Learn CAD Design with Light Play - SCOPES Digital Fabrication

Lesson Details

Subjects
Age Ranges
Standards
Fab-Safety.1, Fab-Programming.1, Fab-Electronics.1, Fab-Modeling.1, Fab-Fabrication.1, Fab-Design.1, HS-PS2-1, HS-PS2-4, HS-PS2-5, HS-PS2-1, HS-PS2-3, HS-PS2-4, HS-PS2-5, HS-PS2-5, HS-PS2-6, HS-PS2-3
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Author

Jessica Nielsen
Jessica Nielsen
Informal educator
Jessica is a native Texan with a passion for inspiring future STEM and STEAM leaders. Her education foundation is in fine art and she is an enthusiastic artist and maker. She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology in 2015 and… Read More

Summary

We use the Exploritorium’s light play activity to explore light and learn how to design and cut objects on the laser cutter. The laser-cutter is a versatile tool used throughout many shops. Having the capabilities to etch and cut on different materials such as: wood, acrylic and other thin materials.

 

The laser-cutter can engrave on wood, acrylic, fabric, glass, coated metals, ceramic, leather, marble, matte board, paper, melamine, press board, rubber, wood, veneer, fiberglass, painted metals, cork, anodized aluminum, stainless steel, brass, titanium, bare metals, and more.

 

Epilog Mini 24

24″ X 12″

8″ (203 mm) with a 23.5″ x 11.75″ (597 x 298 mm) engraving area

Laser Wattage: 30, 40, 50, or 60 watts

Laser Source: State of the art, digitally controlled, air cooled C)2 laser tubes are fully modular, permanently aligned and field replaceable.

Intelligent Memory Capacity: Multiple file storage up to 64 MB. Rolling buffer allows files of any size to be engraved.

Air Assist: Attach an air compressor to our included Air Assist to remove heat and combustible gases from the cutting surface by directing a constant stream of compressed air across the cutting surface.

Laser Dashboard: The Laser Dashboard™ controls your Epilog Laser’s settings from a wide range of software packages – from design programs to spreadsheet applications to CAD drawing packages.

Red Dot Pointer: Since the laser beam is invisible, the Red Dot Pointer on Epilog’s Mini and Helix Lasers allows you to have a visual reference for locating where the laser will fire.

Relocatable Home: When engraving items that are not easily placed at the top corner of the laser, you can set a new home position by hand with the convenient Movable Home Position feature on the Legend Series Lasers.

Operating Modes: Optimized raster, vector or combined modes.

Motion Control System: High-speed, continuous-loop, DC servo motors using linear and rotary encoder technology for precise positioning.

X-Axis Bearings: Ground and polished stainless steel NeverWear Bearing System.

Belts: Advanced B-style Kevlar Belts.

Resolution: User controlled from 75 to 1200 dpi.

Speed and Power Control: Computer or manually control speed and power in 1% increments to 100%. Vector color mapping links speed, power and focus to any RGB color.

Print Interface: 10 Base-T Ethernet or USB Connection. Compatible with Windows® XP/Vista/7/8/10.

 

For safety information, click here.

 

What You'll Need

Laser Cutter

Cardboard

The Instructions

Vectoring shapes

2D design and vector shapes and figures onto cardboard.

Load cardboard into laser cutter bed. Flip the power switch ON on your laser cutter. (We are using a mini helix 24). Turn on the air compressor. Open design software and choose shape or image to vector. Import image into design program (we use CorelDraw). Simplify image if needed. Select Hairline and set print preferences to Vector (or combined if also engraving).

 

Standards

  • (Fab-Safety.1): I can safely conduct myself in a Fab Lab and observe operations under instructor guidance.
  • (Fab-Programming.1): I understand the basic structure of a simple program and can modify values, variables, or other parameters to alter its output, function, or behavior.
  • (Fab-Electronics.1): I can follow instructions to build a simple electrical circuit using conductive material, basic components, and power.
  • (Fab-Modeling.1): I can arrange and manipulate simple geometric elements, 2D shapes, and 3D solids using a variety of technologies.
  • (Fab-Fabrication.1): I can follow instructor guided steps that link a software to a machine to produce a simple physical artifact.
  • (Fab-Design.1): I can be responsible for various activities throughout a design process within a group under instructor guidance.
  • (HS-PS2-1): Analyze data to support the claim that Newton?s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.
  • (HS-PS2-4): Use mathematical representations of Newton?s Law of Gravitation and Coulomb?s Law to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects.
  • (HS-PS2-5): Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current.
  • (HS-PS2-1): Analyze data to support the claim that Newton?s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.
  • (HS-PS2-3): Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision.
  • (HS-PS2-4): Use mathematical representations of Newton?s Law of Gravitation and Coulomb?s Law to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects.
  • (HS-PS2-5): Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current.
  • (HS-PS2-5): Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current.
  • (HS-PS2-6): Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.
  • (HS-PS2-3): Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision.

Lesson Feedback

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  1. SCOPES-DF March 8, 2019
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