Difference between revisions of "Laser Cutter"

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[[Category:FabLab Equipment]]
 
[[Category:FabLab Equipment]]
−
{{needs-update|details=THIS IS A DRAFT}}
 
−
 
 
== About ==
 
== About ==
 
[[File:Laser_cutter.jpg|480px|right]]
 
[[File:Laser_cutter.jpg|480px|right]]
  
−
MakeICT uses a Rabbit Laser LASER Cutter Model QX1290 with a workbed of approx. 3' x 4'.
+
The Laser cutter allows users to take designs created on a computer and cut and/or engrave using many diferent materials. Laser cutting is a great way to rapidly prototype projects. Interfacing with the laser cutter is performed with [[Media:LaserCut_v5.3.zip|LaserCut v5.3]].
−
 
 
−
A LASER cutter allows users to take designs created on a computer and quickly cut them out using many different materials.
 
−
 
 
−
Designs are made using [http://www.inkscape.org Inkscape], an open-source vector graphics editor (other editors, such as [http://www.3ds.com/products-services/draftsight-cad-software/free-download/ Draftsight] and Adobe Illustrator, can be used as well).
 
−
 
 
−
LASER cutting is a great way to rapidly prototype projects.
 
−
 
 
−
MakeICT's LASER cutting machine was built by Rabbit Laser.
 
−
 
 
−
* Suggested reading: [http://www.noao.edu/safety/laser/Laser_Safety_for_Students_credit_to_Laser_Professionals.pdf Basics of Lasers and Laser Light]
 
  
−
== Classes ==
+
The laser cutter does require regular cleaning and alignment. This is to be performed by trained volunteers only.
−
* Inkscape workshop - suggested
 
−
* [[LASER Cutter Basics Class]]
 
  
−
== LASER use policy ==
 
  
−
* You must take the [[LASER Cutter Basics Class]] to be approved to use the LASER cutter
+
== Machine access policy ==
−
* You must be a member
+
Use of the Laser Cutter requires attendance in a certification workshop hosted by one of the approved instructors. Workshops are posted on the [http://makeict.org/calendar calendar].
  
−
== LASER Cutter Specific Safety ==
 
−
LASER cutters pose a fire hazard. LASER cutters use a high intensity beam of LASER light that can produce extremely high temperatures as it comes into contact with the materials it is engraving, marking or cutting.
 
  
−
The LASER cutter is a potentially dangerous piece of equipment which must only be operated by members who have received appropriate training and who take due care. The top things to always remember when using the LASER cutter are:
+
== Usage ==
−
# '''ONLY USE THE LASER CUTTER IF YOU ARE ON THE LIST OF TRAINED USERS'''
+
=== Safety ===
−
# '''NEVER LEAVE THE LASER CUTTER RUNNING UNATTENDED'''
+
Laser cutters pose a fire hazard. A high intensity beam of laser light can produce extremely high temperatures as it comes into contact with the materials it is engraving, marking, or cutting. When using the laser cutter, remember:
−
# '''NEVER CUT MATERIALS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW ARE SAFE'''
+
# You may only use the laser cutter if you have been officially certified according to the machine access policy
−
# '''NEVER OVERRIDE THE LASER CUTTER SAFETIES'''
+
# '''Never''' leave the laser cutter unattended while it was powered on (even if it is not firing)
−
# '''KNOW WHAT TO DO IF A FIRE BREAKS OUT'''
+
# '''Never''' cut materials that you don't know are safe
−
## HIT the BIG RED button on the LASER control panel
+
# '''Never''' override laser cutter safeties and switches
−
## A Carbon Dioxide (CO2) fire extinguisher is located next to the LASER cutter
+
# Know what to do if a fire happens
 +
## Hint: Hit the big, red, emergency stop button. This will shutdown the laser and the air supply.
 +
## A Carbon Dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) fire extinguisher is located next to the laser cutter
  
−
Before starting the LASER cutter:
+
Before starting the laser cutter:
−
# Check the cooling solution window in the back of the chiller before starting any project.
+
# Check the coolant window in the back of the chiller before starting any project.
  
