edushare: digital fab workshop

Several weeks ago we hosted a two day workshop series on digital processes at App State. We invited faculty from area schools, faculty from App State, as well as students to participate in the two day event. Adam and Travis joined me in teaching some of the workshops and we had a great time sharing info. I believe the participants learned a lot and I'm hoping to expand on this in the future. 

I think we could start to offer this as a series of workshops if I can figure out the logistics. With my personal studio being larger, I think I could even host the events there in the future if I can't figure out the University logistics. If I can start to build some revenue to build an even larger studio complete with teaching space, I could expand this idea considerably. My dream is to have a sort of open Makerspace in the Boone area that allows for classes to be taught and a place where we can train community members in traditional and digital fabrication processes. If anyone know of any start up grants for such a thing, please let me know. 

If nothing else, we will plan on trying to do something similar as a part of the TriState Sculpture events. 

Our schedule was as follows:

Digital Fabrication Workshop (Friday – Saturday March 10th - 11th)

FRIDAY March 10th

Appalachian State Art Department (Wey Hall)

Friday Morning: 

9:00 - 10:20

2D Session:

Methods for making the jump from the sketchbook to the virtual

2D sketchbook scan/photo to digital file using Photoshop, Illustrator, Inkscape, Rhino

Navigation, units, scaling, sketching, curves, control point curves, trim, split, join, closed regions, arrays, file export, etc.

Rhino 2D tutorials (overview)

Vinyl cutter output for aluminum etching/aluminum etching

10:30am - 11:45

3D Session (scanning):

3D scanning techniques using Sense and Xbox 360 Kinect

Photogrammetry using digital camera

11:45 - 12:50 

Lunch: 

Lunch on your own on/off campus 

Friday Afternoon:

1:00 - 2:00

3D Session (CAD):

Rhino 3D tutorials: modeling solids/3D forms

Surfaces, solids, lightweight extrusions, meshes, Boolean operations, file export.

1:00 - 3:00

CAM Session (Vetric and ShopBot CNC Router)

CNC routing demo on the ShopBot (Adam/Travis)

3:00 – 5:00

3D printing discussion/demo if desired

Makerware, Cura, Slic3r, Repeatier, Meshmixer, Netfab, Slicer for Fusion 360, etc.

Worktime (if participants desire)

Frankie will be available to assist with trying out various topics covered and work with participants to create some sample files/pieces

SATURDAY March 11

Meet at Frankie Flood’s Studio 

Saturday Morning:

9:00 - 10:30

CAM Session (RhinoCAM 2.5 axis operations)

CAM and g-code generation demo using RhinoCAM:

2D milling operations: engraving, pocketing, profiling

Speeds and Feeds for metal, wood, foam

10:30 - 11:30

CAM Session (Tormach 2.5 axis milling aluminum)

Tormach milling machine demo: cutting aluminum sheet

11:30 – 1:00

Lunch: 

Lunch at Taqueria El Paso

Saturday Afternoon: Frankie Flood’s Studio 

1:00 – 2:00

CAM Session (RhinoCAM 3 axis operations)

CAM and g-code generation demo using RhinoCAM: 

Horizontal roughing, parallel finishing, spiral machining

2:00 – 3:00

CAM Session (Tormach 3D milling foam for plaster casting)

Tormach milling machine demo: 3D cutting foam block

Pour plaster in foam molds

3:00 – 5:00

CNC machine building discussion if desired 

Gecko G540 CNC controllers, aurduino/ramps for 3D printers, Grbl shield, Mach3 and LinuxCNC, etc.

Worktime (if participants desire)

Frankie will be available to assist with trying out various topics covered and work with participants to create some sample files/pieces

I also provided a handout on various applications that participants might want to look into in the future as their skills expand. This handout info is listed below:

CAD

Rhino3D:

Mac Evaluation Download (90 Day Free Trial)

https://www.rhino3d.com/download/rhino-for-mac/5/evaluation

PC Evaluation Download (90 Day Free Trial)

https://www.rhino3d.com/download/rhino/5/latest

Optional Software Applications (we will be discussing these applications but they are not necessary to download)

CAD

Autodesk Fusion 360:

Mac and PC CAD software with built in rendering and CAM functions (Free for students and educators)

http://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview

Slicer for Fusion 360: (previously known as 123D Make)

Mac of PC Software  (Free from Autodesk) for generating CAD files to fabricate 3D forms using a 2D printer, 3D printer, Laser Cutter, CNC router, CNC milling

https://apps.autodesk.com/FUSION/en/Detail/Index?id=8699194120463301363&os=Win64&appLang=en

TinkerCAD:

Browser based CAD program (super easy to use and Free)

https://www.tinkercad.com/

Inkscape

Mac or PC Open Source (Free) alternative to Illustrator

https://inkscape.org/en/download/

            Adobe Photoshop

https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html

           

