This week, our last individual assignment was to use the CNC machine to make a noun out of wood.

Procedure:

I started off by choosing a design from the Noun Project. After a long time browsing the website, I chose an owl with a graduation cap 🙂 I was able to download an SVG shapefile to then use Carbide Create to modify and prepare the file.

Once on Carbide Create, I imported the file. I also accurately measured the piece of wood that I was going to be cutting on and changed the settings in the Job Setup menu according to the provided instructions. The next step was to scale the shape to be the appropriate size (I chose for the width to be 3 inches).

Next, I decided that I wanted the lines of the owl to be cut into the wood, and for an outline to be made around the owl itself. To do this, I created a contour toolpath around the shape. I then added pocket cuts for the rest of the lines/details on the top of the owl, and checked the simulation to see if it was what I wanted.

Once this was complete, I was ready to start using the Nomad to make my little owls!

Before starting the cut, I needed to initialize the machine, which was pretty simple due to the instructions provided on the computer.

Each owl took about 40 minutes, and I was very happy that I did not run into any issues with the cuts.

The last step was to post process the two owls, which I did using sandpaper, and then I finished it off using a clear spray paint coat.

 

Cost Analysis:

Raw material cost

Material	Ticket Price	Spent
Wood	$17.19 (4×32 inches)	$6.45
Clear spray paint	$6.98/bottle	$3.49 (overestimate)
Total		$9.94

Labor cost

Assuming minimum wage in Texas of $7.25

Task	Time	Spent
Preparing file	1 hour	$7.25
Cutting	1.5 hours	$10.88
Post processing	1 hour	$7.25
Total		$25.38

Machine time/machine hour cost

Machine hour cost can be calculated by dividing the cost of the machine by the total hours it should function and multiplying that result by the time that the machine was in use.

The CNC machine at the OEDK costs about $2,800 and is expected to last for several hundred hours (assuming 500 hours in use). For this case of 500 hours, and since I used the printer for about 1.5 hours, the total machine time cost was $8.40.

$2,800/(500 hours) = ($5.60/hour)×1.5 hours = $8.40

Project total: $43.72

Overall, I really enjoyed this project and hope to use the CNC machines in the future with my new skills!