CAD/CAM Lamp Project using 2D Design and the X-660 Laser Cutter Paul Tate 2008 Booklet Version 2
Getting Started the preliminaries The Laser cutter which is going to cut out your acrylic bases and polypropylene shades only recognises certain colours, or to be more precise the RGB numbers which make up those colours. The eight custom colours are have been set to match the laser (X-660). The two identical rows in the Custom colours is purely to give a quick visual check that you have the correct setup on 2D Design. The laser is set to interpret the following colours: Red to indicate lines that have to be cut. Blue for lines that are to scored or etched Green for double depth etching (sometimes) GETTING STARTED Black for construction lines/notes and is set to be ignored by the laser cutter Setting your Page to A4 1. Left Click on Setup then: >Drawing >Layout 2. In the dialogue box select ISO A4 and Landscape. The A4 size will make it easier to work on your design and enable you to print out a record of your CAD work and preparation for CAM cutting for evidence in your design folder. Now Save your work >File > Save As, then your Surname in My Documents 2D Design opens by default to A3 size Paul Tate Page 2 07/12/2009
Drawing a Square Base 1. On the right hand side toolbox check Grid and Grid Lock is selected. 2. Check the Line colour is set to black (any) 3 From the left side toolbox select the Draw a horizontal rectangle if you keep the LHM button pressed you can see the range and their explanations. DRAWING A SQUARE BASE 4. Draw a rectangle 120mm x 120mm - you can count the squares, each is 10mm or read off the sizes from the relative distance in the bottom bar. 5. Click on the Select tool when finished this will avoid draw any other unwanted boxes or lines. 6. Double check the box is the correct size. 7. Now Save your work >File > Save As, then your Surname in My Documents. 8. Select Draw a series of connected lines tool 9. Then in the middle of each side draw a 20mm square. If your box side is 110mm, 130 or 150mm make this a rectangle 20 x 30mm as it is easier to use the grid lock. 10. To terminate the line Right Click. 11. Now Save your work. Paul Tate Page 3 07/12/2009
Drawing a Circular Base 1. On the right hand side toolbox check Grid and Grid Lock is selected. 2. Check the Line colour is set to black. 3 Front the left side toolbox select the Draw a circle with a given radius if you keep the LHM button pressed you can see the range and their explanations. 4. For a 140mm diameter circle set the radius to 70.0mm, then click OK. DRAWING A CIRCULAR BASE 5. Click once near the centre of the page. 6. Click on the Select tool when finished this will avoid draw any other unwanted boxes or lines. 7. Now Save your work >File > Save As, then your Surname in My Documents. 8. Select Draw a series of connected lines tool 9. Draw four 20mm boxes equally spaced around your circle, you will have to continue into the circle. 10. Right click to terminate the line. 11. Select the delete part tool to remove unwanted lines 12. Now Save your work. Paul Tate Page 4 07/12/2009
Drawing a triangular base 1. On the right hand side toolbox check Grid and Grid Lock is selected. 2. Check the Line colour is set to black. 3 Front the left side toolbox select the Draw a single line if you keep the LHM button pressed you can see the range and their explanations. DRAWING A TRIANGULAR BASE 4. Draw a line 150mm long, count the squares or use the relative distance in the bottom bar. 5. Select the radius tool, then set the radius to 150mm. 6. Click on each end of the line, then take grid lock off by clicking on and draw a further circle from the intersection if you want a triangle with curved sides. 7. Select the delete part tool to remove un wanted lines. If you require a straight sided triangle draw two additional lines and delete the circles or delete the straight line. Now Save your work >File > Save As, then your Surname in My Documents. Paul Tate Page 5 07/12/2009
8. To get locate the centre of your 150mm triangle you have to change the grid size. Double click the grid icon, change the X & Y spacing to 5mm, then OK. 9. Using the Single Line tool, in the middle of each line a box 20mm x 20mm outside the curve. 10. To rotate the triangular shape to make drawing the other tabs select the whole drawing using the Select tool and draw a box around the shape so that its node points are displayed. DRAWING A TRIANGULAR BASE 11. Then select Draw >Transform >Rotate, in the box that opens set the angle to 60 degrees. 12. Click with the LHM button once in the middle of the drawing, then select the Single line tool and draw the second tab at the top. 13. Repeat stages 9,10 & 11 to complete the third tab. 14. Select the delete part tool to remove un wanted lines. Now Save your work. Paul Tate Page 6 07/12/2009
