Laser Cutting:

For the laser cutting assignment, my goal was to create some LEGO-esque building blocks using parametric design.

I started by creating a comb so I could determine the optimal size I should cut at. Surprisingly, what I found was that the best fitting joints didn't account for the lasers' kerf. The cardboard I was using was 5.6mm thick, so I made the notches in my design 5.6mm thick. While laser cutting, my cardboard repeatedly set on fire. I think this is because there were thin pieces of cardboard between my consecutive 'LEGO' pieces which burned quickly like kindling.

I designed my pieces such that they could be built into multiple different things. Here I've shaped the building blocks into a person:

Here I've shaped my blocks into a prism:

Vinyl Cutting:

Vinyl Cutting was not a difficult process. I used the Cricut device to select an SVN file (I chose this phoenix design). After loading the Vinyl, I hit play and the device began to cut. I removed my cut vinyl and carefully removed the excess material. I then placed the sticker on transfer paper, and stuck the design on my wall in my dorm.