Session 5 - Making

This session was planned as an opportunity for students to complete their three-dimensional models within the ArtCAM/CAD software and set it up for the CAM milling machine. The students needed to start by choosing the size and thickness of the acrylic/Perspex that they were to work with and set their drawings up to fit with this. Some of them needed to simplify their ideas. One or two could then begin to manufacture prototypes using CAM.

Aim for students:

- To complete refining their idea ready to make into a physical object and choose materials
- To appreciate the CAM process of sheet cutting and reassembly
- To begin the process of computer aided manufacture

Outcome of Lesson:

- A 3D CAD drawing set up for CAM machine
- To have chosen a material
- For some students to begin CAM

This session also involved an introduction to MiniCAM software and the processing of their designs ready for milling. This was the start of the CAM milling process and most of the students successfully managed this. Unfortunately, there were problems getting the CAM software to work effectively on this occasion. The students were able to continue to refine and develop their ideas within ArtCAM but lost the opportunity of further stimulation to their creative work by seeing the first CAM products developed from their designs.

The main difficulty was transferring the ArtCAM files into the machine code for the Denford milling machine. This is theoretically straightforward and advice is being sought to find a solution to this problem.

Because of the technical problems the session focussed instead on getting students to further refine their designs in ArtCAM and to produce rendered images of the work. This involved exploring the technical capabilities of the software in more depth and producing a more finished output in the software, rather than prototyping with the CAM machine. Had they not missed out on the first stage of CAM machining, they would have normally have gone back to their designs in ArtCAM anyway and refined their designs further in light of the experience of seeing their prototype as a physical object.

Another problem was that the machining was planned to be undertaken at the same time as other students were refining their designs. This presented problems in terms of trying to do two things at once: teach and use CAD software in one room and also set up the CAM machine in another adjoining room. This problem could have been solved by the availability of a technician. There was also the issue of time: the length of time (a minimum 30 minutes) to machine even a very small CAM design had not been taken into account. In the evaluation it was felt that this would have been an issue even if the machine had been working perfectly and more time would be needed for manufacturing.