−
After starting the LASER cutter:
+
After starting the laser cutter:
−
# Before cutting make sure the air compressor and the fan motor are on.
+
# Before cutting make sure the air compressor and the fan motor are on
−
# Refer to the cutting manual for appropriate engraving and cutting Power and Speed settings for varied materials.
+
# Refer to the cutting manual for appropriate engraving and speed and power settings for varied materials
−
# Beware of FLAMMABLE materials while using the machines.
+
# Beware of flammable materials while using the machines.
−
# Certain materials are NOT ALLOWED in the LASER cutter including any PVC material, reflective materials
 
−
## See the  '''DO NOT USE THESE MATERIALS''' section
 
  
−
== '''Materials for the LASER Cutter''' ==
+
=== Workflow ===
 +
# Create design or import<br/>If importing, unite lines (under Tools menu)
 +
# Separate layers if necessary (by changing their colors)
 +
# Set layer modes
 +
# Set layer powers/speeds
 +
# Set origin (under Laser menu)
 +
# Download
 +
## Delete all
 +
## Download current
 +
# Load media into cutter
 +
# Focus laser (in center of media)
 +
# Move laser to origin
 +
# Run box / test
 +
# Close lid and start
  
−
See  [[LASER Cutter Materials]] for the list of BAD and good materials to use in the LASER cutter
+
== Materials ==
 +
Cutting a bad material in the laser cutter can be dangerous. Only approved materials should be cut, and banned materials should never be placed in or even around the laser cutter. Cutting an unknown material risks bodily harm and damage to equipment/facilities.
  
−
== '''DO NOT USE THESE MATERIALS''' ==
+
=== Approved materials ===
−
*PVC
+
{| class="wikitable sortable"
−
*VINYL
+
|-
−
*CHLORINE BASED PRODUCTS
+
! Name !! Notes !! Warnings
−
* see [[LASER Cutter Materials]] for the list of BAD and good materials to LASER cut
+
|-
−
* List posted in LASER Cutter area
+
| Acrylic<br>(aka Plexiglas, Lucite, PMMA) || Cuts well, leaves a smooth polished edge. Higher powers can leave smoke/scorch marks along edges. Some people remove paper/plastic protection sheets before cutting. ||
 +
|-
 +
| Cardboard, cartons || Cuts well, can catch fire || FIRE hazard!
 +
|-
 +
| Ceramic ||  || '''Mirror surfaces can reflect the laser beam'''
 +
|-
 +
| Cloth (cotton, felt, hemp) || Cuts easily || NO plastic coated or impregnated cloth!
 +
|-
 +
| Corian || ||
 +
|-
 +
| Cork || Cuts nicely, the quality of the cut depends on the thickness and quality of the cork. Engineered cork has a lot of glue in it, may not cut nicely. ||
 +
|-
 +
| Coroplast (corrugated plastic) || Difficult to cut through cleanly, due to the ribs. Multiple passes are usually needed. || 
 +
|-
 +
| Delrin || Comes in a number of shore strengths (hardness), the harder tends to work better. Great for gears! || 
 +
|-
 +
| Glass || Has a sandblasted look, green glass works best || '''Mirror surfaces can reflect the laser beam'''
 +
|-
 +
| Leather, suede || Leather is very hard to cut, can be if thinner than a belt thickness ||
 +
|-
 +
| MDF, engineered woods || May experience a higher amount of charring when cut ||
 +
|-
 +
| Magnetic sheet || Cuts easily ||
 +
|-
 +
| Marble ||  || '''Mirror surfaces can reflect the laser beam'''
 +
|-
 +
| Matte Board  ||  ||
 +
|-
 +
| Melamine ||  ||
 +
|-
 +
| Mylar || Works well if it's thin. Thick mylar has a tendency to warp, bubble, and curl || Gold coated mylar will not work
 +
|-
 +
| Paper, card stock  ||  ||
 +
|-
 +
| Plywood, composite woods || Contain glue, and may not cut as well as solid wood ||
 +
|-
 +
| Pressboard ||  ||
 +
|-
 +
| NON-CHLORINE Rubber || '''DO NOT CUT''' unless the rubber compound has been tested || '''Beware chlorine-containing rubber!''' If you're not sure, assume you've got chlorinated rubber, and don't cut it.
 +
|-
 +
| Tile ||  || '''Mirror surfaces can reflect the laser beam'''
 +
|-
 +
| Wood || Avoid oily/resinous woods || FIRE - Cutting oily woods, or very resinous woods can catch fire.
 +
|-
 +
| Wood Veneer || Contain glue, and may not cut as well as solid wood ||
 +
|-
 +
| Anodized Aluminum || Vaporizes the anodized layer away ||
 +
|-
 +
| Bare Metals || ||
 +
|-
 +
| Brass || ||
 +
|-
 +
| Coated Metals || || ||
 +
|-
 +
| Painted Metals || Vaporizes the paint away ||
 +
|-
 +
| Stainless Steel ||  ||
 +
|-
 +
| Titanium ||  ||
 +
|}
  
