Trick or Treat Cookie Cutter SOLIDWORKS Tutorial

By

In this simple tutorial see how to model a set of 3 two-part cookie cutters with press. The cutters were designed to cut the cookie dough into a shape, and then press the cookie details into the dough making it easier to quickly decorate your cookies. The idea behind the tutorial is to create a fun set of models that can be 3D printed and used. You could create your own designs based on the tutorial or you can use the DXF files from here. By the end of this tutorial you will have a Boo, Spiders Web and Skeleton Cookie cutter set.

When following this tutorial, it is important to note that if you plan on 3D printing your cutters, you may need to play around with the thicknesses of your cutter as different print materials will differ in strength and tolerances. For my 3D print material, I changed this thickness to 2mm, mine cutters were printed with Nylon PA12.

A few tips I mention during the tutorial for creating your own DXF files for importing into SOLIDWORKS and using them as a sketch are: 

1. Center your sketch in your vector software before exporting, so when it is opened in SOLIDWORKS it will place center to the axis. This save having to move it afterwards. This is especially useful for layered sketches where DXFs are needed for several features.

2. Make sure you are happy with the size of your sketch before exporting as this saves you time. This includes creating your DXF in the same units that you are using in SOLIDWORKS. Otherwise, you may need to scale it in SOLIDWORKS afterwards.

3. If you need reference lines or guides on your DXF, use a dashed line in your vector software, when this imports into SOLIDWORKS, it will come in as a construction sketch.

Below is a photo of some cookies I created with my 3D printed cookies, as I mentioned above the cookie press did make the decorating easier, however you may find with some cookie doughs detail can get a little lost, especially with softer doughs that rise. If that is the case, increase the depth of the cookie press extrusion, a deeper cookie press would create a lasting design even after baking. A tip when using the cutters and cookie presses, I would advise dusting them with flour before each use as this stops the dough from sticking onto the 3D prints.

Jade Wilson

Jade Wilson

I am a 3D Designer and SOLIDWORKS Blog Contributor from the UK. I am a self taught SOLIDWORKS user, and have been using it to inform and create my designs since 2012. I specialize in the design of Ceramics, Home Accessories and Wooden Toy Design.