Embarking on a journey of creation, I decided to leverage a familiar design – the makerspace logo – for my initial experiments with the Printer Machine. To ensure clarity and detail, especially with a 3mm bit, I opted for a scaled-up version of the logo. At the time, a 3mm bit was the smallest tool I had available.
Limewood was chosen as the ideal material for these first cuts, prized for its softness and workability. Ensuring the limewood was securely fastened to the printer bed was a priority, preventing any unwanted movement during the cutting process.
As you can observe, the printer machine successfully produced a recognizable cut – the Southampton makerspace logo, distinctively shaped like a spanner.
To streamline the design and toolpath generation, I transitioned from Estlcam to Inventables Easel. Easel stands out as a free and remarkably user-friendly software, significantly simpler to operate than other programs I’ve encountered.
Its intuitive interface allows users to effortlessly select their material, specify dimensions, incorporate designs or patterns, define cut depths, and generate precise tool paths.
Further enhancing the machine’s control, I adopted OpenBuilds Control software, specifically engineered for CNC operation. This software, also freely accessible and user-friendly, provided seamless command over the printer machine.
An added convenience was the ability to control the machine wirelessly via a smartphone. This feature allowed for remote adjustments and monitoring, adding a layer of flexibility to the workflow.
To establish a starting point, I positioned the spindle at a reference point – the bottom left corner atop the material to be cut. Setting this as the home position provided a consistent origin for all subsequent cuts.
Seeking to explore the printer machine’s capabilities further, I ventured into deeper cuts, attempting a smiley face design 😊. The resulting images reveal a successful outcome, with the smiley face rendered clearly.
Next, I experimented with creating stamps. Initially, laser-cutting rubber was used, but its excessive softness proved unsuitable. Switching to linoleum, a slightly harder material, proved to be the solution.
Linoleum performed admirably, yielding a functional and effective stamp.
Venturing into acrylic, I attempted a small Olaf from Frozen design. While the cut exhibited some melting due to the use of budget dremel bits, the recognizable Olaf shape was still achieved. This highlighted the importance of bit selection for different materials.
The final material test involved aluminum.
The printer machine successfully cut aluminum, although a peculiar stepped feature emerged. Careful analysis ruled out missed steps or belt slippage as the artifact was not repetitive. Feedback from subscribers suggested that bed flex was the likely cause of this anomaly.
Despite this minor issue, the printer machine demonstrably cut aluminum – a testament to its capability and a significant step towards success, albeit with room for refinement.
