Background
Computer Numerical Control (CNC) is a method of directing machines via a computer programmed sequence of commands. Without requiring human involvement in intricate machine movement, a significantly higher design fidelity and accuracy is possible. Further, translating computer produced designs into machine made things can be a more faithful procedure and highly replicable. Not all machines can do all things, however, and unique material qualities influence variable machine outcomes. Until machines are able to recognize their own shortcomings and adjust accordingly, we need to be machine literate. In this post, I will be exploring the possibilities of a CNC three-axis mill cutting plywood strictly two-dimensionally. I plan to create a kit of parts that when combined make a big three-dimensional thing. The process will be quickly creating an initial generative design influenced heavily by precedent, testing machine and material constraints based on the hopes of the design, tuning the design and finally producing a first prototype.
Subtractive manufacturing posts...
- Star puzzle : Child's play? | 2017 Apr 25 | 5 minute read
- Testing constraint : machining materiality | 2017 Mar 16 | 6 minute read
For my niece's birthday, I three-d printed a star puzzle. The toy however could never be dismantled after I muscled it together due to poor printer calibration on my part (a running theme in this blog). Further, duplicating the toy many times over comes with the time factor of three-d printing. Hint : slow. So, I thought it would be fun and good proving grounds to revisit this project in this exercise. And, the other day she asked if I had made the better version of her toy yet and gave me no leniancy for time spent building my first...
With design intent sketched and prepared with assumptions digitally, I need to setup and execute tests of the machine and material. A three-axis CNC mill is similar to the tabletop CNC mill I used to cut PCBs. The endmill's orientation is locked perpindicular to the cutting surface and is moved along the length, width and height of the material. I am testing the bending of the material with a scored kerf and a through cut kerf with band thicknesses of 20, 30 and 40mm. And I have two types of custom joints with two thicknesses of band. The blue lines...