[Music]

[Screen reads 'Chris Sandoval,STEM Enrichment Team']

Chris Sandoval

Hi there, today we will learn to use the micro:bit with a continuous servo.

We begin at the MakeCode webpage.

Create a new project that you can call “continuous servo” or something similar.

There are two blocks in our new project page that we won’t be using, so we’ll start by deleting both of them.

We’ll be using a servo, but when you scan your block menu, you won’t see a servo option.

So what we can do is select the Extensions button and look for the servo library. When you find it, left-click on the tile to bring it into your block menu.

We can see that a new Servos option appears in our menu, and it has a range of different servo blocks we can use.

I will start the code by adding an input block. Click on the Input button and then select the “on button pressed” block.

Left-click on the Servos button and choose the “continuous servo run” block. Then move this block into the “on button pressed” block.

As soon as we do this, we’ll notice that a servo appears in the simulator on the left-hand side.

Notice that the servo is connected to pin 0, as well as the 3-volt power pin and the ground pin. This is a handy hint for when we connect our servo to our micro:bit.

To do this, we start by connecting a jumper wire to the yellow socket of the servo. Then we connect a jumper wire to the red power socket, and we also connect a wire to the brown ground socket.

Then we connect the alligator-clip end of the signal wire to the 0 pin on the micro:bit. We repeat this for the red power wire to the 3-volt pin, followed by the ground wire connected to the ground pin.

Once we are happy with our connections, we can plug the USB cable into the micro:bit. If this is the first time you’re powering the micro:bit, you may get a little welcome dance from the servo.

Now we are connected.

We can add a pause block after the servo run code. Let’s make the pause two seconds. Then we can grab a servo stop block and place it after the pause.

This means that the servo should start running for two seconds and then stop.

But we find that the servo stop block doesn’t quite work on the simulator when we trial it. However, it will work on the micro:bit. So let’s download our code and then trial it on the hardware.

When we press button A, the servo will spin for two seconds and then stop.

If we want the simulator to stop after two seconds, we can change this so that the continuous servo at pin 0 will run at 0% after two seconds. This will stop the servo in the simulator.

We can test this by running the simulator and selecting button A.

We can also add an input for button B that will reverse the direction of the servo. Select this block of code, right-click with your mouse, and create a duplicate.

Now we change button A to button B in the dropdown menu. After that, we change the direction of the servo by adding a negative symbol before the 50.

We can move over to the simulator and check that our new code works.

Once you’re happy with your code, you want to download it to your paired micro:bit by left-clicking on the Download button.

I can test that this is working by pressing button A and button B. The servo moves in one direction for two seconds, then in the opposite direction.

We can now use this continuous servo to make a lift or elevator, or possibly spin a tower crane, or move a model or winch or cleat.

It’s important to note that if you want your servo to move a heavier load, you may need to use a servo driver or expansion board similar to this one here.

You could also use a separate battery pack to power the servo. A positive red wire from the battery pack is connected to the power lead of the servo. The ground servo lead is connected to the ground pin of the micro:bit, which is also the common ground to the power pack. The signal lead of the servo is still connected to the 0 pin of the micro:bit.

Happy coding and bye for now.

[End of transcript]

[Music]

[Screen reads 'Chris Sandoval,STEM Enrichment Team']

Chris Sandoval

Hi everyone, today we will look at one way we can use a continuous servo and a micro:bit in an elevator design project.

We start with our servo connected to the micro:bit, which is plugged into our computer. If this setup is new to you, try watching the previous video in the series for more information.

Navigate to the MakeCode website and start a new project.

Give your project a name and move into the block code screen.

We will need to use servo block code, so click on the Extensions button and search for the Servos library.

Left-click the Servos library, and you’ll notice that a Servos button appears in the menu. Today, we will add a variable to the "On Start" block. Making a variable allows information to be stored and used by the micro:bit. They act as containers for values that can be changed while the program is running.

Left-click the Variables button, choose “Make a Variable,” and name it “level number.” Create a block so that when the micro:bit turns on, it assigns the level number as zero.

The Forever block creates a loop that runs in the background, usually allowing other parts of your program to execute as well.

For my elevator, I want level zero to be the ground floor, so I will add an If statement to the Forever block.

