IllustratorAdobe Illustrator is an application for creating vector files. These vector files are what allows the laser cutter to acknowledge the designs you form and turn those digital designs into actual designs. You start by adding an image into Illustrator and you can add text and other stuff to personalize that image. Then change the colors of the lines to indicate what should be cut or engraved. Red lines means cut, blue means engrave, and black and other shades of gray are also engraving.
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Laser EngravingOur task for the introduction to Illustrator and laser engraving/cutting was to make a key chain. I took the above designs from Illustrator and turned that into a real key chain, displayed to the right. How I did that using the laser is explained step by step below if you click the button below.
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Vinyl CutterThe vinyl cutter is another machine that uses Illustrator to cut words, shapes, and other designs into vinyl. To acquaint ourselves with this machine, we were tasked with the project of printing our name out and attaching it to a tag board. The step by step process I used to complete this project is shown in the below.
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What did I learn?
Coming into this unit I had no knowledge of how to use any of the software or machines. Through all of these projects, I learned how to use Illustrator, the laser engraver, and the vinyl cutter. With Illustrator I learned how to edit an image and other text in order to make it readable by the laser. Red means cut, blue means etch, and black and other colors mean engrave. With the laser engraver I learned how to use the machine safely and properly, so I can cut things in the future. With the vinyl cutter, I learned the step by step, careful process of taking your vinyl and applying it to a different surface. I enjoyed learning how to use these machines!