Algorithmic design for laser cutting:

Other design based on an object from life:

I used my large, red scarf as the basis for this design. I really like it.

dFAB LASER CUTTER TRAINING

• meet at Marge Morrison’s dFAB facilities at 8.30AM sharp
• bring your files for the first assignment (on flash memory or accessible online)

Design two boxes with the following design specifications:

ONE

• a single material with the following properties
• Length + Width + Height less then 18 inches
• no hardware necessary
• visually communicates its purpose

• made of two different materials
• Length + Width + Height less then 18 inches
• composed of “Skeleton” and “Skin”

LEFTOVERS

• if you haven’t registered for an account on this side, do
• if you haven’t filled in a complete profile for your account (name, contacts, photo), do

• Blackboard Assignment submission
• 2D laser cutter assignment review

• curve to volume
• orient and rotate revisited
• box making: finger joints, slots
• finger joints
• slots
• working with layers

Two designs, in Rhino, to be laser cut (keep it under 24″ x 18″)

• Algorithmic: Start with a basic shape, repeat a process systematically (e.g. the repeated diminution exercise in class).  Make the necessary adjustments in the model to allow it to be laser cut.
• Based on the real world: take a top-down (bird’s eye) perspective photograph of a real-world object, import the image into “Top” transport of rhino, and model it with lines and curves; make the necessary adjustments in the model to allow it to be laser cut.
• In both exercises, consider what material you would use and why.
• Upload both models to Black board before Monday morning’s class.

COMPANY

• McNeel: The company that makes Rhino3D
• Rhino3D: The main website
• Rhino3D Tutorials: The official documentation

COMMUNITY

• The Rhino3d wiki: community developed site with all things Rhino
• Rhino3d newsgroup: people asking/answering questions

NB 1.  When there’s a length or an option, you can type it (if you can)
NB 2.  Use a two button mouse, use a big/second screen (if you can)

drawing: (you can either click to draw or type the dimensions you want)

• points
• circle
• line
• rec
• polyline
• curve

measurements:

• length: length of line or curve
• distance: distance between two points
• area: area of a surface

geometric transformation:

• orient: good when the thing you’re moving is asymmetric/sided/chiral
• offset: scale and copy
• scale1D: good for resizing lines
• scale2D: good for resizing flat shapes
• scale (you can indicate with numbers the scaling factor)
• move
• copy
• arraycrv: orient and copy

2d-3d-2d:

• loft: make connecting surface between two lines/curves
• extrude
• make2d: create 2d shape of selected surface, according to current view
• unrollSrf: turn a volume into flat components
• dupBorders: produce curve from boundary of a surface

cutting/expanding:

• explode
• split: divides a line/curve/surface at a center point/line/intersective-surf/curv
• trim: split + delete
• extend
• rebuild

make many out of one:

• divide: dividing lines/curves into equal parts
• rebuild: either turn cuves into lines or make ugly curves pretty curves

housekeeping/getting-around:

• layer: show layers window (use many layers!)
• show/hide
• setPt
• zs: zoom set, show you just the selected object in the active transport
• join: make one curve out of many segements
• group

THE MACHINE

• “Industry Standards”: Dimension, Objet, 3DSystems

EXAMPLES

THE FUTURE

• multi-material printing by Object
• consumer 3d printers by MakerBot Industries and Cubify

THE MACHINE

• “Industry Standards”: ShopBot, Forrest Scientific, CNT Motion

EXAMPLES

THE MACHINE

• “Industry Standards”: Epilog and Universal Laser Systems

EXAMPLES

THE FUTURE

• make your own with lasersaur
• buy a laser cutter on ebay from china if you dare