VLS vs ILS

Note: Observations are just that. Observations. They may not be right but hopefully with time and communal input we'll be able to better understand the limitations and advantages of either machine.

VLS 3.50 - 50w Desktop

• Bed size: 24" x 12"/609.6mm x 304.8mm

Advantages:

• The VLS seems to recognise the size of a raster and therefore, the laser head only moves the distance (along x-axis) the raster spans. This occurs to each raster in the job (so, assuming no two rasters are concurrent on the x-axis, the laser rasters the span of the black fill individually)
• Whereas the ILS' laser head actually travels the entire length of the document (eg: the x-value of the furthest vector point) regardless of whether there is rastering to be performed along it.
• This may be attributed to better/higher version firmware.

Assignment 2 Work Log

WARNINGS:

• If you have moved the laser arm along the Y axis (eg: bumped it during a pause, etc), you will have to cancel your job and home XY on the console. Otherwise, the laser will still think it's back where it was before it was paused and will have shifted the distance it was bumped.

Method:

• Book 1 (TRIAL MOCK UP) - if successful, use as FINAL
  (Pages)

1. Model 
2. Slice 
• Slice TH: 0mm, Spacing: 1.2mm
• Setting TH to 0mm means you just get the double sided face and hence, no doubling up of lines
• The Sketchup exports seems to account for any underlying lines and therefore you get a doubling up of lines in Illustrator (BAD since laser cutter will cut twice or more in the same location leading to increased cut times and charring to material)
• Do NOT say "yes" to equalise, seems to mess it all up.
• When flattened, the slice orders goes down and left to right.
3. Flatten
4. Arrange into 4's (since each one is 148.5mm -total 594mm- and max board length is 600mm)
5. Export to Illustrator (error checking/lineweight and colour)
1. Delete Numbers
2. Delete Overlapping lines (inside borders, thicker than usual red lines)
3. Relocate towards upper part of page
4. Send all .ai to Lasercutter
6. Input settings
7. Lasercut
8. Number cut pieces left to right
9. Additional cutting
10. Start next job
11. Assemble
    (Cover)
12. Turn off Book Pages Layer and Turn on Book Cover
13. Use faces only and 60mm Spine 
14. Total width = 2(155)+60 = 370mm
15. Flatten
16. Export to Illustrator (error checking/lineweight and colour)
17. Lasercut

Settings Log: Pages/Setting/Vector Boost/TH/Comments and Remarks
Material: Boxboard 1.2mm (600x300)

1. 1-4: Default, +20% Cut Boost, 1.2mm - 40% additional cutting req
2. 5-8: Default, +30% Cut Boost, 1.7mm - 35% additional cutting req, thick lines
3. 9-12: Default, +50% Cut Boost, 1.7mm - 30% additional cutting req, thick lines
4. 13-16: Default, +50% Cut Boost, 1.7mm - 30% additional cutting req, thick lines (smaller items completely burnt off)
5. 17-20: Default, +50% Cut Boost, 1.2mm, Vector Thoroughput (max) - 25% additional cutting req, thinner lines
6. 21-24: Default, +50% Cut Boost, 1.2mm, Vector Thoroughput (max) - 25% additional cutting req, thinner lines
7. 25-39: As above - additional cutting req down to 15%
8. Conclusion: 
• Cuts within 250mm of left border always require additional cutting
• Setting "Vector Thoroughput" to "max" helps in: Settings>Manual Control>Vector Tab>Vector Performance.

Settings Log: Cover/Setting/Power/Speed/PPi/TH/Comments and Remarks

1. Book 1: Default, 100%/5%/500/2.6mm

• Book Pages

1. Model
2. Slice
3. Flatten
4. Arrange into 4's (since each one is 148.5mm -total 594mm- and max board length is 600mm)
5. Export to Illustrator (error checking/lineweight and colour)
6. Lasercut
7. Assemble

• Book Covers

1. Turn off Book Pages Layer and Turn on Book Cover
2. Use faces only and whatever you worked out the spine length to be
3. Total width = 2(155)+(spine.width)
4. Flatten
5. Import Spine Design
6. Export to Illustrator (error checking/lineweight and colour)
7. Lasercut
8. Leave the template on the laser bed and remove the cover.
9. Flip upside down
10. Laser engrave the Kerfs on the underside of the cover 
• So that the Kerfs are not see on the outside
11. Remove and go back to step 1.

Laser Cutter Experiment and Documentation

Assignment 2 - Mock Up

Assignment 2: Abstract + Laser Cutting Template

Hey all,

I've made a laser cutting template for all to use with the VLS 3.50 desktop laser cutter (the one in the fab lab):
Template Download

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...And so with that all said in the prologue to Assignment 2:

We're going to play with the dualities of new and old in Assignment 2:

Desired outcome is to come up with a design that could be described to be cheeky, playful and deviously deceptive.

*Even the dialogue is going to be useful to this assignment

Assignment 2: Prologue - Traditional vs Contemporary Methods

Here's a confession.
I LOVE Tacos. Burritos. Fajitas. Candlelit tequila fueled breakfasts.
And when I'm hard pressed to make a choice at the new Coco Cubano on campus, I've always found solace in a few words offered by my favourite tv ad.

"por qué no los dos"

We should never have to choose one or the other.
One Tequila. Two Tequila. Three Tequila. FLOOR.

SO.

Let this be a declaration that I endeavour to bridge the gap between the old and the new and to challenge preconceived notions that traditional and new age methods are mutually exclusive.

Successful bridges so far in no particular order:

1. Gangways and paths in Assignment 1

• Based off traditional timber bending methods of multiple cut lines

Source: Anthony (photo), Google Images

2. Laser cut Art Diary Covers

• Ink drawings laser cut directly into the material

Source: Anthony (photo), Anthony (drawing)

3. In my working life:

Sketch | Realisation | Build

• In the summer of 2012/2013, I was approached by my client to design a hair and beauty salon at the Macquarie University.
• The existing site was highly unsuitable for a refined and sleek design (as clients usually ask for) due to an unusually low ceiling height + lack of services space, exposed fixtures (eg: sprinklers) and in general a lack of foresight by the designers/builders at the time the concrete austerity building was built.

•  Indeed any attempt to "fix" or cover up any of the tenancy's flaws would be superficial and undoubtedly sit very uncomfortably with the rest of the building. Such was the case, my decision was to -direct quote- "polish a turd" ;) Dare say we all had a bit of a chuckle afterwards

  

Other Inspirations:
http://abduzeedo.com/super-realistic-3d-paintings-keng-lye

Assignment 1 - Multimedia

NOTE: 

* Click on animated images to view an enlarged version

Build Sequence

Model Orbit

Joint Types 

(including ones that didn't make it to the final model)

Joints influencing final design:

Chronolapse

Version 1 - based in a factory and features rather gimmicky additions and an unrealised roof

(eg: crane, ship bow)

Version 2 - Part One - Simplifying and culling of unecessary items

Version 2 - Part Two - Exploration of joins and crane shaft

Crane Shaft Operation

*See images (of notes in notebook) in "Assignment 1 - Process" post for more information on its development/operation.

*Note axial rotation about the x-axis as the crane moves along the z-axis. Unfortunately I only had one hand for this video demonstration so the movement is relative to the crane arm. So if instead the shaft enclosure remained stationery, the arm would be moving up and turn at the same time from an input of just one up movement. 

*A third movement output results when cordage is attached to the end of the crane, run back through the shaft and attached to the base.

Crane Junction Box - Snap Lock Operation

Gangway Demonstration

Voice activated camera functions is still light years away...