Introduction: Living Hinge Polygon
- First step is started with designing with the living hinge
- Living is made to bend, so to have lots of cut outs in the drawing
- The pattern can be what ever you want, I just choose to make a lot of circles
Step 1: How I Started
- Started with circles and line them up next to each other using array tools
- Smaller circles were place in the larger circles that i started out with
- Next I used trim to add and removed line in the area to create a pattered that i liked
Note At each ended theres puzzle fitting male ended pieces that will connect to the base
Step 2: My Up Load
Here is a DWG file of my drawing saved from AutoCAD 2017
Both my BASE and MY Living Hinges are in the the upload
Step 3: Polygon Base
I choose to make a 10 side polygon. I wanted 5 living to connect the 2 polygon
- I have the puzzle female ends one the base to connect the living sides male ends
- The Base and the Living side need to be in the same scale in order to make this work
Step 4: Engraving
I'm going to get a little fancy and put a engraving on both sides
- Step one with engraving I have 2 base with engraving on side
- Next step is to know that red line will cut out vectors
- The white and blue lines can be used for raster or engraving cuts
- when the first side is done my design i will flip mine material to the back and start my next file
Step 5: Trial and Error
Make small scale prototypes first so you can have a idea about how everything is going to work
Step 6: Material
It important to have the right material, laser cutters can only cut certain types
To make a living hinge its best that the material is flexible so i use a 1/8th in. peace of plywood
Note very important to keep the grain of the wood with the hinge
Step 7: Laser Cutting
- Using software AutoCAD I sent the limits of the platform
- Next fixs the setting to match all the requirement that the Laser cutter need to know about the material such as thickness and what kind
- lay down the material
- Than start