Expecting my A350 in November but am trying to learn the software and prepare files to cut. I would like to cut sheets of 5mm foam board and was wondering the best tool to use CNC or laser.
Additional to this, i would like the tool to score cut (50%) particular lines and cut through on others. just wondering what the best way prepare the file to set the tool to cut one line to 50% and other lines the full depth.
I have prepared the DXF file however when i import it into luban, it only allows one setting to be set on the image.
Not sure whether laser or CNC would be best, but the method I’ve found to do different depths is to create an SVG file with the two depths in different layers, then save the separate layers off into separate SVG files. In Luban, each file you add can have different processing options applied (depths, tool speeds, laser power, etc.)
Foam board is typically made of foamed PVC which can produce acidic fumes when burned, so I would refrain from laser cutting, or have a the area/room very well ventilated.
Seems like a round about way of doing things to upload the same file twice. I would have thought there would have been a way to maybe set black lines to cut through and red lines to cut 50%
One warning when CNCing foam. Sounds silly but: Static.
I bought some of those ~20inch square 2inch thick Owens Corning pink ‘insulation’ foam sheets and used them on my Xcarve. Machine engraved them to create a relief sign, then used painting techniques to make them look like rusted metal.
The milled off foam bits went EVERYWHERE and started clinging like the dickens to anything on the machine. It was all over the rail, the Z carriage, the nonmoving parts of the spindle, the terminal block screws.
I can’t know for sure if it was related but not too far after that project, in the middle of another one, the Xcarve just stopped working. Not like there was any backpressure on the tool that would’ve caused me to miss steps or otherwise mechanically cause a failure, but the Arduino controller ended up being the culprit. I think it took an ESD event somehow. Inventables was good and replaced it (machine was very new and under warranty) but I’ve been leary about doing foam again ever since, at least without a good vacuum system to try and hoover up the dust elsewhere before it gets on the rails and head.