acrylic enclosure using laser cutter and strip heater

Acrylic (Plexiglas(tm))
It is an excellent material for making the shell for electronic projects.
In this structure, I will explain the creation of 2-
Workpiece housing using laser
To make the bending, cut the acrylic and the heater.
In this case the shell is for a lovely vacuum-
Headphone Amplifier (NP-based-
100V12 by Rogers Gomez-
But any time you want a nice, simple shell (
Optional, transparent)
This technology is useful.
Products you need: acrylic fiber: Polyester Fiber (\"Lexan\")
The laser can\'t be cut. 1/8\" thick (
Chang 3mm, about 0. 118\")works well.
The thicker it is, the harder it is to bend.
The color of fluorescent or smoke can add a good touch-
I get this fluorescent blue from the stock product.
Com: precise measurement of the position and diameter of knobs, jacks, ventilation holes, board mounting holes, etc.
Bending form (more later)
Laser knife heater (
If you live near Ann Arbor in MI, you will find these tools and so on in Maker Works in makerspace.
Many makerspace will have one with heater if there is a laser cutter. )
You will create a laser file based on the appearance of the crushed acrylic sheet.
Some things to consider: Plan a reasonable radius on the curve.
I used 3/8 here.
For ease of assembly, consider installing things using slots instead of holes.
Give yourself a gap around the parts that go through the acrylic, especially the threaded shaft (e. g.
, Volume control, Jack).
If you are going to use the form, you may want to add the lead hole if you do not already have a natural lead hole.
In the picture above, this is a small hole in the center.
Keep in mind that when planning the total length of a flat material, consider the bending radius.
I used a bending radius of 3/8 so the material is 90-perfect than you-degree bend.
Measure the thickness of your actual material.
If you are using a graphics program, remember that the cutting line must be very thin for the Epilog Laser Drive (\"hairline\").
Add labels, part numbers, logos, or other engraving content.
If one does notsymmetric (this one is--
PCB mounting holes are not the same distance as each edge)
You may want to put a subtle indication on it.
I placed some labels and logos on top of my shell but not on the bottom.
As usual, when laser cutting, leave the back lining paper at the bottom of the acrylic resin to eliminate smoke damage at the bottom.
Remove any paper backing once laser cut. (
Obviously you can leave a plastic protective film in the bending operation, but I have never tried it. )
In many cases, you can get away without a form. If eye-
The ball of the bending radius and angle is fine, or you have a bending fixture and skip this step. For a two-
A block shell like this, it is important to get the right angle, bending radius and spacing--
Many parts need to go through the front and back and coordinate with the bottom part.
Using a form means that the spacing should be dead. on.
I made these tables with ash and hopefully I will use a lot.
You can use medium fiber board or cork (e. g. , 2x4)if you wanted.
The radius is created using an angle-
To be precise, round the router bit on the router table, but you can do it for free-
Give the radius to the Sander.
Then some surface polishing, and several holes for indexing the part. (
You do have some holes that you can use to index, right? )
For small holes, you can use the handle of the transfer punch or twist drill as the index pin.
For larger holes, try the socket from the socket group.
I found a 3/4
The Point socket fits exactly the 1 \"cable guide hole at the top.
Please note that you will want the shape to be wider and thicker than the acrylic, so the acrylic will not hang on the edges or stand out when you bend.
You may also want some clips and/or heavy objects. (
More technology will be introduced later. )(
Almost invisible on the left
You will see that I marked \"front\" and \"back\"-
The top is asymmetrical around the cable guide hole (
In this case, the hole of the vacuum tube).
If you have a choice, it\'s worth it to make things symmetrical!
Acrylic is a kind of hot plastic. -
Once heated, it becomes plastic.
We will use the belt heater to selectively heat the plastic belt to a point where it can be bent (
Or form on our form).
To form acrylic, it needs to be at 290-350 degrees F (
Depending on the exact type).
Because acrylic doesn\'t like the pressure, it\'s important to make it hot enough-
It creates cracks and breaks.
However, too much heat you will bubble (
This is due to the water being absorbed)
, Other surfaces degrade, too soft, and even burn if it\'s too hot.
You can find TAP\'s instructions on making your own belt heater elsewhere on the instructures and their instructions on using it.
Another important source of information is the manufacturer itself. -
For example, this document on the formation of plexiglass: of course, manufacturers with heaters will have suggestions for use.
In general, you place the acrylic sheet on top of the heater (
It is above the heating element--
Acrylic should not be in contact with the original heating element, although there are some cheap low-
Temperature heating strip placed on contact)
, Heat the acrylic line to be bent.
Suitable for thin acrylic (1/8\" and below)
, You can usually heat from the outside of the bend.
For thicker products, you may need to periodically flip the acrylic resin back and forth from the front to heat the entire thickness to a level that is sufficient to bend.
Periodically test the flexibility of the curved area until it is bent or formed enough.
I will measure the surface temperature for fun, but I mainly look at the reaction of plastic to bending.
Plastic will be hot (
About 300 degrees Fahrenheit)
So watch out for Burns!
Quickly transfer to where you bend or form your work.
Bend to the desired angle if the eyes bend (
Maybe a little past)
And keep it in place.
If you don\'t put it in the right place before it\'s cool enough, it will get flat. (
From what I \'ve read, it sounds like a bad idea to actively cool corners, such as using a wet sponge or something.
It will bring pressure. )
If you use the form, place the plastic on the form and insert any index pins (s)
To make the positioning correct, fold the plastic at the bend and hold or clamp it in place until it cools enough.
In the photo, the current Bend is the bend at the bottom of the form-
The plastic I put on the top was bent earlier and iis was cool.
Like anything, if you need to create these bends accurately, you may find that the time spent creating shapes, fixtures, and fixtures is well worth it.
Please note that you can use a combination of internal and external clamp if required.
It sounds useful for very tight bends.
If you have multiple parts to bend, don\'t put all the parts on the belt heater at the same time (
Even if they fit).
Wear one piece and then wait a minute or two before adding each.
This will give you time to remove the debris, bend, and let it cool before the next piece is ready.
Once you\'re gone, you don\'t want the debris to overheat. That\'s it--
You have a precision.
Acrylic shell cut!