photo through a bunch of filters in Inkscape - but it wasn't as effective as I'd hoped, or at least, I didn't know enough to do what I wanted. And I quickly grew frustrated trying to draw smooth shapes with a mouse. Why couldn't I just draw it? Well - why couldn't I? So I used a marker and a piece of paper, drew exactly what I wanted, and took a photo. Lesson One: Not everything has to be fancy. A sketch is a sketch is a sketch, no matter where you draw it. From there, to the bitmap image in Inkscape. Then to the vinyl cutter computer, and MODS. And the product: Later in the week I was able to make it in for the group project, characterizing the laser. I met up with Victoria, Lins, Soumya, and Jeremy to work on this. We each tried a few different variations. The first combs were good, but had some play in them still. The next group, myself included, took the best measurement (3.6) and added some decimal places. I narrowed my slots down to 3.62 for the first batch of cardboard, and that worked nicely; unfortunately, midway through the process we switched to a new board which was eeeever so slightly thicker. Alas! Noting that my cohort was running into issues at the corners, I added chamfers to the tops of my comb, just to make it pretty. OnShape does work well once you figure out the workflow. Then, to figure out the kerf, we compared the programmed cutout width to the measured actuality; loss measured between .18-.43mm, possibly as a result of measuring error and possibly as a result of the material switch. But we averaged to .31mm for the kerf, which stayed consistent when we removed the outliers. I had a really good time putting together a minifig press kit. And then I realized that, cute and goofy as they were, these minifigs wouldn't help me get towards my final project in any meaningful way. So, back to the drawing board - but in the meantime, here's the whole collection: Oh hey I forgot! I now sort of know what to do with all of this, too!
Group Project
Press Kit
End Week 1
End Week 1 for real.