−
== Process ==
+
=== Banned materials ===
−
# Prepare your design (we like [http://inkscape.org inkscape])
+
These materials should '''never''' be processed in the laser cutter.
−
# Prepare the LASER cutter
+
{| class="wikitable sortable"
−
# Cut your design
+
|-
 +
! Name !! DANGER !! WARNING
 +
|-
 +
| ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) || Emits cyanide gas and tends to melt || ABS does not cut well in a laser cutter. It tends to melt rather than vaporize, and has a higher chance of catching on fire and leaving behind melted gooey deposits on the vector cutting grid. It also does not engrave well (again, tends to melt).
 +
|-
 +
| Chlorinated plastics (PVC/Poly Vinyl Chloride, vinyl/pleather/artificial leather) || Emits pure chlorine gas when cut! || '''Don't ever cut this material''' as it will ruin the optics, cause the metal of the machine to corrode, and ruin the motion control system. Bubbles yellow, smokes alot, STINKS!!!!!
 +
|-
 +
| Coated Carbon Fiber || Emits noxious fumes || A mix of two materials. Thin carbon fiber mat can be cut, with some fraying - but not when coated
 +
|-
 +
| Fiberglass || Emits fumes || It's a mix of two materials that cant' be cut. Glass (etch, no cut) and epoxy resin (fumes) 
 +
|-
 +
| Galvanized metal || Emits dangerous fumes || Zinc fumes are poisonous. Galvanized metal should never be super heated (so don't weld on it either).
 +
|-
 +
| Metal ||  || [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_cutting#Power_consumption Power needed for LASER to cut metal]
 +
|-
 +
| Milk bottles/HDPE || Catches fire and melts || It melts, gets gooey. DON'T. Someone has to clean the hex worktable.
 +
|-
 +
| Mirrored surfaces || Will not cut, reflects laser beam || Mirror surfaces can reflect the laser beam, damaging the cutter's interior components. Some mirrored materials can be placed reflective-side down and cut.
 +
|-
 +
| Polycarbonate/Lexan || Cut very poorly, discolor, catch fire || Polycarbonate is often found as flat, sheet material. The window of the laser cutter is made of Polycarbonate because polycarbonate strongly absorbs infrared radiation! This is the frequency of light the laser cutter uses to cut materials, so it is very ineffective at cutting polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is a poor choice for laser cutting. 
 +
|-
 +
| PolyPropylene Foam || Catches fire || Like PolyStyrene, it melts, catches fire, and the melted drops continue to burn and turn into rock-hard drips and pebbles.
 +
|-
 +
| PolyStyrene Foam || Catches fire || Like PolyPropylene. It catches fire, it melts, and only thin pieces cut. '''This is the #1 material that causes laser fires!!!'''
 +
|-
 +
| Pressure treated wood || Emits dangerous fumes || Should never be burned -- not in your fireplace, and definitely not in our LASER
 +
|-
 +
| Printed circuit board (FR4 and other material types) ||  ||
 +
|}
  