My condition is that when the level number variable equals zero, then a string will appear on the LED matrix. In this instance, the letter “G” will be displayed to indicate the ground floor.

My elevator will have three levels, and this loop will mean that the levels will be labelled with Ground, 1, or 2.

Now I would like to use the button on the micro:bit to control the LED matrix, the variable number, and the continuous servo.

Look for the Input button and select it.

Grab the “On Button A Pressed” block and move it into your workspace.

The first thing I would like is an If statement, so grab an If block and place it inside the button block. We want the statement to say that if the level number is less than or equal to 1, something will happen. Can you figure out why this is important? This has something to do with the number of levels our elevator has.

This condition is saying: if the level number is less than or equal to 1, then the following code in this button block will execute.

So if Button A is pressed and the level number is less than or equal to 1, I would like the level number to increase by 1. I can add a variable block to make this happen.

Then I would like the LED to show an arrow pointing up. In this instance, that means adding an arrow showing “north.”

Now I want to run my continuous servo at 50% for two seconds.

Add a green servo block showing 50% and then place a Pause block for two seconds.

It may seem strange that pausing the code for two seconds means the servo will continue to run, but in this instance, it means the code will not move on to the next block for two seconds, therefore leaving the servo running.

Note that we are using pin zero, as indicated by the simulator on the left.

After this two-second pause, we want the servo to stop.

Usually we would add a “Stop Servo” block next, but the simulator does not recognise the stop servo block. To get around this little gremlin, we add a “Servo Run” block set at 0%, effectively stopping the servo. It’s not ideal, but it works.

Finally, I would like the new level number to show on the matrix. So we add a “Show String” block and insert the level number variable.

Move over to the simulator and click the A button. Notice what happens with the matrix and the servo. Also notice what happens when we are on level two and click the button. Nothing happens. This is because of our initial If statement.

The next thing we want to do is get our elevator back down.

We can use Button B to call our elevator down.

Select our Button A block, right-click, and duplicate it.

We want Button B to do the opposite of our first button, so change the button letter, the level number condition, and the arrow direction.

The servo will also need to spin in the opposite direction, so place a negative symbol in front of the 50.

Use the simulator to test your block code.

Note the matrix level number and the direction of the servo as you click each button.

When we are ready to download the code to the micro:bit, check that it is connected and then select the Download button. Blocks are relatively large, so it may take a while to download.

Now we are ready for action and can test the block code. Note again the matrix level number and the direction of the servo as you click each button.

When you are comfortable controlling the servo, you can consider objects and items you could use for your elevator car, cable, elevator drum, and servo horn.

In this prototype, I am using a drum that I 3D-printed for another project and attached a four-armed servo horn to the bottom. But you could use other items for your drum, noting that the drum size will affect the movement of your elevator car.

Attach the horn and drum to the servo using the screw that is usually provided in the packet.

Tightly hold the drum and servo, trying not to spin them when tightening the screw.

When everything is attached, you can start testing your block code.

Another note: if your car or load is heavy, you may need to use a servo driver or expansion board to help power the servo.

In this test, I have changed the speed of my servo and the timing of my pause for both buttons.

There are many things to consider when testing and adapting your elevator – from the drum diameter to the elasticity of your cable, and different resistance from up and down motion.

Enjoy the project and have fun with the build.

[End of transcript]

[Music]

[Screen reads 'Chris Sandoval,STEM Enrichment Team']

Chris Sandoval

In this video, we will draw an elevator design using Fusion 360.

Throughout these videos, you'll be introduced to some of the fundamental tools and techniques used in Fusion to build and modify 3D components.

We'll also explore how parameters can be applied to control dimensions and maintain accuracy.

Before we start our drawing, it's important to understand some of the basic processes within Fusion.

When designing, it can be useful to set user parameters.

These act like variables in coding, allowing the design to be changed quickly when a new value is assigned.

This is especially useful for parts of uncertain dimensions or designs that need to be adapted for different situations.

By changing the parameter, you can update your design quickly without having to start from scratch each time.

For this design, we will set a parameter for the thickness of the material we intend to use.

I have six millimeter cardboard available to use in my laser cutter, so I’ll call the parameter “card” and assign it a value of six millimeters.

If a different material becomes available later, this value could be changed quickly, and all the design elements linked to it in the model will also be updated.

