Computer-aided cutting equipment and software for rigid polystyrene foams
Magiccut is a desktop machine for producing models, logos etc. from polystyrene foam. Users include architects, stand builders and advertising designers.
Another model for industrial applications has been developed under the name FireRail.
Cutting polystyrene foam with a hot wire is a well-known technique. However, at the time Magiccut and Firerail were developed, there were no computer-controlled devices that could be used to produce complex shapes directly from CAD or graphic data.
Magiccut and Firerail brought 2D CAD-CAM for cutting and contour cutting of rigid polystyrene foams.
In addition to architects and model makers, there was also demand from industry for the production of individual moulded parts.
Sager in Switzerland and Jackodur Maschinen used these machines at the time.
When cutting polystyrene with the aid of a heated cutting wire, an absolutely constant cutting speed over straight sections as well as curves, radii and all other free-form contours is absolutely essential. If the cutting process stops in any phase of the contour cut or changes its path speed even minimally, this leads to inaccuracies in the fit and burn-in of the cutting wire.
Controlling this process was therefore not trivial and also required the development of a customised software solution.
The MagicCut App software was originally written for NeXT computers under NexStep/OpenStep and was completely object-orientated.
Another innovation was the special, integrated cooling mechanism.
An extremely fine and thin cutting wire with a diameter of only 0.15 mm was used.
The wire in turn lies in a permanent air flow running parallel to it from both ends.
Due to the low mass of the wire, the air flow cools the electrically heated wire to below 100°C. At the moment and in the area where the cutting wire penetrates the rigid foam, the temperature rises abruptly, as there is no air flow within the material. The entire heating power is therefore only available within the material. The cutting speed is now regulated in such a way that the cut is made without penetration.
The cutting wire was operated with a high current. Without cooling by the guided air cooling and without material contact, it would glow.
Air cooling and heat dissipation through the material contact as well as the exact cutting speed were the key to maximum cutting performance.
Advantages of this technology: