Cut out shapes out of plastic sheets with a CNC

In this how to, I will show you our process to cut HDPE Sheets using a X-Carve CNC. Here is the full video in spanish with subtitles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LrrFz802To

< 5 hours

Medium

More Information

809 views

3 useful

0 comments

6 steps

1 Measure the plastic sheet

For this step we need to measure our plastic sheet: Height, Width and Thickness. Our X-Carve machine works with the CAM Software EASEL, for me, the easiest software for CNC milling out there. The cool thing about Easel (https://easel.inventables.com/) is that you can "simulate" your actual material and THEY EVEN HAVE HDPE 2-Colors in their cutting material lists!!

2 Secure sheet

Using the CNC clamps from the X-Carve, secure the sheet to the table,

3 Choosing a file to cut

Now we go to our illustrator, such as Inkscape to design a vector file or download and open source one frome https://thenounproject.com/. We download the SVG file, which is an open source vector format and import it to Easel.

4 Follow the cutting Wizzard

Now with the file we can choose the width we want to carve/cut and then we go to cut and start the wizzard: - We check that the sheet is fixed. - We also specify the cutting bit, we are using a 1/8 flat flute bit. - We tell the machine where the coordinate 0-0 is, which we always choose as the down left corner. - We raise the bit, turn on the Router!!! AND PUM THE MAGIC BEGINS!!

5 Post-production and show case

You take now your glasses or object and postprocess them and of course show it to your friends, family and so on.

6 Hack it and try it yourself

You can try this project with other types of CNC machines, even manual Routers or manual saw, as I did on this video: https://youtu.be/gxkcffQD3eQ, but the important thing is that you share what you do and help this community to grow!!! Share your ideas and comments!

Precious Plastic is a project by One Army.Please sponsor the work or help us build the software.