Now to create our design, we first need to create a component.

Click on the Create tab and select New Component.

This will open a window on the right of the screen.

We will need to create a name for our part.

This is what will appear in the design tree on the left.

I’ve used the word “base” as my name.

Now we need to create a sketch to draw in.

Select the Create tab in the top toolbar.

Select Create Sketch.

Now we need to select the plane to start the sketch on.

Click on the bottom ground plane.

Then click on the Create menu.

Hover over the rectangle tool and select Center Rectangle.

Then create a center point rectangle using the origin point.

This is achieved by clicking at the intersection of your X and Y axis, then dragging out the rectangle.

To define the width and length of the rectangle, you’ll see an input box is highlighted.

Enter a value of 90 millimeters and press Tab on your keyboard.

By pressing Tab, the input box for the other dimension is selected.

Enter the value of 90 millimeters again.

Then press Enter on your keyboard to draw the square.

Next, we will make the fingers that will form the tabs of the base plate.

Let’s first start at the top of the rectangle and draw a center point rectangle again.

This one will be located at the intersection of the midpoint and the Y axis.

In many computer software programs, the * (star) symbol acts as multiplication.

The operation occurring is that the parameter value is being multiplied by two.

Therefore, the final measurement provided to the rectangle is, in this case, 12 millimeters.

This approach allows us to make adjustments easily later on, as any changes to the “card” parameter will automatically update all linked measurements within the model.

Next, we can use the trim tool to remove unwanted lines from the rectangle.

This tool is located in the Modify section of the top ribbon, or you can simply press T on your keyboard.

After trimming away the extra lines, you will have completed the first finger of the design.

Now that we have one tab created, the most efficient way to produce the other three is to use a circular pattern.

Using your arrow tool, select the three lines of the finger.

Next, select the Create tab.

Then choose Circular Pattern from the dropdown menu.

This will open the toolbar on the right of the screen.

In this toolbar, select the center point option.

Then select the center point of our drawing plane.

This will pattern the sketch elements around the outside of our square.

Now that we are happy with our sketch, we can click the Finish Sketch button in the top right of our screen.

This will orbit the camera back to the home isometric view.

Now click on the Create tab in the top toolbar.

Select the Extrude tool, or you can select the E key on your keyboard as a hotkey.

Select all the sections of the profile.

For the distance value, type “card.”

This will use the parameter saved earlier for the thickness of the material.

Then click OK to confirm these settings.

Congratulations, you have completed the first part of your elevator.

[End of transcript]

[Music]

[Screen reads 'Chris Sandoval,STEM Enrichment Team']

Chris Sandoval

Hi there, in this video you'll learn how to project points from one component to another, as well as how to mirror and pattern different features to make the design process faster and more precise.

Now let's revisit some of our earlier steps. Ensure that you have selected the top project component on the left. We will be creating a new component called "front". This will create a folder in the tree that stores all the sketch information for that part.

Now, with the front component selected, we will draw a new 2D sketch starting on the front side of the finger. Hover over the front face of the tab and click to start your sketch on this surface.

To access some of the points from the base sketch, we will need to project them into the new design. This is done by pressing "P" on your keyboard to open the project tool. By pressing "P" you have used one of Fusion's inbuilt hotkeys.

Now select the faces that we wish to carry the geometry over from the base to the front component, then click "OK" to confirm this. Then we will create a rectangle for the front side using one of the projected corners.

Click and drag out the rectangle so that it is wider than the base. If it's hard to snap to the corner, use the "Coincident" constraint to fix the width later. Enter a height of 400mm for the rectangle. Press "Tab" to move to the width input. Drag the width past the end of the base and click to confirm.

Press "Escape" to deselect the current tool. This will bring up your mouse pointer. To snap your rectangle to the correct width, click on the lower right side of the rectangle. Go to the "Constraints" tab in the top ribbon. Select "Coincident", then select the corner of the base rectangle. This will tell Fusion that these points must touch and will force the front rectangle to be the same width.

Pan to the top of the sketch to create spaces for the finger joints. Select the "Construction Line Type" option in the sketch palette. Select the "Line" tool and draw a line that is 45mm long. Keeping these dimensions the same makes it easier to remember.

Then draw a 45mm rectangle that has the width value of "Card". By referencing the parameter, the width, 6mm can be updated later.

