Category: Laser

Laser engraving and cutting.

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New Ways to Laser Engrave!

 

The laser engraver in the ARC Design Hub can be a learning process to new interns. During the first couple weeks at the design hub we train and teach our interns how to use and/ or the purposes the laser can do for us. We are still new to laser but we always will find new tactics on how we should operate the laser. Either finding the right settings or experimenting on pieces of scrap materials to see how it will turn out. 

What does the laser engraver used for in the ARC Design Hub? What can we make with the laser we have?

Here in the Design Hub we currently are using two laser engravers in the back of room 311. The laser Engraver is used for ton of projects for our clients and personal uses. Designers here at the Design Hub create wonderful projects to help support the hub with their creativity. Just like the Retopo Map blog we did awhile ago, they used the laser for that project. Interns are able to used the laser for personal projects to create unique types of physical merchandise.

What types of merchandise or products can you use to make stuff here in the Hub?

The types you can make in the laser engraver is the following: Sketch book covers, key chains, ornaments, etc.

Let your creativity wonder around the ideas of creating wonderful types of pieces out of any materials like wood and plastic.

Although, It can also be used for educational purposes like making flash cards out of plastic or making pieces for a game board for and educational game.

How does the laser function and how can you get a decent design without it melting or making the design look weird?

Muhannad Abbas, who is very well experienced and excellent with the laser made these templates out of wood and plastic.

The templates shows how the laser reacts to the type of material it touches depending on the shading of the grey is being used. 

 

Too much power on the laser with a really dark color may burn the wood or melt the plastic. With the used of this template the designers are able to understand how the laser works and how much they need to make their projects a success. 

How can people outside of the Design Hub apply or request stuff to get printed?

On the ARC Design Hub Website we have a work request area. This area your able to request projects that our interns can print out for you. Their are examples and a request form to get started!

 

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Engineering Club SWAG

Jair and three other Design Hub interns worked together on a laser engraving project.

This project was ordered from the Engineering Club and Randy Schuster, who is the advisor for the Engineering Club.

 

Using the Design Hub’s laser engraver they were able to accomplish this project. 

The Keychains were engraved with the logo, also known as SWAG. It was engraved in plywood, and hooked with a metal chains that is attached through the little hole on the side of the keychain.

 

 

These keychains were going to be given away for free for the Engineering Club students.

 

 

 

In the future, bobbleheads will be made to donate.

The interns are working on the bobblehead project at the same time as the keychain project, and it will involve scanning and 3D printing of participants’ heads.  Scanning will take a couple of hours, whereas the 3D printing is estimated to take one to two days.

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The Folsom Lake 3D Wood Carved Map

Map of Sacramento Folsom Lake

This wonderful materialistic piece created by Aygul Akhmadeeva shows off how beautiful her project has came out.

This project might interest Sacramento residents due to a 3D look of the Folsom lake map! Sacramento’s most populated Lake , Folsom Lake is a place worth getting water from Tahoe’s mountain range. Its light blue color ,this map features all main roads leading up to the lake.

The Depth of the lake is shown in the pieces as well. They decided to not stop on working with wood, but add a new material to make the project interesting but also challenging and experimental. They decided to work on a material that they never used before- epoxy! The Materials used in this project was wood, clear casting epoxy, blue epoxy, it is filled that will create a realistic view of the lake water.

It measures  approx. 10 ½ x 8 ½ x 5/8 ; This piece is about 5 layers thick!!!

Aygul Akhmadeeva stated, “ If we do a couple layers of a 2D cut of wood we can create a 3D visual effect.”

 

This project took about a month to complete. Aygul stated, “ It is possible to create this project within 1 day only with all equipment and material available.”

All projects have there side effects or there difficulties within a certain project. One was choosing the settings for the laser. Second, was to get familiar on how to work with epoxy. Due to its ingredient being limited time only to use it. The way Aygul accomplished this process was due to making dozen of experiments with the material.

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A Glimpse Into the Magic of Capturing Memories: Laser Engraved Photos

At the Design Hub, we are constantly putting our beloved laser engraver to work, and now we’re looking at YOU: artists, photographers, models, and students of ARC! If there is any interest in engravings of any photo/drawing/art work that anyone would want, we are here to help you capture that magic on wood.

Our photography intern Kyle Chan has been testing out his own photographs taken from both a dslr camera as well as his iPhone X.

 He tells us that, “Being a photographer, seeing the photos printed out and having a tangible piece of artwork is always thrilling, and to create one through such a thrilling process makes the work that much more meaningful for me.” Kyle gifted his photos to his girlfriend for her birthday, and was extremely excited to see his own work engraved into something unique and tangible that will withstand the tests of time. 

With a strong rustic flare, these laser engraved photos make for a really cool grad present. What’s even cooler is the fact that it was created by the hands of our very own American River College peers. 

 

 

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Come and Get Your Grad Portrait Laser Engraved!

The Design Hub of American River College is now introducing a first time ever opportunity for students all around the campus who are graduating this Spring of 2018 to get their portrait taken by specially selected advanced photography interns of the Design Hub.  

The price per portrait ordered by each student is still yet to be determined, ranging in the area around roughly $10, as a vague estimate. In the last few weeks of April, we will set up a temporary photography studio in the ARC Bookstore.  We could take a certain set number of graduates on a first come, first serve basis. There would also be monetary gains for the photographers.  The portraits will be made using our laser etcher on 1/8″ thick birch plywood (5×7 or 4x6ish).  The photographs will be PS edited so that they come out best on the plywood.

The people involved in this project are Brandy Worsfold, Randy Schuster, Aaron Stanley, who works in the bookstore as a Bookstore Buyer, and all of the photography interns for the Design Hub.  Randy ordered this work and assigned the photography interns to this position. He created this fantastic opportunity for the graduates and the photography interns, and worked with Aaron Stanley from the ARC bookstore to help bring the idea to life!

This project is being created to give the graduates a long lasting portrait that they can take with them for the next steps in the life, and in their futures.  The Graduation Portrait Laser Engraver first was created in late February/early March, and is currently being set up to be executed in early May. The training for the photography interns to prepare for portraitures has been occuring during the month of March and April, and we predict to begin taking the pictures in early May. We plan on continuing taking portraits for other projects during future semesters.