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Getting Started with LOC

 ​LOC are small chipboard building pieces that can be used to make building structures easily and efficiently. These were made in an effort to explore inexpensive building tools for robotics and engineering education. With iterations in design, some of these pieces can also be used to build circuits and program other components in the kit such as LEDs and servos. This getting started guide breaks down the steps to create your LOC tools kit from the laser cutting process to setting up the circuits. The process of laser-cutting your own pieces is more expensive than the materials and assumes you have access to a soldering iron and laser cutter.
​

Materials:
  • 14ply/ 0.05" Chipboard Sheets
  • Scissors
  • Copper Tape
  • Adafruit Gemma M0 (Optional)
  • Micro:bit (Optional)
Equipment/Software:
  • Laser Cutter
  • Soldering Iron
  • Adobe Illustrator​

Laser Cutting LOC Pieces

Step #1:
Download the Following Files
Picture

​
​Pieces.svg
The following file contains the svg of the pieces in a kit. There are 8 different pieces in the file but feel free to adapt them to your needs.

Step #2:
Settings on Adobe Illustrator
Picture

​Open the file on adobe illustrator. 
Set the stroke width to 0.001 inches and make the stroke color red.


​
​
Backpack #3:
Laser-Cutter Settings
Picture
Input the following settings under set up preferences.
​
Speed: 50%

Power: 70%
Frequency: 500%
Be prepared to cut multiple sheets of chipboard

Laser Cutting LOC Box

Step #1:
​
Download the Following Files
Picture
LOCBox.svg
​QRcode.svg

The following file contains the svg of the LOC box. This is not a requirement of the kit but is nice to have. The box is cut but the LOC logo and QR codes are etched onto the chipboard and thus require different settings

​
​
Step #4:
Etching
Picture
Etch the QR code to the other side by flipping the sheet such that the top is now facing downwards

Position the laser cutter at the top left corner of the rectangle. Make sure the codes are centered using the rectangle

Step #2:
​File Settings
Picture


​Open the file on adobe illustrator. Select the box outline and set the stroke width to 0.001 inches and make the stroke color red. 

​

​
Step #5:
Folding
Picture

​Using the gorilla glue or a glue gun fold the box on the dashed lines and glue the box together where needed.
​

​


Step #3:
Laser Cutter Settings
Picture
Use the above step 3 settings. Go to the color mapping option and add black to the list of colors and have it's setting as the following in order to raster the LOC logo
​
Speed: 100%
Power: 35%
Frequency: 500


Soldering LOC Pieces

Step #1:
​Set Up Pieces
Picture
When making pieces that you wish to build to make a circuit, it is important to know the pieces you want to make beforehand. And to have mapped out how the circuit will look.

Get a role of copper tape and cut 1/2 inch pieces to go where the pieces slide into each other. Cut 1 inch pieces for corners and 1 1/2 inch pieces of copper tape for straight lines.

​
Step #4:
​Set Up circuits
Picture
Now you can set up your pieces to build circuits.

A word of caution: it is very easy to short circuit the pieces and the Adafruit Gemma M0 because it is hard to differentiate pieces. Map out your circuit first.

Step #2:
​
Place Tape on the Pieces
Picture
Start by placing two 1/2 inch pieces of copper tape in either side of the interlocking edges. 

Place the straight edge or corner/L-shaped pieces on the flat sides connecting them to those on the edge.

Ensure that tape on either side of the LOC pieces are not connected to avoid short-circuiting.​

Step #3:
​
Soldering Pieces
Picture
Using a soldering iron and soldering wire, solder the edge pieces to the flat pieces, connecting them to each other.

For the L-shaped taped pieces, also solder the 
perpendicular joint where the two pieces meet.

If you choose to use the Adafruit Gemma M0 and wish to solder it to its board, ensure that the edges are soldered onto the pins.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Picture
200 Boston Ave, Medford, MA 02155
steamdiscoverylab@gmail.com
Center for Engineering Education and Outreach
​Tufts University
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LEGO®, the LEGO® logo, the Brick, MINDSTORMS®, and the Minifigure are trademarks of ©The LEGO® Group. On some parts of this site  you will get access to so-called “developer software”, which offers documentation on different ways to operate the LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime Hub and technology. Whatever use you make of the developer software, bear in mind that the results are not experiences that the LEGO Group endorses, is with or will be liable for. No rights in or to trademarks of the LEGO Group are implied or given, and you may not apply to or register any protection anywhere in the world for intellectual property or industrial rights or similar in respect of any developer software, derivative or other result achieved through its use. The developer software is made available “as is” and, to the extent possible, no warranties or representations are implied or given in relation to it by the LEGO Group. It’s your responsibility to ensure all uses that you make and enable others to make comply with all applicable laws and best practices. By accessing the developer software, you acknowledge that the terms and conditions set out above and in LEGO Education’s terms of use for SPIKE Prime apply.
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