How are you designing laser cut boxes?

[rcx132]

I need a long, slim box to fit a large 12V mega fuse and current sensor (shunt) for the main battery of my buggy. It'll need some holes on each end for the cable and other customisations to hold the fuse in. This is a real stretch for online box generators.

I'm very fast with SolidWorks. But once drawn there's the challenge of generating the tabs and slots.

Does anyone have any cheats or other solutions for doing this?

Photo of the shunt. I'll be cutting with a K40 CO2 CNC laser.

 

[My Old Landy]

Gallery - Boxes.py

boxes.hackerspace-bamberg.de

I use this for general box then add any extra details in xcs as I have an xTool.
Edit to say you can use the xcs software without an xTool and then export the file in svg and use with K40 whisper software.

 

[Ali]

What material?

Have you looked at the sheet metal tools in SolidWorks? It’s been a while since I’ve used them and I can’t recall whether there are just options for folding (which could work if you’re using acrylic etc.) or if there might be something for tabs etc.

 

[Ali]

Here you go

 

[rcx132]

I know there's a Tabs and Slots feature in the Sheet Metal tools, but kit boxes aren't normally drawn as sheet metal. But with some more digging I've found the tool can be used with regular features as well: https://community.goengineer.com/forums/topic/257-tab-and-slot-not-working/

Happy days

 

[Newlands]

I've done them manually in Lightburn - like the acrylic enclosures below - and also used boxes.py like @My Old Landy - the Xmas thing for a led tea light. The latter was very easy, and much better for closely spaced finger joints like these.
The drawing tools in Lightburn are very good and easily capable of adding cable entrys, fixing holes, cut-outs etc after you import the basic box files from boxes.py.

 

[rcx132]

Remind me, Lighburn is a great software for running the laser cutter? IIRC it sends the DXF file for cutting but also allows in software editing? I think I read about it but in the end found Whisperer K40 was ok for my needs.

 

[Newlands]

Remind me, Lighburn is a great software for running the laser cutter? IIRC it sends the DXF file for cutting but also allows in software editing? I think I read about it but in the end found Whisperer K40 was ok for my needs.

I can't imagine running a laser cutter without Lightburn. It recognizes a whole host of laser controllers, is constantly being upgraded and improved, and has a brilliant forum with both amateur experts and Lightburn Techs all getting involved. I understand that many K40 lasers work with Lightburn and have done for a year or so (and also there are controller boards that can be swopped easily for any that are older and not compliant).
The drawing/ design aspect of the software has got many of the advanced features of vector drawing packages such as Illustrator, Affinity and Inkscape, and will import files from these and CAD software programs. It also handles image files well, either as images or with a Trace function. I use it on a network connection on my CO2 and with a usb cable on the diode laser, both from a Mac laptop and an old Win 10 laptop.

 

[rcx132]

I can't imagine running a laser cutter without Lightburn. It recognizes a whole host of laser controllers, is constantly being upgraded and improved, and has a brilliant forum with both amateur experts and Lightburn Techs all getting involved. I understand that many K40 lasers work with Lightburn and have done for a year or so (and also there are controller boards that can be swopped easily for any that are older and not compliant).
The drawing/ design aspect of the software has got many of the advanced features of vector drawing packages such as Illustrator, Affinity and Inkscape, and will import files from these and CAD software programs. It also handles image files well, either as images or with a Trace function. I use it on a network connection on my CO2 and with a usb cable on the diode laser, both from a Mac laptop and an old Win 10 laptop.

At some point I'll have to spend some time and learn it. At the moment I draw in Solidworks, then export to DXF, open in K40 Whipserer, and send to the cutter.

 

[rcx132]

In SolidWorks I draw the box. You can't see it, but inside the box are cut outs for studs to hold the fuse and sensor. Now with @Ali's tip I can add the tabs and slots.

Does Lightburn take a similar or different approach ?

 

[Ali]

In SolidWorks I draw the box. You can't see it, but inside the box are cut outs for studs to hold the fuse and sensor. Now with @Ali's tip I can add the tabs and slots.

Does Lightburn take a similar or different approach ?

View attachment 472511 View attachment 472512

I think you’d end up with a similar outcome, but drawing the tabs/slots manually is a ballache, and it’s much more easily editable if you’re lucky enough to have access to Solidworks.

 

[fizzy]

I need a long, slim box to fit a large 12V mega fuse and current sensor (shunt) for the main battery of my buggy. It'll need some holes on each end for the cable and other customisations to hold the fuse in. This is a real stretch for online box generators.

I'm very fast with SolidWorks. But once drawn there's the challenge of generating the tabs and slots.

Does anyone have any cheats or other solutions for doing this?

Photo of the shunt. I'll be cutting with a K40 CO2 CNC laser.

View attachment 472405

Can you give me the dims please.
Size of holes etc.

 

[rcx132]

Can you give me the dims please.
Size of holes etc.

Hi Fizzy

The box is a little complicated, that's the whole reason I posted. Simple boxes can be created with online generators. But what if a more complex box is needed?

 

[Newlands]

Does Lightburn take a similar or different approach ?

Here's how I would do it - use boxes.py to generate the box with the joints, specify Lightburn as the file type and download. Open in Lightburn and add the necessary holes and any other features. You can use the snapping and grid to position everything, as well as inputting specific dimensions (at top left of screenshot), and (most useful) by dragging guides out from the rulers to make construction lines - these (orange) lines will snap to edges, mid-points, corners or any other feature, or can be positioned explicitly the same way as other objects.

 

[rcx132]

Here's how I would do it - use boxes.py to generate the box with the joints, specify Lightburn as the file type and download. Open in Lightburn and add the necessary holes and any other features. You can use the snapping and grid to position everything, as well as inputting specific dimensions (at top left of screenshot), and (most useful) by dragging guides out from the rulers to make construction lines - these (orange) lines will snap to edges, mid-points, corners or any other feature, or can be positioned explicitly the same way as other objects.
View attachment 472539

Thanks. That helps.

And yes, I forgot, most people don't have access to Solidworks.