2D design for 3D forms with Cuttle parametric CAD for lasers

Workshop first done at Nordic Fablab Bootcamp 2024.

cuttle.xyz

A web-based design tool for digital cutting machines. Generate custom SVGs in seconds with templates, or use the editor to make your own designs.

Why parametric?

Cuttle origin

Cuttle: a new CAD tool for rapid prototyping (tinyletter link is offline)
👆 designing a design app to design a thing https://sunseeds.xyz

Designs and tools to explore

Hands-on introduction

Design software and CNC tools have a big learning curve. We’ll explore some designs that can be fabricated before a workshop, to invite immediate hands-on exploration.

Can it scale up to corrugated? Big d20 or other dice? Irregular crystal shapes?

Explore polyhedra here: https://polyhedra.tessera.li

Part cut files

Source project: Cardstock 3D Polyhedron Construction Kit – Metric

Cut layout SVGs, sized for A4:

Workshop photos

Group photo, making the shapes

After popping out the triangles and trading them around, the participants started exploring how the parts can come together.

Cardstock polyhedra examples

Inventive!

Cuttle Editor intro and Q&A

Interactive Cuttle introduction.

More project ideas

Hexaflexagon Printable

Can choose your own photos & print directly from Cuttle. Cutting and folding by hand.

CNC optional

Parametric Pinwheel Paper Purse

CNC recommended

3D Papercraft Letters Generator

Any path can generate a “strip” to give it depth.

kumiko lattice

Could the top have texture of a mountain range? (Would need a deep design dive.)

Cool Tools

Unfolder app

https://www.unfolder.app

Papercraft tool; 3D OBJ to flat layout for cut and score.

Origami Simulator

https://origamisimulator.org

Flat SVG to simulated folding.

Origami simulator tips

“Miura Ori” … helpful to have folding lines scored beforehand.

ORI-REVO

ORI-REVO web app for paper folding design

https://mitani.cs.tsukuba.ac.jp/ori_revo/

Laser settings for paper

Don’t use probe for focus, as it will push the card stock down, and be out of focus.

Tuned on Aalto Fablab’s 80W Epilog Fusion Pro.

Speed / Power / Frequency.

300gsm cardstock

Fully cut

85% / 35% / 15%

Smaller parts will fall out. Keep an eye on the progress to be sure that the small parts don’t block later cuts.

Perforated

85% / 35% / 10%

For holding parts in a sheet “flat-pack.” This is nice for removing keeping things organized, removing the parts from the laser in one sheet, and making kits to pack and ship.

Changing the frequency is the key to this. Acceleration interacts with this, so straighter segments will have fewer pulses per mm and therefore will have more attachment, compared to shorter segments in the same path.

Removing the parts from the sheet should be easy by folding along the path a bit.

close-up of cardstock laser, cut vs perforated