Feature Request: Work Mode: Bending

[nephertiti]

Hi Marco,

Few days ago someone posted interesting article on buildlog.net (Buildlog Link= http://www.buildlog.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1912).

Article about using a laser cuter to bend acrylic, not just cut it.

Maybe you can add feature like bend in work mode menu(which we select cut-engrave etc).

For example , after we select bend on work mode menu I want to select how many times laser tour on line (like engraving but stand still on y axis or x) and add Z axis distance etc.

I think you will understand better when you watch video on this link:

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arjRtCjI ... r_embedded

Article:
http://www.wired.com/design/2013/02/laser-origami/

Thanks.

[nephertiti]

Hi Marco,

Today I got mail from Ponoko(advertising mail). Looks they are making LaserOrigami. There is no info how they do it .

Here is mail link,

http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=a56 ... 9bc6a77e0c

[Things]

The problem with this method is that the laser has to be defocused so it doesn't actually vapourize the acrylic. I actually tried this bending myself the other day, and it was pretty difficult to get the power and speed settings right so it didn't mark the acrylic.

[Tech_Marco]

Agreed to Dan, the bending feature seems intereting but I can tell you that the video they posted on the website could have been trying many itmes, say 10~20 times in order to make one that looks so 'good'. It's not difficult to figure out the concept how it work, you just need to "out focus" the laser by moving the expozy glass to lower (or higher) position. To do so, your laser much have adjustable 'Z' table.

In order to do the task, the laser controller need to lower a power 'Z' table to certain distance away from the laser head. Then, it need to know how much power to fire the laster tube for differnt kind of epoxy glass as the thickness affected the outcome. By the way, using this methode won't be possible for thick glass. I think, it may handle 2mm only

So, to make the laser card to do the job, it take the programmer a lot effort to complete and I doubt it he will be willing to do so. First of all, the feature is not very common but interesing. Second, the laser machine must to have a power 'Z' table installed.

You can try it by adding a second layer say layer2 to your job file and add a straight line on layer2 just over the portion that need to bend. After the line added, uncheck the layer2 and let the machine finish the job on layer1. Then, you uncheck the layer1, but enable layer2, move the Z table farther down let it cut the line you added on layer 2. If power and distance is well controlled, it will do the same thing you seem on the vidoe. Be ready to waste a lot of epozy glass


Marco


Marco