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