−
== If something goes wrong during your print ==
+
=== Other resources ===
−
# Hit the RED button
+
* [http://makezine.com/2011/09/22/identifying-unknown-plastics/ Identifying Unknown Plastics by Make Magazine]
 +
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beilstein_test Beilstein test]
 +
* [https://vimeo.com/1615418 Polymer Identification (video) by Burnination]
 +
* [http://www.chymist.com/Polymer%20Identification.pdf Polymer Identification (PDF) by David A. Katz]
 +
* [http://www.nclark.net/Density_Column.pdf Density Column Using Recyclable Plastics]
  
−
== Maintenance ==
 
−
'''Weekly mirror and lens cleaning is required and performed by trained staff'''
 
  
−
== Tips and resources ==
+
== Laser Cutter Certified Users ==
−
* The LASER cutter will generally not cut anything greater than 0.25” (6mm), anything thicker will require several passes.
+
{| class="wikitable sortable"
−
* [[Media:LaserCut_v5.3.zip|LaserCut v5.3 Download]]
+
|-
 +
! Name !! Certification Date
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Brad Cooley|Brad Cooley]] || 2015-November-16
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Bryan Barr|Bryan Barr]] (FabLab BD) || 2015-August-07
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Charlie Fair|Charlie Fair]] || 2015-November-11
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Cory Kertz|Cory Kertz]] || 2015-November-11
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:David Springs|David Springs]]  ||
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Ivan Quiroz|Ivan Quiroz]] || 2015-November-16
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:James Classen|James Classen]] || 2015-November-11
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Jerry Carpenter|Jerry Carpenter]] || 2015-August-07
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Jerry Shubert|Jerry Shubert]] || 2015-November-11
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:John Alexander|John Alexander]] (instructor) || 2015-December-02
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:John Harrison|John Harrison]] || 2015-October-30
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Jonny Fosnight|Jonny Fosnight]] || 2015-November-16
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Logan Pajunen|Logan Pajunen]] || 2015-November-11
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Mike Doolittle|Mike Doolittle]] (instructor) || 2015-August-07
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Mike Hutton|Mike Hutton]] || 2015-November-11
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Stephen Reckers|Stephen Reckers]] || 2015-November-16
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Tom McGuire|Tom McGuire]] || 2015-August-07
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:William Davisson|William Davisson]] ||
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Charles Griesel|Charles Griesel]] || 2015-December-02
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Samuel McConnell|Samuel McConnell]] || 2015-December-02
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Dominic Canare|Dominic Canare]] (instructor) || 2015-December-02
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Skyler Lovelace|Skyler Lovelace]] || 2015-December-02
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Weston Vice|Weston Vice]] || 2015-December-5
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:James Lancaster|James Lancaster]] || 2015-December-5
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Dana Danaver|Dana Danaver]] || 2015-December-5
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Geoffrey Kisch|Geoffrey Kisch]] || 2015-December-5
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Joel Ewy|Joel Ewy]] || 2015-December-5
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Samuel Schurter|Samuel Schurter]] || 2015-December-5
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Dean Day|Dean Day]] || 2015-December-12
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Christian Kindel|Christian Kindel]] || 2015-December-12
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Curt Gridley|Curt Gridley]] || 2015-December-12
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:James Seymour|James Seymour]] || 2015-December-12
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:James Hammer|James Hammer]] || 2015-December-12
 +
|-
 +
| [[User:Thomas Bloom|Thomas Bloom]] || 2015-December-12
 +
|-
 +
|}

Revision as of 23:24, 21 December 2015

About

Laser cutter.jpg

The Laser cutter allows users to take designs created on a computer and cut and/or engrave using many diferent materials. Laser cutting is a great way to rapidly prototype projects. Interfacing with the laser cutter is performed with LaserCut v5.3.