Adobe Illustrator

https://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator.html

SketchUp

https://www.sketchup.com/

Vinyl Cutting Software

Sure Cuts A lot Pro 4

Mac and PC software for controlling Vinyl Cutters

http://www.craftedge.com/download/download.html

3D Scanning Software

Reconstructme

PC Only 3D scanning software (can be utilized with Xbox Kinect as the scanning device)

http://reconstructme.net/

Skanect

Mac and PC 3D scanning software (can be utilized with Xbox Kinect as the scanning device)

http://skanect.occipital.com/download/

Sense 3D Scanner

We will be utilizing this #D Systems 3D scanner and scanning software (do not download this software as the scanner and software are licensed together. Listed for your reference only.

https://prod.cubify.com/sense

Photogrammetry Software

Autodesk Remake

Mac and PC software that allows you to create 3D meshes using your still image camera (phone or DSL camera)

https://remake.autodesk.com/about

CAM

Vectric VCarve (trial version available)

http://www.vectric.com/products/vcarve/trial.html

RhinoCAM

PC Only CAM software that is a plugin for Rhino (trial version available)

https://mecsoft.com/rhinocam-software/

Mesh Editing Software

Meshmixer:

Mac and PC (Free Mesh editing program)

http://www.meshmixer.com/download.html

NetFab:

Mac and PC Mesh Repair Software (Free Trial and Free for Students and Educators)

https://www.netfabb.com/

3D Printing

Makerbot Print:

Mac and PC 3D printing slicing software Makerbot 3D printing software (Free)

Can be used with other brands of 3D printers

https://www.makerbot.com/download-print/

Cura:

Mac and PC 3D printing slicing software Ultimaker 3D printing software (Free)

Can be used with other brands of 3D printers

https://ultimaker.com/en/products/cura-software

Repetier

Mac and PC 3D printing slicing and 3D printer controller/g-code interpreting software

https://www.repetier.com/

Slic3r:

Mac and PC 3D printing slicing software

The original open source 3D printing software that the above slicing software packages originated from.

Can be used with other brands of 3D printers and DIY built 3D printers

http://slic3r.org/download

CNC Control Software (for controlling CNC machines and reading g-code instructions)

Mach3

http://www.machsupport.com/software/mach3/

LinuxCNC

http://linuxcnc.org/

app state dcrl

I received my other butcher block table tops a few weeks ago and was able to get these installed in the new App State DCRL. We now have several 3D printers, a Shapeoko, two vinyl cutters, and I ordered a laser cutter a while ago. I'm slowly making the space useable and transitioning from using it as solely as an office. Some of my advanced students have been using the space already to print and model. It's convenient to have a few computers for them to generate vinyl cut files at the least.  My Intro course is even using it a bit for their etching stencils from time to time. I look forward to having a bit more free time in the summer to more fully develop the space. I've put in to teach a Rhino course for the Fall so I'm hoping we can utilize the space then. I've also been busy writing some grants and working with Richard Elaver in Industrial Design to develop some ideas for a new course that would be taught in the Spring 2018 semester. It's taken me a bit more time to get to get settled and get my footing but things are happening...

app state dcrl beginnings

I spent the last part of last week working on converting my office into the new App State Digital Craft Research Lab. I've been planning the layout in Rhino for the last several months. I was just dying to get started on this. Now that the semester is over, I was able to pull everything out of the office and into the main studio so I could paint, and start the "systematic assembly" of the new DCRL. On Thursday I made up several sections of wood that I could use for the french cleats. I got those hung on Thursday and started getting things into position on Friday. I ordered some butcher block tables for the space and I hope they come in soon. I'll work more on the space during this coming week. I need to have things in order for the new semester so we can utilize this space. This space will house several 3D printers, some machining tools, a laser cutter, and various sample boards and tools. I just received a University Research Council grant from App State so some of the new machines will go into this space. There are many opportunities coming up to be able to fund some of the new activities that I hope to engage in; it's exciting! Bryan is also starting his new DCRL at ACAD so it's cool to see the Digital Craft Research Lab spreading into other places.

metal casting from abs 3d prints

In my casting class we've been using 3D prints quite a bit this semester. Some of the students chose to use them in our first project as patterns for sand casting and now many of the students are using 3D prints for our second project. One of my advanced students (Dee) just vacuum cast the rings above and then today Phoebe centrifugally cast the 3D printed heart and the fake flowers. The aluminum heart surface is so nice. The prints were made on my Ultimaker and I'm happy to report that I am really loving the updates to Cura and the Ultimaker print quality has been excellent. It's really "replaced" my Makerbot now that the support settings in Cura have gotten better. We've been mainly using ABS and we seem to be getting a bit of ash that sometimes gets trapped in the investment leaving us with a few pits or thin walls, but the less detailed prints have shown no signs of any trapped ash left behind by the ABS. I believe we can eliminate the ash by a good vacuum of the mold before pouring. I was really happy with our success today.

Again, in this course students are just integrating the technology where needed. I really haven't covered any modeling demos and students are just taking upon themselves to learn what they want in terms of software or utilizing Thingiverse to appropriate forms that they then can manipulate and add to with wax. I am handling all of the 3D printing of pieces in my office that will soon be converted to the DCRL (DCRL East Side Mountain Edition). I just need a good break this Christmas to be able to make the changes necessary. With great student progress and results, I get more and more excited to be here in Boone.