In this STEAM engineering project, students design and make a small 3D pine tree using LaserMaker. The lesson connects grid-based drawing, geometric modeling, union and difference operations, cross-tenon slot design, laser cutting, and hands-on assembly.

1. Lesson Overview

1.1 Project Goal

Students will design a small pine tree from two matching cross sections. They will draw the tree shape, create interlocking slots, set cutting parameters, and assemble the finished parts into a simple 3D decorative model.

1.2 Recommended Classroom Use

2. Learning Objectives

2.1 What Students Will Learn

2.2 STEAM Skills Developed

2.3 Responsible Making

Students may study existing tree designs for inspiration, but their final work should include their own improvements and creative decisions.

3. Real-World Context: From Tree Shape to 3D Model

Pine trees have a clear visual structure, with layered branches and a tapered overall shape. In this lesson, students translate those natural features into a simplified geometric model that can be cut and assembled from flat sheet material.

The project encourages students to observe the shape of a pine tree, simplify it into triangular sections, and think about how two laser-cut profiles can interlock to form a stable decorative object.

4. Design and Engineering Considerations

Before drawing in LaserMaker, students should analyze the pine tree as both a visual design and an assembled structure.

5. Lesson Procedure

5.1 Measure and Sketch the Pine Tree

Students should decide the width and height of the pine tree, then calculate the tenon and slot dimensions based on the material thickness and the intended interlocking structure.

After measuring, students should sketch the pine tree shape and mark where the cross-tenon slots will be placed.

5.2 Draw the Pine Tree Profile

Turn on the Grid Tool and use the Line Segment Tool to draw an isosceles triangle. In the source workflow, one triangle is 60 mm wide and 30 mm high. The grid helps students draw the triangle accurately.

Copy the triangle and adjust the next two triangles to different sizes. In the source workflow, the second triangle is 70 mm wide and 35 mm high, and the third triangle is 80 mm wide and 40 mm high.

Use Align Guides to align the three triangles vertically, then use the Union Tool to merge them into one pine tree profile. Copy the finished profile to create the second interlocking section.

5.3 Create the Cross-Tenon Slots

Use the Rectangle Tool to draw a slot. In the source workflow, the slot width is 3 mm, matching the sheet thickness, and the slot height is 40 mm, which is half the height of the 80 mm tree profile.

Place one slot from the bottom of one tree profile and the other from the top of the second profile. Use the Difference Set Tool to subtract the slot shape from each tree section. When the two parts are inserted together, they form a cross-tenon connection.

5.4 Set Cutting Parameters

Select the pine tree objects and open the black cutting process layer. In the source workflow, the material is set to Osone wood, the process is set to cutting, and the processing thickness is set to 3 mm. The displayed processing speed is 25 and the power is 70.

5.5 Test, Debug, and Improve

6. Finished Project

After the final settings are confirmed, students can cut the two tree sections and assemble them through the cross-tenon slots. The finished project is a small standing pine tree model.

7. Extension Challenge

After completing the pine tree, students can design another interlocking tree model. The source lesson suggests a palm tree as an extension activity. Students can follow the example or create a more personal tree shape.

8. Inspiration Gallery

The following examples can be used for classroom discussion and design inspiration. Encourage students to compare tree shapes, slot positions, balance, assembly method, and finished visual effect.

9. Equipment Note for Teachers

This project is suitable for classroom laser cutters that support small-format cutting of sheet materials. For schools, makerspaces, and beginner STEAM labs, projects like 3D pine trees, interlocking decorations, flat-pack models, and cross-tenon structures can be completed with a classroom laser cutter such as the Thunder Laser Bolt Series.

Teachers can choose the machine and material setup based on classroom space, project size, material thickness, slot fit, and learning goals. The same interlocking workflow can also be adapted for other CO2 laser machines when students move on to larger models or more advanced engineering challenges.