The laser cutter does require regular cleaning and alignment. This is to be performed by trained volunteers only.


Machine access policy

Use of the Laser Cutter requires attendance in a certification workshop hosted by one of the approved instructors. Workshops are posted on the calendar.


Usage

Safety

Laser cutters pose a fire hazard. A high intensity beam of laser light can produce extremely high temperatures as it comes into contact with the materials it is engraving, marking, or cutting. When using the laser cutter, remember:

  1. You may only use the laser cutter if you have been officially certified according to the machine access policy
  2. Never leave the laser cutter unattended while it was powered on (even if it is not firing)
  3. Never cut materials that you don't know are safe
  4. Never override laser cutter safeties and switches
  5. Know what to do if a fire happens
    1. Hint: Hit the big, red, emergency stop button. This will shutdown the laser and the air supply.
    2. A Carbon Dioxide (CO2) fire extinguisher is located next to the laser cutter

Before starting the laser cutter:

  1. Check the coolant window in the back of the chiller before starting any project.

After starting the laser cutter:

  1. Before cutting make sure the air compressor and the fan motor are on
  2. Refer to the cutting manual for appropriate engraving and speed and power settings for varied materials
  3. Beware of flammable materials while using the machines.

Workflow

  1. Create design or import
    If importing, unite lines (under Tools menu)
  2. Separate layers if necessary (by changing their colors)
  3. Set layer modes
  4. Set layer powers/speeds
  5. Set origin (under Laser menu)
  6. Download
    1. Delete all
    2. Download current
  7. Load media into cutter
  8. Focus laser (in center of media)
  9. Move laser to origin
  10. Run box / test
  11. Close lid and start

Materials

Cutting a bad material in the laser cutter can be dangerous. Only approved materials should be cut, and banned materials should never be placed in or even around the laser cutter. Cutting an unknown material risks bodily harm and damage to equipment/facilities.

Approved materials

Name Notes Warnings
Acrylic
(aka Plexiglas, Lucite, PMMA)		 Cuts well, leaves a smooth polished edge. Higher powers can leave smoke/scorch marks along edges. Some people remove paper/plastic protection sheets before cutting.
Cardboard, cartons Cuts well, can catch fire FIRE hazard!
Ceramic Mirror surfaces can reflect the laser beam
Cloth (cotton, felt, hemp) Cuts easily NO plastic coated or impregnated cloth!
Corian
Cork Cuts nicely, the quality of the cut depends on the thickness and quality of the cork. Engineered cork has a lot of glue in it, may not cut nicely.
Coroplast (corrugated plastic) Difficult to cut through cleanly, due to the ribs. Multiple passes are usually needed.
Delrin Comes in a number of shore strengths (hardness), the harder tends to work better. Great for gears!
Glass Has a sandblasted look, green glass works best Mirror surfaces can reflect the laser beam
Leather, suede Leather is very hard to cut, can be if thinner than a belt thickness
MDF, engineered woods May experience a higher amount of charring when cut
Magnetic sheet Cuts easily
Marble Mirror surfaces can reflect the laser beam
Matte Board
Melamine
Mylar Works well if it's thin. Thick mylar has a tendency to warp, bubble, and curl Gold coated mylar will not work
Paper, card stock
Plywood, composite woods Contain glue, and may not cut as well as solid wood
Pressboard
NON-CHLORINE Rubber DO NOT CUT unless the rubber compound has been tested Beware chlorine-containing rubber! If you're not sure, assume you've got chlorinated rubber, and don't cut it.
Tile Mirror surfaces can reflect the laser beam
Wood Avoid oily/resinous woods FIRE - Cutting oily woods, or very resinous woods can catch fire.
Wood Veneer Contain glue, and may not cut as well as solid wood
Anodized Aluminum Vaporizes the anodized layer away
Bare Metals
Brass
Coated Metals
Painted Metals Vaporizes the paint away
Stainless Steel
Titanium

Banned materials

These materials should never be processed in the laser cutter.

