For the laser cutting assignment, I made a 5” x 5” x 5” box using laser-cut plywood sheets. It took longer than I expected, but through trial and error, I learnt a lot about laser cutting.

Process

I began by determining the kerf value of the laser cutting machine (FusionPro) that I used. I cut the kerf box below and mesaured the length of the gap and divided that value by 10 to get the kerf value, which was approximately 0.007 “.

Figure 1. Kerf Box

After that, I used a box-making website, MakerCase, to generate the vector file for my box. I decided the edge length to be 5″ and input the plywood sheet’s thickness along with the kerf value. Then I edited the file in Adobe Illustrator to put text and the Will Rice crest on two of the sides.

Figure 2. Laser Cutting File

Next, I laser cut the box. However, my first attempt was wildly unsuccessful because I used a file with the wrong material thickness value, resulting in pieces that didn’t fit at all. Fortunately, the remaining plywood sheet was enough for another trial, so I double-checked everything this time to get a workable result.

Figure 3. Laser-cut Pieces

Lastly, I assembled the pieces into a box.

Figure 4. Wood Box

Cleaned Workspace

Cost Breakdown

• Raw Materials

Birch Plywood 32″x24″ – 1 : $5

• Tools (based on usage time, approximate)

Laser Cutter : $9 (1 hour for $9/hour)

• Labor

3 Hours – $10 per hour : $30

Total Cost: $44

Reflection

Through this project, I completed a functional wood display box and learned several lessons about laser cutting. Although the operation of the machine is a rather straightforward process, it is always important to double-check the file, parameters, and settings before initiating the job. I also gain an appreciation for the complex fabrications a laser cutter can achieve with its precision, which is something that is difficult to do by hand. Overall, this was a meaningful and enjoyable experience, and I’m grateful to everyone who helped along the way.