Hello!!

Designing the Snowflake – Tweaking the SVG Code

Getting started with the water jet cutting machine, I designed a snowflake pattern and played around with the SVG code to make sure it would cut properly. While intricate designs look amazing, water jet cutting doesn’t always love tiny details and sharp corners. So, I had to simplify my snowflake, removing unnecessary complexity while keeping the unique shape intact. So I decided to go with the outline alone and not bother the rest of the inner layers

Once I finalized the design, I formatted the Adobe Illustrator file and got everything ready for cutting!

Preparing the Design for ProtoMAX – Converting SVG to Cut Path

Moving my snowflake design into ProtoMAX was like learning a new language it looked great in Adobe Illustrator, but translating that into precise cut paths took some adjustments.

A few key tweaks:

• Part Side Gap: 0.05 inches (kept it tight but safe)
• Lead In/Lead Out Length: 0.05 inches (for clean entry/exit points)
• Adjusted scale, thickness, and autopath to ensure smooth cutting

What’s the biggest challenge? Making sure all paths transferred correctly into ProtoMAX. What looked perfect in Illustrator sometimes needed minor fixes to work with the water jet machine. Once I adjusted everything, it was go time!

First Attempt & Troubleshooting

First cut = not great. My mistake? Wrong material thickness setting. The machine was set to a thinner material, which led to poor cut quality and an incomplete design. I quickly paused, recalibrated, and adjusted the thickness from 0.001” to the actual 0.11” of my steal sheet.

Second attempt = success! Two identical snowflake designs cut perfectly, capturing all the fine details while keeping clean edges.

POST PROCESSING: Sanding, Filing & Finishing

STEP 1: Sand Blasting

This is where the magic happens! ✨ Sandblasting transformed the raw-cut snowflakes from rough aluminum to a smooth, even surface. Watching the texture change was oddly satisfying!

STEP 2: Smoothing Out with Filing

After sandblasting, I went in with a file to clean up the edges. Some areas, especially the inner parts of the snowflake, needed extra care to ensure they were smooth and polished. A few passes with a finer file gave it that perfectly clean finish.

STEP 3: Spray Painting – The Final Touch and Powder coating

To complete the look, I wanted to complete it with the spray paint but to my luck, the air compressor stopped working. So I went with a clear gloss spray. I set up a ventilated area, wiped the pieces down and applied multiple thin coats for a smooth finish. Finally, a clear protective layer sealed everything in, giving my snowflakes a sleek, professional look.

COST ESTIMATE

• Material Costs:
  • Aluminum Sheet (12” x 12”) – $14.99
  • Metal File – $8.99
  • Spray Paint – Clear Coat – $6.99
• Labor Costs:
  • Water Jet Cutter Worker – $17.50/hr (1 hour)
  • Sand Blaster Worker – $18.25/hr (1 hour)
  • Prototyping Engineer (Self) – Priceless 😆

Total Project Cost: $73.71

CONCLUSION

This project was a mix of design challenges, troubleshooting, and hands-on post-processing. I loved seeing my snowflake go from a digital file to a fully finished piece. The water jet machine handled the design beautifully, and now I feel way more comfortable with cutting complex shapes in metal. Looking forward to experimenting with even more intricate designs next time! ❄️✨

Clean Workspace