Name DANGER WARNING
ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) Emits cyanide gas and tends to melt ABS does not cut well in a laser cutter. It tends to melt rather than vaporize, and has a higher chance of catching on fire and leaving behind melted gooey deposits on the vector cutting grid. It also does not engrave well (again, tends to melt).
Chlorinated plastics (PVC/Poly Vinyl Chloride, vinyl/pleather/artificial leather) Emits pure chlorine gas when cut! Don't ever cut this material as it will ruin the optics, cause the metal of the machine to corrode, and ruin the motion control system. Bubbles yellow, smokes alot, STINKS!!!!!
Coated Carbon Fiber Emits noxious fumes A mix of two materials. Thin carbon fiber mat can be cut, with some fraying - but not when coated
Fiberglass Emits fumes It's a mix of two materials that cant' be cut. Glass (etch, no cut) and epoxy resin (fumes)
Galvanized metal Emits dangerous fumes Zinc fumes are poisonous. Galvanized metal should never be super heated (so don't weld on it either).
Metal Power needed for LASER to cut metal
Milk bottles/HDPE Catches fire and melts It melts, gets gooey. DON'T. Someone has to clean the hex worktable.
Mirrored surfaces Will not cut, reflects laser beam Mirror surfaces can reflect the laser beam, damaging the cutter's interior components. Some mirrored materials can be placed reflective-side down and cut.
Polycarbonate/Lexan Cut very poorly, discolor, catch fire Polycarbonate is often found as flat, sheet material. The window of the laser cutter is made of Polycarbonate because polycarbonate strongly absorbs infrared radiation! This is the frequency of light the laser cutter uses to cut materials, so it is very ineffective at cutting polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is a poor choice for laser cutting.
PolyPropylene Foam Catches fire Like PolyStyrene, it melts, catches fire, and the melted drops continue to burn and turn into rock-hard drips and pebbles.
PolyStyrene Foam Catches fire Like PolyPropylene. It catches fire, it melts, and only thin pieces cut. This is the #1 material that causes laser fires!!!
Pressure treated wood Emits dangerous fumes Should never be burned -- not in your fireplace, and definitely not in our LASER
Printed circuit board (FR4 and other material types)

Other resources


Laser Cutter Certified Users

Name Certification Date
Brad Cooley 2015-November-16
Bryan Barr (FabLab BD) 2015-August-07
Charlie Fair 2015-November-11
Cory Kertz 2015-November-11
David Springs
Ivan Quiroz 2015-November-16
James Classen 2015-November-11
Jerry Carpenter 2015-August-07
Jerry Shubert 2015-November-11
John Alexander (instructor) 2015-December-02
John Harrison 2015-October-30
Jonny Fosnight 2015-November-16
Logan Pajunen 2015-November-11
Mike Doolittle (instructor) 2015-August-07
Mike Hutton 2015-November-11
Stephen Reckers 2015-November-16
Tom McGuire 2015-August-07
William Davisson
Charles Griesel 2015-December-02
Samuel McConnell 2015-December-02
Dominic Canare (instructor) 2015-December-02
Skyler Lovelace 2015-December-02
Weston Vice 2015-December-5
James Lancaster 2015-December-5
Dana Danaver 2015-December-5
Geoffrey Kisch 2015-December-5
Joel Ewy 2015-December-5
Samuel Schurter 2015-December-5
Dean Day 2015-December-12
Christian Kindel 2015-December-12
Curt Gridley 2015-December-12
James Seymour 2015-December-12
James Hammer 2015-December-12
Thomas Bloom 2015-December-12
Retrieved from "https://wiki.makeict.org/index.php?title=Laser_Cutter&oldid=2801"