Now we will pattern this tab using your mouse pointer. Select the three parts of the rectangle to pattern, then use the "Create Rectangular Pattern Tool". You can adjust direction by dragging arrows or entering distances. It's often easier to organize distribution by spacing. Double the 45mm spacing value for correct distance. This results in tabs having a 45mm space.

Then draw the 45mm tab, repeating this pattern as needed.

Select all lines you want to mirror. Use the "Mirror Tool" to transpose them to the right-hand side. If navigation is difficult, click the mouse wheel to pan. To orbit the camera, use the cube in the top right or hold "Shift" plus "Scroll Wheel". After selecting parts to mirror, orbit for a better view. By mirroring, we avoid redrawing and maintain identical properties.

Note that the top and bottom slots for the base and roof are missing. To edit the previous sketch, right-click the sketch symbol in the timeline and choose "Edit Sketch".

To draw the slots to accommodate the base and the top of the elevator, draw a rectangle and mirror it to the other side.

Press "L" to access the "Line Tool". Choose the "Construction Line" type in the sketch palette. Then start your line at the bottom and type 200mm. Draw a short line across to the right.

Select the lines to mirror, then select the "Mirror Tool". Choose the horizontal line just drawn as the mirror line. Click "Finish Sketch" when done.

To make the front side 3D, select the "Extrude Tool". As before, alternatively, press "E" as a hotkey. Select all profiles to extrude.

Extrude the sketch backward using a negative value. In Fusion, direction is set by positive or negative numbers. Forward is positive, backward is negative. Enter "Negative Card" to extrude backward using the linked parameter. Using "Card" links the extrude depth to your parameter.

To create a third side, you could repeat the front side steps. A faster way is to mirror the front to create the back. Ensure the object type is set to "Component". Select the front component, then select a plane to mirror the component with. This copies the front side to the back of the drawing.

Congratulations! You have now completed the base, back sides and front of your elevator.

[End of transcript]

[Music]

[Screen reads 'Chris Sandoval,STEM Enrichment Team']

Chris Sandoval

Hi everybody, in this video we will revisit how to transpose points from one component to another, as well as how to use the combine tool to cut and shape other components. This process will be used to produce our remaining sides.

Start by creating a new component and naming it "Right Side". Similar to the front side, we could project some points and draw a fourth side to fit into the finger joints. However, the most effective method is to develop the side and then use our previous components to cut away the slots and fingers we require.

To start this process, create, sketch and choose to draw on the right side of one of the finger joints. This will orbit the camera to the right view and you can confirm you have chosen the right surface by looking at your cube in the top right of the screen.

Then we will press P on our keyboard to open the project tool. Highlight two faces in the bottom right and one in the top left. These will be used to assist in snapping a rectangle in the next step.

If you have issues doing this, remember that you can zoom in and out using your mouse scroll wheel or click the mouse scroll wheel to pan across the design. You will know that you have selected the faces as they will be highlighted in blue.

Once you confirm the selection, they will switch to a purple color and will have anchor points on each corner.

Next is to create a rectangle from the top left of the elevator all the way down to the bottom right. You can find the rectangle tool in the Create menu. Alternatively, if you are getting used to using hotkeys, you can press the R key on the keyboard.

Planning hotkeys is not essential, however it reduces mouse movements which saves you time in designing. Draw the rectangle from the top of the elevator to the bottom, snapping it to the bottom corner.

Sketch, as we have drawn all the information for this component. This step was a lot quicker than the front side as we are planning to use the front back sides to cut away the material of this panel.

To do this cut, we must first extrude the face that we have produced. Select the Extrude tool, then select all the faces in the sketch and extrude a value of minus card. This ensures that we are constantly referring to the parameter that we set up at the beginning of the drawing.

Now that we have a 3D component, we can move to cutting the finger joints. Select the whole project component in the design tree on the left of the screen, then select the Combine tool from the Modify tab.

The Combine tool works by identifying a target body. This is the body that you wish to remove. Sections from the tool bodies are the objects that will cut the spaces. You should select the front, back, and base components as tool bodies.

At times it can be difficult to select certain components; it may be necessary to orbit around the design to get a better view. You could use your cube in the top right of the screen or hold shift and click your mouse wheel to achieve this.

