Jacqui, Jandra, Jenny, Joanne, Sarah
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Phone: +61-1300-TROTEC
E-Mail: australia@troteclaser.com
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Make a moving wind turbine
Combine TroGlass and TroCraft Eco to make this great interactive project
You can build this model wind turbine with moving blades from a few small pieces of TroCraft Eco and TroGlass. The precision of the Trotec Laser makes it the perfect choice for model making.
Preparation
Required Material:
Machines Used:
- Speedy 360, 80 watts
- 2" lens
- Vacuum table with honeycomb cutting table and acrylic cutting grid
Of course, you can also laser cut this wind turbine model with all other laser machines in the Speedy laser engraving series.
Tip:
- Why not 'change it up' by using a mix of different materials and colors to create a range of models!
Step by Step
Step 1: Design
Import the template into Corel or Adobe and edit to suit your requirements. Send the file to your laser with the following recommended settings:
| Process Mode | Resolution | Cut Line |
|---|---|---|
| Vector Job | 1000dpi | none |
| Halftone | Others |
|---|---|
| Color | Enhanced Geometries, Inner Geometries first |
Step 2: Laser Process the TroCraft Eco (1mm)
Place the thin TroCraft Eco on the honeycomb cutting table in your machine. Cover the rest of the working area to increase the vacuum. Please adjust the parameters to suit, depending on machine used and laser power.
| Color | Process | Power output % | Speed % | ppi/Hz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | CO2 cutting | 66 | 2 | 1,000 |
| Passes | Air Assist | Z offset | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | On | 0mm | - |
Tip:
We suggest using the small nose cone nozzle for the cleanest cut quality when working with TroCraft Eco.
Step 3: Print the Wind Turbine to the Laser
Send the graphics for the turbine column to your laser machine with the following settings:
| Process Mode | Resolution | Cut Line |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Job | 333dpi | None |
| Halftone | Others |
|---|---|
| Color | Enhanced Geometries |
Step 4: Laser Process TroCraft Eco (3mm)
Lay the 3mm thick TroCraft Eco on the honeycombe cutting table in your laser, and cover the rest of the working area again. Then send the file to the laser with the following settings. The laser parameters may change depending on the machine used and the available laser power.
Laser parameters: Engraving
| Color | Process | Power % | Speed % | ppi/Hz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Engrave CO2 | 15 | 50 | 500 |
| Passes | Air Assist | Z offset | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | on | 0mm | High Quality |
Laser parameters: Cutting
| Color | Process | Power % | Speed % | ppi/Hz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | CO2 cutting | 100 | 0.8 | 1,000 |
| Passes | Air Assist | Z-offset | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | On | 0mm | - |
Step 5: Print the Stand to the Laser
Send the graphic for the stand made from TroGlass with the following settings to your Trotec Laser:
| Process Mode | Resolution | Cut Line |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Job | 500dpi | None |
| Halftone | Others |
|---|---|
| Color | Enhanced Geometries, Inner Geometries first |
Step 6: Laser process the TroGlass Black Satins
Switch the honeycomb cutting table with the acrylic cutting table. Place the TroGlass material in the laser.
Laser parameters: Engraving
| Color | Process | Power % | Speed % | ppi/Hz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Engrave CO2 | 20 | 50 | 500 |
| Passes | Air Assist | Z offset | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | On | 0.5mm | High Quality |
Laser parameters: Cutting
| Color | Process | Power % | Speed % | ppi/Hz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | CO2 cutting | 50 | 0.4 | 5,000 |
| Passes | Air Assist | Z offset | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | On | 0mm | - |
Tip:
Change the small nose cone for the larger nose cone for TroGlass.
Step 7: Assembly
Layout all four components.
Insert the wind turbine pillar into the base. Place the blade on the nose, and fix in position with the small circle of TroGlass.
Only press gently so that the wind turbine blades will turn.
Congratulations! You've made yourself a working model of a wind turbine!
Inspiration
- As an alternative to the "Don Quijote" wind turbine, you could also try a modern, three-bladed model.
- Try a different color TroGlass for a more colourful look.
- We recommend that you glue the circle of TroGlass.
