Pics of what youve done

[HPCLaser]

Please post some pictures of what youve made with your company name as we always get requests from people who want work doing on lasers and they will be looking here soon
Thanks CHris

[David]

Do you want any distinction between company/commercial work and school projects?

David

[dvdlock]

Hi David,

I realise you are asking Chris the question but I think it would be nice to see any work done on Laserscript machines, commercial, school or otherwise.

Look forward to seeing any pictures.

Regards

Dave.

[Bernie_of_CPE]

Hi Guys,

I have an interesting job in at the moment. On occasion I work in the film and TV industry supplying all kinds of film properties (props). Recently I have been asked to provide a master model of this:



It's a UFO from an old TV programme made by Gerry Anderson in the 1970's, anyone remember this?

Here is progress so far:

The clear domes are Vac Formed. These are all test shots and the final parts will eventually be made from 2 mm plexiglass



These parts were cut on my 6090 using Lasercut 5.3 again test parts to prove all the geometry and post cut form. These vanes need have vertical lines engraved on both surfaces.
The heart shaped "paddles" need the same lined pattern engraved on the outside face. I have to produce 25 of these models for promotional purposes (new movie in the offing I think) that's 16 sets of vanes and paddles per model.

Without laser cutting this job would have been a complete nightmare. There are still problems to overcome for example etching both sides so the lines match up evenly. Once this has been resolved producing extra models will be relatively easy.

The next project is to prototype an educational project, bascially an LED cube made from 5 squares of perspex spaced apart with 10 mm clear rods. Each sheet contains a matrix of 5 x 5 LED's.

To cut the squares, position the LED holes and the holes for the spacing rods again would have been time consuming and difficult to get every one to line up over the other - not anymore

Regards

Bernie (CPE)

[dvdlock]

Now thats a very interesting job. And fun too

To get your lines to line-up on both sides, heres something you could try:

Using the outline vector that you used to cut the shapes, open it in Lasercut.
Using Lasercut, draw the lines where they need to be, I'd recommend you orientate the image so the lines are left to right.
Now select all the lines with the pick tool and assign a different layer colour for them. Set your speed/power.
In the output list top right scroll right to reveal the output check box and uncheck the output for the main shape. Send job to laser.
Place a piece of ply on the table. Use the clip box at say speed 70, power 15 and execute.
This will draw a box on the ply. Set your workpiece in the box and engrave. Only the lines will output.

Back to lasercut, Select the whole image and flip it.
Repeat the above steps. You can now flip and align your workpiece in the clip box. Engrave the lines.

They should all be lined up for you.


Hope it works out for you.

Regards

Dave.

[HPCLaser]

Hi Bernie,
Dave again has it sussed I would draw the outline in a different layer and again draw it on a backing bit of ply then untick the output box then you get the lines also flip the whole job -using the funny mirror icon on the tool bar RHS half way down and hey presto.....
I only wish I had more time to PLAY ....

[Bernie_of_CPE]

Hi Guys,

Appreciate the advise, check this....





I am using clear acrylic which is difficult to see, a photograper I am NOT!!

Both sides match up perfectly, I placed a bit of ply in the laser cutter and indexed by engraving the ply first, then oriented the job on the line grid, then ran the job again, first side completed. Turning the part over I then looked through it to register the lines again, like a vernier caliper and very accurate. Bingo, customer pleased as punch

I will set the laser to engrave the material first next time, exactly as suggested. Using layers gives me the choice to use different speed and power, nice control. Engrave, turn over, engrave, then cut

I am still working my way through the TurboCad training materials, it's not at all intuitive and to be honest very hard to stay with.... Maybe I will look at Adobe illustrator LOL

Best regards.
Bernie.

[Bernie_of_CPE]

Hi Guys,

I thought you might be interested to see a commission model I am building. It's the Space Station from 2001, Cad design on TurboCad for Mac, saved in layers within the drawings as this is a complicated project. I have persisted with TurboCAD for Mac and it is starting to yield results.

What you can see is all self supporting no glue at this stage. All parts are cut in smelly HIPS styrene (a less smelly alternative anyone?) at 2mm. The model will have an internal LED lighting system for all the windows. It's three feet in diameter and at this size weight is critical. No metal support frame will be incorporated to keep the cost down (following the client brief) The external stand will be motor driven to display the model slowly rotating as per the movie.



And here dry assembled for a quick dimension check - no glue and fully self supporting, I love my laser cutter. The tubes are not cut to dimension as yet but shown here to give an idea of the finished form. Still plenty of work to be done with 20 thou Plasticard tiles all over the surfaces and a lot of wire work to make the second ring. A great start and the client is really happy which is all that counts.



I will post again as this build progresses.

Bernie - Custom Product Engineering 07525 021 077

[HPCLaser]

GOODNESS Bernie -Fantastic cant wait to see it as it goes through the build -Fantastic Chris

[Bernie_of_CPE]

Hi Chris,

Complicated beast isn't it. Just in case anyone can't picture it, here are couple of reference images I used for the CAD Blueprint:



In the Movie 2001 a Space Odyssey this station is only part completed which is the completed ring I have shown above. Obviously the next ring will be segments of the finished one plus some bulkheads with piano wire threaded through holes of various diameters.




I do this sort of work a lot as one off commissions. This particular project will look great in my portfolio. The laser speeds up this process and all the tricky stuff can be designed up totally before anything is cut. This gives me a huge advantage in a very competitive marketplace. Also if the client wants to add something I can re-cut a new section incorporating the changes quickly, this is something just a year ago would have had me dreading the task. From completed CAD design to assembled test/study model in about 2 hours, what company couldn't benefit from this?? This section of the model will make more sense when the skins are added but it's great we can plan additional details with a few mock sections to play with. I am designing a lighting rig and loom for all the LED's and the mounting point for the motor drive unit. One of the best parts from this type of model making is I get to use scrap off cuts from other jobs.

Bernie - Custom Product Engineering 07525 021 077