Next, click the cut option in the operation box. The most important thing is to ensure that the Keep tools box is checked, then complete the operation.

In doing so, you can observe that the finger joints are rapidly produced and aligned with the previous components you have created. This is why we produce the back end elevator first as it allows for the sequence of operations to occur.

As we are looking to have a replica of the right side of the elevator, we will again be using our Mirror tool from the Create window, then selecting the component and the correct mirror plane.

Hopefully, you can see a bit of a pattern that is starting to occur and probably can already guess as to how we will be producing the top component.

We will need to construct a plane at the midpoint of our elevator. This will then be used to mirror the base component to the top.

Select midplane from the Construct dropdown option in your top ribbon. Selecting the top of the elevator and the bottom of the base will produce a large yellow plane that we could draw a sketch on, use to split bodies or components with, or in our case use to mirror our base component.

Next step will require you to mirror the base around the newly created midplane. Then double-check if any issues need to be rectified.

Hopefully, you have noticed that there are no spaces for the finger joints on the newly created top section of the elevator. This is an important issue to correct so that the design will fit together.

But there are two ways that this could be achieved. In this case, we will use our Combine tool like we did previously to remove the overlapping spaces.

Select the whole elevator project from the design tree on the left, then select the Combine tool from the Modify toolbar in the top ribbon.

We will select the right side panel as the target body, which will be highlighted in blue, and the top panel is the tool body, which is the body that will perform the cutting. This will be highlighted in red.

You will need to repeat this step on the opposite side as it is not possible to select multiple target bodies.

Well, congratulations! You have completed the main burning of the elevator.

[End of transcript]

[Music]

[Screen reads 'Chris Sandoval,STEM Enrichment Team']

Chris Sandoval

Hi there, in this video we will put the finishing touches on our Alumator design. We will be creating the spaces that simulate our floors and also removing a section for our mechanism. Along the way you'll have a few chances to tweak the dimensions and make the design your own. Don't be afraid to play around a bit and see what works best for you.

In this step, we are going to be adding cutouts to simulate the Alumator floors. This is achieved by creating a new sketch on the front panel and constructing a series of rectangles that would be extruded out of the front component. These will simulate the floors that the Alumator car will stop at.

My Alumator car has been produced out of Lego. It is 50 millimeters wide and 70 millimeters high. Therefore, I will create my floor openings to be this size.

This was achieved by using the line tool to find the center of where I wanted the rectangle to be positioned. Then, using a center point rectangle and making it dimensions I had measured earlier.

I chose to have spacing of 30 millimeters in between each floor. This seemed to look correct and I can then use my code to calculate the rotation of the drum to ensure the Alumator car stops at the right openings.

After drawing the rectangle, I selected all four of its sides with my arrow tool and selected the rectangular pattern tool from the create menu. Click and drag the arrow upward to start creating the pattern.

To calculate the spacing, take the height of your rectangle and add the desired space to it. As my rectangle is 70 millimeters high and I would like a space of 30 millimeters, I must enter 100 into the box. This will then place three rectangles that are 30 millimeters apart.

Once you are happy with the sizing and spacing of the floors, we can repeat the extrude step to cut out these sections of the front component.

In this operation, you will select all of the floors and ensure that you extrude the distance of minus card. As it relates to the thickness of the material, we must refer to the parameter.

Lastly, it is essential that the operation options cut is selected. If not, you will create a new body rather than removing the area required.

Once you have completed this step, you should see that all three rectangles are now void of space and simulate the floor at which the elevator car will stop.

To create the spacing for the mechanism, we will repeat the steps that we implemented to create the floors in the front panel.

Firstly, you will need to create a sketch on the top surface of the elevator. Then create a rectangle that will inform the shape of the cutout for your mechanism to sit in.

If you intend to have your drum mechanism sit within the spacing, you can take measurements from your drum. This will inform the length and width of the rectangle to be created.

For myself, I used 50 millimeters and 70 millimeters so that it would match the same sizing of the cutout of the floors. This adds a consistent aesthetic appeal to the design while allowing enough space for the drum mechanism to be half lowered into.

Once finished, cut away the space with your extrude tool like we did previously. Remember that you must reference the parameter by typing minus card.

