Welcome back to my blog! This week, I learned to use a CNC machine for carving various designs in wood. It was an exciting experience, as I had never operated a CNC machine before. My journey began with an overview from the TAs on operating the machine and setting up the wood for a successful run. Following this, I had a training session with Dr. Wettegreen, delving deeper into the machine’s intricacies and common user mistakes when carving wood. We spent considerable time learning how to attach and remove tools and how to measure them. Additionally, we read the guide to better understand initializing the machine using the probing device.
On Sunday, I returned to undertake my project. I chose to carve a soccer ball design from The Noun Project, which I thought would look impressive. I started by downloading the STL file from The Noun Project and importing it into the CNC machine software to define the pockets and cuts, thereby saving the desired toolpath. I measured the length, width, and thickness of my wood piece, inputting these dimensions into the software. Next, I scaled the soccer ball design to a 3-inch size, selecting the inner hexagons as pockets and the outer circle for the external cut. I added tabs at three points of the cut, saved the toolpath, and transferred it to the CNC cutting software.
The first step involved changing the tool to the probing tool for calibration. After taping the wood to the CNC machine plate and positioning the probing device at the wood’s corner, I probed and analyzed the corner. I then installed the 1/8 inch tool as recommended for the cut. Unfortunately, the initial attempt resulted in the pockets being carved too deeply. I had to adjust the pocket depth in the toolpath software and re-save the toolpath. On my second attempt, the run was successful, though the tabs were slightly oversized, making it challenging to remove the soccer balls from the wood. I resolved this by sanding down the wood and applying wax polish for a refined finish.
This project was a valuable learning experience in engineering, demanding meticulous attention to detail when using the CNC machine.
| Material | Cost | Amount/Hours | Total Cost |
| Wood 1 in x 3 in x 7 in | $2.54 | 1 | $2.54 |
| Sand Paper | $9.99 | 4% | $ 0.39 |
| Wax Polish Black Bison | $39.98 | 5% | $1.99 |
| WaterJet machine | $24 | 1 | $24 |
| Design Engineer | $37.08 | 1 | $37.08 |
| Total | $66 | ||
