Group Assignment:

• Characterize your laser cutter's focus, power, speed, rate, kerf, joint clearance, and types.

Laser Cutting

Our group assignment was to measure and determine the accuracy of how well our cardboard joints fit together.

The ideal setup for cutting 4mm thick cardboard was speed 2.8, power 100, and ppi 200. We initially tested higher speeds—5.6 and 11.2—but neither cut through the cardboard. Next, we adjusted the power to 80, 50, and 30, but none of these settings worked either.

There was a 0.1mm difference between the designed parameter and the actual cut. So, we set the thickness to 3.7mm for the joint, accounting for kerf, which made the fit very tight!

We also experimented with different types of joints: press-fit, chamfer, snap-fit, and finger joints.

Individual Assignment:

• Work through a Git tutorial.
• Build a personal site in the class archive describing yourself and your final project.
• Cut something on the vinyl cutter.
• Design, laser cut, and document a parametric construction kit, accounting for the laser cutter's kerf. The kit should be assembled in multiple ways, and for extra credit, include elements that aren’t flat.

Tools

• Software: Adobe Illustrator, Rhino, GitLab, CorelDRAW
• Machines: Epilog Fusion M2 32/40 Laser Cutter, Cricut Explore Air 2 Vinyl Cutter

Materials

• Cardboard
• Vinyl

For the laser cutter, I designed a simple modular unit that could be assembled in multiple ways, inspired by the "tall building form generation by parametric design."

I created a triangular shape with three joints, and when assembled, it formed a star-shaped dome.

For extra credit, I experimented with non-flat designs. Some were successful, and others failed. I created an infinite loop and attempted to make a ball out of the modular unit with kerf. Unfortunately, the cardboard was too fragile to support the unstable joints. Using harder materials or scaling up the design might have resulted in success.

For the vinyl cutter, I quickly cut my name as a decal for my MacBook.