EDS DESIGN LAB – BROWN W160

Lab Equipment

• 30 PSI retractable compressed air hose reels & air guns, with ¼” industrial quick disconnect fittings or ¼” NPT female threads.
• Retractable ventilation snorkel.
• Dual-monitor desktop workstations.
• Workbenches; some are adjustable-height.
• 7’-wide garage door, opening to the Brown loading area, for large projects.
• Soldering bench with work holders, irons, probes, heat guns, ESD bracelet, oscilloscope, power supply, and various soldering tools.
• An electronics cabinet containing Arduino/Raspberry Pi kits, probes, breadboards, heat shrink, electrical components (LEDs, resistors, capacitors, etc), computer cables and adapters, extension cords, and batteries.
• 2-ton monorail crane.
• Electronics test equipment—see below for a complete list.

Students are also encouraged to utilize lab resources available in the adjacent Senior Design Lab with permission from an on-duty TA.

Lab Laser Cutters

The lab has two free-to-use Epilog 75 watt CO2 laser cutter machines. These machines are capable of 2D raster engraving (≤600 DPI), vector engraving, or vector cutting operations on a variety of materials. A cylindrical coordinate system attachment is also available for dowels, glassware, or other tubular objects. Individual training on these machines can be provided by lab TAs. Scrap material (acrylic, cardboard, and wood) is available for testing cutter settings and prototyping.

View List of Prohibited Laser Cutter Materials

View Compatible Part File Formats (to use with the laser cutter software)

Lab Plasma Cutter

The EDS Design Lab’s CNC plasma cutter is a Langmuir Systems Crossfire Pro. It utilizes a plug-and-play ‘Razorweld 45’ plasma cutter torch (45 amp). It is free to use—just provide your own material to cut. Please note that this CNC plasma cutter operates in two dimensions. It is for cutting shapes out of a sheet or plate of metal. Those shapes can then be bolted, welded, or folded into more complex components.

Features:

• Cutting area of 48.25” x 33.3”
• Cuts up to ½” thick metal
• Dual-monitor desktop workstations.
• Standard 4’x8’ sheets can be ‘fed in’ to the machine with the use of a stand
• Automatic height adjustment (2.75″) for warped material
• 0.0005” step resolution
• Fast cutting speed (up to ~50 inches/minute; depends on material and thickness)
• No consumables required besides water and compressed air
• Easy setup and clean-up
• Powerful user interface & G-code visualizer (can duplicate or rotate components, jump to start points, set manual zero)

Limitations:

• No stainless steel or galvanized metal permitted
• Cut parts often require post-processing to remove slag
• Thicker components may exhibit a slight taper on the cut edge
• Cannot cut geometric features smaller than ~1/8”
• Thin aluminum may excessively warp when extensive cutting operations are performed
• Odd material thicknesses or metallurgy may need to have test cuts performed to ‘dial in’ the cutter settings

Steps for CNC plasma cutting:

1. Review the video guide on generating cutter-ready G-code from a Fusion360 CAD model

   • Lab TAs can assist you with these steps if needed

2. Bring material to be cut, and G-code file, to the lab during its open hours

   • The metal should be degreased, and free of stickers, paint, and coatings 

   • If possible, bring enough extra material for 1-2 small test cuts

3. Ask an on-duty lab TA to assist in plasma cutting; they will review your material and G-code, and walk you through the cutting process
4. Post-process (if needed) the resulting pieces; the lab has files and chisels you can use!

Lab Safety Equipment

The EDS Design Lab has emergency power shutoff and ventilation purge buttons, along with adjustable ventilation hoods for soldering, a first aid kit, an emergency eyewash/shower station, and a hand washing sink. A PPE cabinet (in the adjacent BBW155 lab) has masks, earplugs, cleaning supplies, eye protection, a spill cleanup kit, gloves, and other safety gear.

Need something else?

• Check out the Arthur Lakes Library’s Tool Library

• The adjacent Capstone Senior Design Lab has a wide range of precision tools that may be borrowed for use in the EDS Prototype/Create Lab – check with the Lab Coordinator.