I started this project off knowing I wanted to use the 3D Printer, laser, and vinyl cutter. I wanted to use the 3D printer for the base of the clock which would also hold the main clock mechanism. I wanted to use the laser cutter to cut out the numbers for the clock. And finally I wanted to use the vinyl cutter to put my name on the back of the clock so that people know it's my clock. I first started by designing my base in Inventor. I wanted to use a square shape for my clock. I decided to make my clock 6 inches by 6 inches. I extruded it forward and then I cut out the middle for the clock part. Since it was 2.2 inches I had 1.9 inches on each side left. Then I took the base of my clock and put the file into maker bot. I set the scale to 1000% and there was my final file. I took the file to the 3D printer and started printing. Then I worked on the numbers for the clock. I wanted to find an image online of numbers and cut them out. I was stuck on how to cut them out because every time I tried the laser would engrave the numbers so I scratched that and typed out my own numbers. I selected them and gave them a stroke weight of 0.0001. Then I took my file and went to the laser and cut out my numbers. The last machine I needed to use was the vinyl cutter. I went to illustrator and typed out my name and I had to look back at my handouts on how to make that a vinyl compatible file. After I figured that out I cut my vinyl out on the vinyl cutter. All that was left was to put everything together.
Above is photos of the base being printed out
Above is photos of the numbers being cut out
Above is photos of me working on taking the bed off my base
Above is me putting together the clock
Above is my final clock project done and working
What I learned during the final project was more about each of the machines that I used. Every time I use a machine I gain a little more knowledge about the machine. For the 3D printer I learned that the USB drive didn't have to be in the printer while something was printing. Not much of something I learned but it was a small thing that saved me a lot of time. Something I learned about the laser was more about the different types of colors in UCP and what they do to the laser. I had the color on black a few times and it got messed up and now I know why. And on the vinyl cutter I learned about how to use the software that is used between Illustrator and the vinyl cutter. To wrap up a learned a lot throughout this project and even the whole class. I learned 5 machines and used them multiple times to sharpen my skills. I can see myself taking Big IDEA in the future because I want to keep expanding on what I've already learned, and make my dreams become reality.