MOR4R: microwave oven recipes for resins

Abstract

This research presents a technique to make an acrylic (PMMA: polymethylmethacrylate) 3D craft using common home electronic equipment, a microwave oven. Though personal fabrication is growing widely popular by the price reduction of digital fabrication tools, the installation of laser cutter at home is still difficult because of issues of safety and health. By pasting properly sized susceptor sheet to the PMMA, and microwaving it about 3 minutes with 800W, the only part where the susceptor is pasted becomes soft enough to bend and cut. The selectability of heating spot allows the creator to form a rigid shape, in the way like folding an origami.