My Elio Alternate Project Is Underway.

[Hog]

There is a programmable "offset" so it can be set to cut the center, or slightly inside or outside of the line, ie, holes are usually set to the inside while outer edges of big shapes are on the outside so each shape gets an offset and the dimensions remain as drawn. At least thats how ours used to work, very similar to a waterjet.

 

[84mpg]

There is a programmable "offset" so it can be set to cut the center, or slightly inside or outside of the line, ie, holes are usually set to the inside while outer edges of big shapes are on the outside so each shape gets an offset and the dimensions remain as drawn. At least thats how ours used to work, very similar to a waterjet.

Hey… thanks for that info. I was just curious. I’ve never been around a laser or water jet.

I work with vector/digital art daily, but it’s in advertising, printing, etc. I figured there had to be some kind of allowance for cut’s width and it’s placement, etc. That’s pretty neat!

appreciate you explaining….

 

[Mark BEX]

When you draw for the laser, does the laser cut on the outside of your line? Or, I guess the laser cuts right smack on the line? If it cuts right on the line, how much do you allow for the width of the beam?

I believe it's around 0.015 mm/0.006" width with my thicknesses.

However, the laser automatically offsets on the inside of inside cuts, and on the outside of outside cuts, how it knows to do this, is voodoo magic :-)

It wouldn't matter if it cut on my line, still well within my tolerances i work with.

My laser shops recommends not to run a single dissecting line between parts, because one will be undersized or oversized depending on which side of the line the computer decides on. I usually leave a 2 or 3 mm gap between parts, more as the sheet gets thinner to avoid distortions.

You would be surprised how many stresses a sheet holds, and the thin ones give it up quite badly sometimes when being cut, and in higher level industries such as aviation, they run the sheets through de-stressing rollers first, a machine that looks something like this with multiple rollers

 

[Hog]

yup, water jet cut is usually wider, more around 0.030" but depends on the thickness of the material. Some 2" steel we cut can develop a "flare" towards the bottom of the material due to pressure loss and abrasive spatter, so entry cut and exit cut are different thicknesses. You need to plan for wider spacing between parts to allow for the "overlap". Corners are cut slower to prevent a "skidding" effect as the jet sweeps around the corner. This is done "automagically" by the program. We cut some small Inconel parts that are 3"x3" cube shapes that take almost an hour each. Thinner aluminum cuts in seconds. Advantage with the waterjet is it cuts wood and G10 just as well. The laser only cuts non shiny metals unless they are laser skinned (plastic sheet) to cut the reflectivity.

 

[Mark BEX]

Advantage with the waterjet is it cuts wood and G10 just as well. The laser only cuts non shiny metals unless they are laser skinned (plastic sheet) to cut the reflectivity.

I don't know about wood, but laser certainly cuts plastics, there's a couple of shops around my town that do that, signs mostly. I have laser cut persplex screens for planes, including 5mm holes for rivets.

Each has it's advantages, the biggest advantage for me for laser, is there is no water jet shop in my town, and the laser shop is walking distance from me :-)

 

[Made in USA]

I don't know about wood, but laser certainly cuts plastics, there's a couple of shops around my town that do that, signs mostly. I have laser cut persplex screens for planes, including 5mm holes for rivets.

Each has it's advantages, the biggest advantage for me for laser, is there is no water jet shop in my town, and the laser shop is walking distance from me :-)

Laser on wood tends to leave a burnt edge. Works best on thin plywood. You can cover the wood with a plastic film to reduce the discoloration but that adds to the cost.

 

[Mark BEX]

I am working my behind off sorting design elements closer to being production elements.

My laser wasn't done the last 2 days because they couldn't contact me to tell me they didn't have the thickness of metal sheet I requested, I didn't realise they didn't know how to contact me, so they were staying back tonight to cut my now 3 jobs, as I delivered 2 more to them this afternoon ... expecting to pick up Wednesday's job lot!

Promised me tomorrow morning to pick up. Hope the bending shop has time in the afternoon for me.

Now into the rear swinging arm and associated components, chassis mounts, swingarm bushes, new designed swingarm as well, but based on the prototype. Now is smaller, lighter and easier to build, with a moment of brilliance for the swingarm bush mountings that even surprised myself.

I like those 'lightbulb moments' when the light comes on very bright

 

[JohnJ]

I am working my behind off sorting design elements closer to being production elements.

My laser wasn't done the last 2 days because they couldn't contact me to tell me they didn't have the thickness of metal sheet I requested, I didn't realise they didn't know how to contact me, so they were staying back tonight to cut my now 3 jobs, as I delivered 2 more to them this afternoon ... expecting to pick up Wednesday's job lot!

Promised me tomorrow morning to pick up. Hope the bending shop has time in the afternoon for me.

Now into the rear swinging arm and associated components, chassis mounts, swingarm bushes, new designed swingarm as well, but based on the prototype. Now is smaller, lighter and easier to build, with a moment of brilliance for the swingarm bush mountings that even surprised myself.

I like those 'lightbulb moments' when the light comes on very bright

View attachment 25290

We may not respond to each and every one of your posts, but be assured you have a flock of guys out here watching and rooting for you.

 

[msmith5150]

We may not respond to each and every one of your posts, but be assured you have a flock of guys out here watching and rooting for you.

Absolutely true!

 

[JEBar]

I am working my behind off sorting design elements closer to being production elements.

My laser wasn't done the last 2 days because they couldn't contact me to tell me they didn't have the thickness of metal sheet I requested, I didn't realise they didn't know how to contact me, so they were staying back tonight to cut my now 3 jobs, as I delivered 2 more to them this afternoon ... expecting to pick up Wednesday's job lot!

Promised me tomorrow morning to pick up. Hope the bending shop has time in the afternoon for me.

Now into the rear swinging arm and associated components, chassis mounts, swingarm bushes, new designed swingarm as well, but based on the prototype. Now is smaller, lighter and easier to build, with a moment of brilliance for the swingarm bush mountings that even surprised myself.

I like those 'lightbulb moments' when the light comes on very bright

View attachment 25290

in this area, my light bulb isn't just dim, its not even turned on .... in looking back, I can see there is a difference in design ..... I'd appreciate hearing about the advantages of the new design