Ensure that you select the cut option in the operations window so that you do not create a new body and click OK to confirm these settings.

Let's construct a divide to separate our elevator car and possible counterweight. Construct a mid plane to find the center of the elevator.

You will need to orbit the design to allow yourself to select the back and front faces of the elevator.

Repeat this same process by selecting the mid plane tool. Then you will need to select the back of the elevator and the first constructed mid plane. This will create another plane that is in the middle of these two faces.

To mirror the back component, we will be repeating steps that have been previously taught. Select the mirror tool from the create menu. Then you will need to select the back component and for the mirror plane select the second mid plane that you constructed. This will mirror the back plane into position.

As these mid planes are now in the way, I will toggle off their visibility. This is not to delete them, just makes the project easier to view. If they are required again, you can toggle their visibility back on by using the design tree.

You will need to cut away a section to accommodate the drum mechanism within the new divided panel. The method that I prefer to use to accomplish this step is to extrude in 3D.

By highlighting the top face that we wish to extrude, we can then push it down the height that it is required. This can be achieved by inputting a required distance. Remember to use a minus symbol to provide a directional input for Fusion or by clicking and dragging the arrow.

Ensure you have selected cut within the operations box. Click OK to confirm these settings.

One of the final steps in the production of our elevator is to cut away the finger holes for the new divided section.

We need to repeat our combined steps on the left, right face, and top side components. This will ensure that accommodations and spacings are removed allowing the middle section to align and fit in seamlessly once it is produced.

Select the combine tool. Remember that you can only select one target body each time. The target body will be the side you wish to cut spaces for. Once selected, the target body will be highlighted in blue.

Then you will select the middle section as the tool body. This will be highlighted in red. Ensure the cut has been selected and click OK.

This step needs to be completed on the opposing side and the top component. To make this easier, remember that you can orbit around your design by clicking your mouse scroll wheel.

Lastly, it is important to check that the design all fits together. Select display component colors from the inspect toolbar in the top ribbon. This view will color all of the different components making it easy to visually see different parts.

Orbit around your design and make sure that no colors overlap. If there is, you will need to go back and correct these.

Congratulations, you're now ready to take your design to the next step and output it for manufacturing.

[End of transcript]

[Music]

[Screen reads 'Chris Sandoval,STEM Enrichment Team']

Chris Sandoval

Hi everyone, in this video we will learn one way to prepare our design so that it is ready to be laser cut.

To achieve this, we will be taking each side of our elevator model and laying it flat on a sketch. Then we can output that sketch as a file ready to be cut.

First, we will have the whole project selected in the design tree, then we will create a new component. I'll call this component "Cardboard." Then click OK to confirm this. By right-clicking the new cardboard component in the design tree, create another component. This component we will call "Laser Cut."

With the laser cut component selected, create a new sketch on the ground plane. For ease of output, we will organize our design to take up the whole size of the laser cutter bed.

The dimensions of my laser cutter bed are 400 millimeters wide by 600 millimeters long. Therefore, I'll create a rectangle with the same dimensions.

Because of the size of our model, we will likely have to repeat this step to have a second canvas.

Now we need to make a copy of our model and store it into the cardboard component. This will allow each side to lay flat without disrupting our 3D model.

To achieve this, shift-click all of the components of the elevator within the design tree. Press CTRL+C on your keyboard to copy the components. Then click on the cardboard component we created. Right-click on the cardboard component and select paste.

Now use the arrow keys to drag out a copy of your elevator. Moving forward, we'll just be editing the copy of the elevator.

To get the design to lay flat, we'll have to make a series of joints. You can find the joint tool in the assembly drop-down menu in your top ribbon. Alternatively, you can press J on your keyboard.

The joint tool will ask you to select the surface of a component first. Then you'll select the snap option for the second component. This can be found in the tool window on the right.

Then select the surface of the rectangle that we made to represent a laser cutter bed size. Next, select the motion type at the top of the joint toolbar on the right. Ensure that the rigid move type is selected.

Click the position tab in the joint toolbar. Use the arrows to move the component out onto the canvas.

To limit the amount of waste within the material, we want to position these components relatively close together.

At times it can be difficult to see what is happening. I find it easier to switch to the top view. This can be done by using your navigation cube in the top right of the screen.

You can make finer adjustments by inputting numbers in the input boxes to position the pieces.

