There are three parts to the article on Snapmaker's application in education, each introducing how the three functions of the 3-in-1 machine can be used for teaching purposes. Now, we will introduce the CNC machining part of the final chapter!
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Question 1: Why did we design the tray as a hexagon? What are the characteristics of a hexagonal structure?
Answer 1: Hexagonal structures generally have several advantages. Firstly, when polygons like circles or pentagons are connected on a plane, there will be gaps in between. Only triangles, quadrilaterals, and hexagons can connect without gaps in between.
Question 2: But why did we choose a hexagon instead of a triangle or a square?
Answer 2: This is because, compared to triangles and squares, a hexagon has the smallest perimeter for the same planar area. This means that a larger area can be enclosed using the same amount of material. For example, if we have a 6 cm line to enclose a flat surface: if it's a triangle, the side length would be 2 cm, enclosing an area of 1.73 cm². If it's a square, the side length is 1.5 cm, and its area is 2.25 cm². On the other hand, a hexagon with a side length of 1 cm can enclose an area of 2.6 cm², making it the largest among the three. Therefore, by using a hexagon, you can cover the same area with less material.
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Question 3: Now, you have some basic knowledge about hexagonal structures. Look at the modular hexagonal tray I designed. What's special about it?
Answer 3: To make the tray modular, we need to design a connection structure to connect each hexagon. A mortise and tenon joint is used in this particular design. We can further use Inkscape to design vector images.
Once students have a basic understanding of the underlying principles, teachers can further guide them to get started with Snapmaker Luban and begin the carving work!
We have prepared the tray file that can be used as a phone stand for your reference: 👉 link
Now let's look at how to set up CNC machining in Luban. Let's first import "phone slot.svg". Since we are going to do slot cutting, we need to create a toolpath named "phone slot". The "Method" is set to "Fill", "Target Depth" is set to "10mm", and "Tool" is set to "Flat End Mill (1.5mm)". Other parameters remain unchanged, then save the settings.
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Then we can generate the G-code and send it to the printer to start machining! You can make multiple trays, put them together, and post-process them however you like!
Snapmaker 3-in-1 3D printers are essential for bringing projects to life!!
If you are amazed by the versatility of this 3-in-1 3D printer, orwant to learn more about Snapmaker products, please click below to contact us!
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