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!

 

Rocket Car Competition

On Saturday, October 13,2018, The design hub collaborated with the several students from San Juan High School. Bryan and Stephen and their instructor James participated in this Rocketcar event.

It was located in the football fields behind the pool and gymnasium area.

 

The participants from San Juan High school collaborated with the individuals from the Design Hub including Randy Schuster, Gavin, Kai, Kevin, and Jason. Also Participating in the competition are three ARC Design Hub interns: Justin, Marlo, and Muhammed. They worked on 3D printed designs and Melissa did the soldering.

Since one of our interns Jason who is skilled as a drone pilot, Helped filmed the event aerial style. Jason’s Company , J&S Drone Solutions, was also involved in the event, he flew his own drone!

 

The physics Department ordered this project from Randy, Due to the concern about the the limited aerial flying. Since the airspace around ARC is located so closely to a hospital. Instead, of hosting a drone flying competition. They decided to host a rocketcar competition. Where the main action would be taking place on the ground and not the air. Sean Franklin developed the first  rocketcar over the summer. Competition was hosted to unite the high school and college communities.

The participants received 3D printed trophies to honor their victories!  

Here are the results:

1st  – Steven … Representing San Juan High School … 50 mph
2nd – Bryan … Representing San Juan High School … 48 mph
3rd – Kai … Representing the Design Hub … 20 mph
HM – Gavin … Representing the Design Hub … Well over 50 mph but too low to register on our timer

Conversion of PLY file to STL

Katrina is an anthropology professor here at ARC. Is doing all 3D printing.

A femur bone, Known from our website if you saw the header.

So we the design hub have built a 3D printer for Prof. Katrina . She is responsible for the Anthropology of printing bones and studying the bones from dig sites.

https://www.britannica.com/animal/tarsier/media/583719/219537

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, ” Tarsier is a primate found in various of islands in Southeast Asia. They look like a lemur and a monkey combined. ” Picture from the site is displayed on the left.

In the Design Hub we have amazing 3D modeling students that can help fix any model that the clients need fixing.

Unlike Engineers who work with numbers, the artists can visualize and make decisions on what something looks like. they are able to look at many references in need if they do struggle in dire situations.

Anthropologists give really good data, which they are able to access a certain software.  This certain type of software is called “Mesh Lab” . Which allows us to access the data we need. Prof. Matt Stoehr and some modeling students were able to arrange the data for the 3D printer. Which she can go ahead and print  what ever she needs.

If there was any mess ups in the scanning process, the artists are able to clean up any screw ups that were left behind.

When Traiser was scanned it came out all pixelated squares. Which was the interesting part of it. But our artists were able to smooth and make the scan look what it should look like.

ARC Intern Chris Porter, A 3D modeler and animation student had worked with her on stuff like this right now.

Femur

Engineers built a long beds so that she was able to print larger scaled bones such as the femurs.

From there she will be able to print any bone, or even huge human femurs. It can even print the entire skeleton!

 

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.

Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead. In this holiday focuses on the gathering of families and and friends in praying to remember family and friends that have died.

Here at the design hub we are working on a seasonal project for this special holiday.

The project began October 1 and will continue until November 2, when the Day of the Dead officially ends.

Photos taken by Angelique Doty

They are making a small scaled skull to sell at the bookstore for approximately one dollar per skull.

This creative idea was suggested by one of our amazing interns Erika Gonzales. Who thought of this project due to a previous project  “Bobble-head Project”.

The bobble-head project is about peoples heads getting scanned by the 3D scanner by the 3D scanning interns here at the Hub. Making it into amazing scanned heads for bobble-heads.

Photos taken by Angelique Doty

The project inspired the idea for this project to create skulls using the same method as the bobble-heads.

First, a full sized skull that Erika brought in was scanned. Next they 3D printed this life sized skull. Now, Smaller Scale skulls are in the progress of being created , Then painted by the Artist team.

 

The artist team consist of : Erika, Summer and Regan. 

Currently, the artist team is finding a location to sell these 3D scanned and printed skulls at any local Day of the Dead Event.

Future development from this project includes making the skulls into bobble-heads, earrings, and charms for people to make their own jewelry from them such as necklaces and bracelets.

Final step of this project is to paint and seal the skulls  in the paintwork with a special sealant that prevents any staining.  

Then the skulls will be all ready for selling!