We will continue to repeat the steps. First, you need to create a joint by pressing J on the keyboard. Select the surface of the component you would like to place face down on the bed. Next, select the surface of the bed to complete the joint.

Use the motion tab to confirm the joint motion is set to rigid. Then move or rotate the piece into position using the arrow keys. For finer adjustments, remember that you can input values to position your pieces with more accuracy.

Now that we understand the process of placing components using the joints tool, let's quickly fill up the rest of the cutting canvas with the remaining components.

Now that the cutting canvas is full, we will need to project the edge geometry. Press P on your keyboard to load the project tool. Then you will need to select each component. When you hover over each piece, it should have a red outline.

Once selected, each component will be highlighted blue. If this is not the case, it is likely that the shape is not closed. If this is done correctly, the points and lines will be similar to when we projected sides during the construction of our elevator.

Click finish sketch. As we have finished this step, this will create a new sketch within the design tree.

Right-click the sketch and rename the sketch file. I chose to rename it "laser cut elevator button."

Now we will create a new cutting canvas for the remaining components. We create a new sketch on the ground plane then create a rectangle that is the size of your laser cutter bed. My bed is 400 millimeters wide and 600 millimeters long.

Once you have entered your dimensions, click the finish sketch button in the top right.

Now we will quickly place the last two components on the second cutting canvas using the joints tool, moving the pieces into position.

Press P on the keyboard to access the project tool. Select the components and click OK in the project tool to capture geometry.

Now we have created a new sketch in the design tree. Right-click this new sketch and rename it. I renamed mine to "laser cut elevator 2" as this is the logical naming for the second cutting file.

You can now click finish sketch in the top right of the screen.

In the design tree, right-click on the laser cut elevator one sketch. Click export DXF. Click OK in the window on the right side of the screen.

This will prompt you to save the DXF file. Save the file somewhere logical where you can access it later.

Now we will need to make this step with the second laser cut file. Right-click on it in the design tree and click export DXF. Select OK in the window located on the right side of your screen. Save the file somewhere you can access later.

Now that we have exported our DXF files, we can move into another software program to prepare them for the laser cutter.

If at any stage we wish to change the material thickness of our design, we can come back into Fusion and update the material parameter we created. This will then update the components that are lying flat. Then you can output the DXF files again for rapid prototyping.

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[Music]

[Screen reads 'Chris Sandoval,STEM Enrichment Team']

Chris Sandoval

Hi everybody, it is now time to prepare our DXF files for output. To do this, I'm going to use Adobe Illustrator. However, there is a variety of other programs that can perform this function, so feel free to use the one you're familiar with.

To open your DXF file, navigate to the top ribbon and select File then Open. Now you'll need to find where you downloaded the file. Once you have located it, select the file and click Open. This will open a new window. You must select the original size. Ensure that the scale is one-to-one. Select OK to confirm these settings. This will make sure the drawing stays the same size as it was drawn in Fusion.

Click and drag the arrow tool over the whole drawing to select it. Then double-click on the stroke color at the bottom of the left toolbar. This will open the color picker to change the line color. For my laser cutter, I need to have a value of 255 red with zero green and zero blue. Click OK to confirm these settings.

Navigate to the top toolbar and select the stroke weight. For my laser cutter, I need a stroke weight of 0.001. Press Enter to confirm this setting. Anything with a value of 255 red and a stroke weight of 0.001 will tell the laser cutter to cut.

Navigate to the top ribbon and select File then select Print. Select the laser cutter as the printer. Then select Print in the bottom right of the window. This will send the file to the laser cutter software where we can assign power settings and position the design for output.

Navigate to your laser cutter software. Your output software may look different depending on the brand of your machine. I like to position the design in the top left of the cut bed. Then we will need to assign the cut settings. Assign the cut settings that are appropriate for your machine.

You should have an understanding of the safe operating procedures and have undergone the required training. It is recommended that where possible you select materials from the material database and only deviate from this if you are an experienced operator through a lot of experimental cuts.

I have found that for my specific machine, Softwoods cut best for cardboard but require manually increasing my movement speed. Now, with all the settings selected, we just need to load the material into the machine and press play.

We hope the process helps guide you in future projects and supports you in developing confident, accurate design skills.

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