Adding the Holes 1. From the left toolbox select Draw a circle with a given centre and radius. Set the radius to 3.5mm to give clearance for the plastic rivets. 2. Click on Line Colour and then select the RED in Custom colours. 3. With Grid Lock on (if your holes align with the grid) click once for each rivet hole, the click on the Select tool to deselect. Now Save your work. ADDING THE HOLES Stress Relieving for Tab Bending To reduce the likelihood of snapping the tabs when line bending it is a good idea to have a small hole where the tab intersects. 1. Select the Draw a circle with a given centre and radius. Set the radius to 2.0mm (as you did above), then set the Line Colour back to Black. 2. At each intersection of the tab and body click once with Grid Lock on (if your holes align with the grid), if not turn the Grid Lock off and use guestimation. 3. To make it easier use the Zoom In tool to zoom in and place the circles. Now Save your work. Paul Tate Page 7 07/12/2009
Adding Fillets to Corners 1. Select Draw a filleted arc between two lines from the LH tool bar. 2. In the dialogue box specify 3.0mm for the fillet., then select the corner intersecting lines on your base. 3. Some curved shapes this will not work on, in which case select Draw an arc of a given radius tangential to two line tool. Again with a 3.0mm radius. ADDING FILLETS TO CORNERS 3. Use the Delete lines tool to remove unwanted lines left afterwards. 4. Use the Zoom in tool to make it easier to remove unwanted line segments. 5. If you make a mistake use the Undo tool Now Save your work. Paul Tate Page 8 07/12/2009
The Bayonet Fixing Hole 1. Select the circle tool and set the radius to 14.2mm (the bayonet diameter is 28mm and a clearance hole is needed). 2. Ensure Grid lock is activated. 3. Select Line Colour and change the colour to Red in the Custom Colours. THE BAYONET FIXING HOLE 4. Select the Circle tool again and set the radius to 20mm and draw a second circle on the same centre point. 5. Use the Single Line tool to draw two lines from the outside circle for 50mm. 6. Use the delete tool to remove the unwanted semicircle. 7. Finally use the Select tool to move the cut out so that it is positioned off centre to allow for bending up to its final raised position. Now Save your work. Paul Tate Page 9 07/12/2009
Setting the Cutting Outline As mentioned earlier the laser is set to respond to a set of custom colours. Red has been used to indicate a cut line, Blue a scored or an engraved line. At present only the holes were drawn in red to indicate cut lines. To change the outline to Red we are going to use the Contour tool this will ensure the cutter follows a flowing path around the outline shape. 1. Select the Contour tool and in the box that opens change the spacing to 0. SETTING THE CUTTING OUTLINE 2. Select Line Colour and change it to the Red in Custom colour. 3. With the hand pointer that appears, move the finger to just outside your outline shape then click ONCE only! Then click the Select tool to deselect the Contour Tool. If you click more than once you will add a second or more contours which you cannot see but will have the laser cutter recutting the outline and damaging your work. 4. Now Save your work. If you find that you do not get a continuous red outline this indicates that usually you have a hole or break in your black outline. Select Undo Last, then Zoom In to locate and repair the break before repeating the Contour operation again. Paul Tate Page 10 07/12/2009
Adding Text to the Base 1. Select the Text Tool 2. The click on the drawing and the Text Entry box appears type into this what you require. 3. Click on Settings, change the Height to 5.00mm, the Line Colour to Blue from the Custom range and the Fill Colour to white. You can change the font but avoid fiddly styles. ADDING TEXT TO THE BASE 4. If you wish to change your text etc., use the Select tool to select it than on the Property box that appears in the bottom right corner click on it to reopen the Text Setting dialogue box. 5. Now Save your work. Paul Tate Page 11 07/12/2009
Producing the Shade A range of shades have already been produced which you will find from 2D Design clicking on the Look in box and then navigating to: >Hnet-ns-dt\sharedro >Year 8 >Graphics PRODUCING THE SHADE Remember that once you have opened the correct shade for your base to: File >Save As and save in your documents as your Surname_colour You can now add your decoration to your shade do not make it too complicated or fussy. Colours available are: Blue Purple Green Red Paul Tate Page 12 07/12/2009
Adding Stencils to Shade 1. Find your stencil or shape from the internet, own drawing, photo etc. 2. Use Paint Shop Pro to trim, as necessary then Copy. PRODUCING THE SHADE 3. Use Paste to place it in your 2D Design and use a corner node to stretch the image to the required size, (hold SHIFT key to maintain aspect ratio). 4. Use the Select tool to highlight your image (if not highlighted). Then select Bitmaps > Contour Bitmap. 5. In the dialogue box that opens set the Contour Spacing to 0.0mm and the Line Colour to RED. 6. With the finger click near to the outline ONCE ONLY! 7. Click on the middle node point and position the outline image on your shade. If want to resize use a corner node and hold the Shift key to maintain the aspect ratio again. Now Save your work. Paul Tate Page 13 07/12/2009
PRODUCING THE SHADE Paul Tate Page 14 07/12/2009