Table of Contents
Embedded Files
What does a laser cutter do?
What does a laser cutter do?
A laser cutter uses a high powered laser to cut intricate patterns into wood, acrylic, cardboard, felt, etc... Use the tutorials below to learn how to create files that can be read by the laser cutter using a vector imaging platform.
What is a vector image?
What is a vector image?
Have you ever printed out something from the internet and it turned out really pixelated? That's because most images on the internet are what are known as bitmap or raster images. Their resolution depends on what level of megapixel camera you have taken them with or saved them as using graphic design software. The bottom line is that vector images will never be pixelated because they are mathematical functions. They can be sized up to fit the side of a building and never change resolution!
Material our laser cutter can deal with that is usually in stock:
Sheet material acrylic
Clear, black, white (2, 3, 4.5 mm)
Transparent acrylic 3mm
Translucent(matte) acrylic 3mm
Colored acrylic (3mm)
Mirror acrylic (3mm)
Sheet material wood-based
Plywood (1.5, 2.6, 3.8, 4.8, 8, 10mm)
Balsa (5mm)
Paper card (80gr)
Cork (3mm)
Textiles
Stiff felt (3mm)
What does a file for the laser cutter look like?
What does a file for the laser cutter look like?
Different colours are interpreted differently in by the laser cutter.
Traditionally bright red lines (HEX: #cc0000 / RGB: 255,0,0) that are thin (stroke width .001pt) are cut with high power and low speed.
Other colors are engraved at low power and high speed. The darker the color the more powerful the engraving. This way, even detailed photographs can be engraved.
GCC Mercury III Laser cutter
DESIGN TOOLS
DESIGN TOOLS
Vectr
Vectr
Cloud-based tool for basic vector illustrations
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator
Advanced software for vector illustrations
Laser cutters can cut and engrave vector graphics, but only engrave raster images.
Drawing Lines In Adobe Illustrator
Drawing Lines In Adobe Illustrator
[1] Install Adobe Illustrator on your Mac
Login to the Adobe Creative Cloud app with your school email address. Choose 'Enterprise ID' after logging in. Press the install button.
[2] Practice drawing your first 'Bezier Curves' *
For this 'pen tool' tutorial you need to download the AI Bezier Curve Practice Files and watch the Bezier Curve Tutorial:
Finishing this tutorial takes about 45 minutes. It's a bit of work, but practice makes perfect.
[3] Practice drawing shapes with the Pen Tool
For further practice you can use these video instructions and this pack of images that it refers to. Choose one husky from set 1 and one from set 2 for your practice.
This exercise takes about 45 minutes to complete.
Choose one from Set 1 and one from Set 2 to trace and fill. When finished, hide the watermarked Example layer and screenshot your work to share.
[4] And now take it to the max!
For further extension, use lines and fill shapes to recreate Dab Dog Max!
When finished, hide the watermarked Example layer and screenshot your work to share.
* A Bezier curve is a mathematical way of describing any smooth curved line. Bezier curves are named after Pierre Bézier, who used invented them in the 1960s for designing curves for the bodywork of Renault cars. Vector graphics are complicated mathematics!
Preparing to laser cut
Preparing to laser cut
Preparing the Laser Cutting & Engraving Lines
Preparing the Laser Cutting & Engraving Lines
How to make a Finger joints for Laser cutting
How to make a Finger joints for Laser cutting
Finger joints (laser cutting) #1
Finger Joints (Laser cutting) #2
From OnShape to Illustrator
From OnShape to Illustrator
Onshape _ Laser.mp4From Ilustrator to Laser Cutter
From Ilustrator to Laser Cutter
Modeling and making a Tea Light candle holder
Modeling and making a Tea Light candle holder
Making a Box with finger joints
Making a Box with finger joints
Part 1 - making the sides
Part 1 - making the sides
Part 2 - Making the base
Part 2 - Making the base
Refer to the "Tips & Tricks' video tutorials (above) and then design your own tea-light adhering to the overall dimensions as seen in the tutorials above
Refer to the "Tips & Tricks' video tutorials (above) and then design your own tea-light adhering to the overall dimensions as seen in the tutorials above
Design on the 4 sides of the sketch to allow the light of the tea candle to shine through
Design on the 4 sides of the sketch to allow the light of the tea candle to shine through
How to make a linear pattern of the desired shape
How to make a linear pattern of the desired shape
This will show you an easy way of copying your shape across the whole side of the tea candle holder
This will show you an easy way of copying your shape across the whole side of the tea candle holder
Some pattern ideas
Some pattern ideas
Produce Detailed drawings
Produce Detailed drawings
Of YOUR complete design (See example to the Right)
Of YOUR complete design (See example to the Right)
Tea light detail.PNGPrepare your sketch for laser
Prepare your sketch for laser
Set your sketches up for Laser cutting
Set your sketches up for Laser cutting
You need to have Adobe Illustrator installed
You need to have all parts to be cut in one file
Disregard placing an image if you are only cutting
Files need to be cut with the assistance of Ms Thao
Files need to be cut with the assistance of Ms Thao
EMAIL Ms Thao and CC (your teacher)
dtpthao@unishanoi.org
cc: Your teacher
Dear Ms Thao and (your teacher),
I have finished my tealight holder design and have attached it to this email. I have also addressed the areas below:
Created a 100% RED outline with a stroke set to .001pt for all the parts that I would like to cut through with the laser cutter.
Ahered to the size requirements for it to hold a tealight candle
Any areas of my design in 100% BLACK is so that the laser cutter knows to engrave here and not cut.
Thank you for your time, effort, and diligence in helping me to complete my product.
Your humble pupil...
YOUR NAME
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