Laser Cutter

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StudentRND has a laser cutter! It can cut up to 2'x3' of material with it's 80W laser. This is part of our FabLab

Contents

Cost

Common Errors

What's the difference between Vector Images and Raster Images?

Vector Images are images that are created from curves that are generated from stored equations. These curves can be followed by our laser cutter producing very smooth lines.

This image illustrates a Vector Image. Each line is a mathematical equation that is represented as a line on your screen. Much like you can represent x squared as a curve

Raster Images are made from an array of pixels. The laser cutter cuts them by scanning over the each pixel in the image (left to right, top to bottom) and checking its color. If the color is closer to black, it cuts, closer to white, it does not.

This image illustrates the difference between bitmap and vector images. The bitmap image is composed of a fixed set of dots, while the vector image is composed of a fixed set of shapes. In the picture, scaling the bitmap reveals the dots while scaling the vector image preserves the shapes.

The confusion usually comes in when people bring in images from the internet they want to cut. Even if an image is made of lines, that does not necessarily mean that it is a vector image as shown below.

This image illustrates how line images might be confused with vector images. The lines shown here are a series of pixels rather than a mathematical equation.


Not Enough Extend Space

This error occurs when you have the laser set to scan something which is too near the sides of the machine. Because the laser needs to accelerate to reach the scanning speed, scans can't happen near the edges. The exact amount of offset needed depends on the scanning speed.

Frame Slop Detected

Cuts are set to occur outside the machine's cutting area. Move the origin or make the cut smaller.

How to use

Acquire Software

If you do not have Adobe Illustrator, please follow the instructions below learn how to use StudentRND's copy free of charge.

Remote Desktop Server For Macs, first download Microsoft's remote desktop for mac .

To gain access to Photoshop, Illustrator, Visual Studio, and other software on your machine without installing them, you can use the remote desktop server.

  1. Make sure you are connected to StudentRND's wifi
  2. Open up "Remote Desktop Connection" in Windows
  3. Type in "Edward-PC"
  4. Login with the user "s", no password
  5. Use the application you want!

Actual Use

  1. Make a vector image in Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape (free), or another vector image editing program.
    • When making the image, each line is a different type of laser cut. You'll specify the specific type of cut later.
    • Fills are ignored. The program only processes line colors. You can set a line color to be filled later. DO NOT USE FILLS. THEY DO NOTHING. IF YOU USE FILLS YOUR CUT WILL TAKE LONGER TO LOAD.
  2. Save the file as an .EPS or Adobe Illustrator Version 8 file (any other version will fail in subtle ways or cause the program to crash).
  3. Open the file on the laser computer in Corel Draw.
  4. Hit the laser button - it's a green "play" button located at the bottom-left of the toolbars at the top.
  5. Assign your laser colors in the top left:
    1. Double click on a color to edit it.
    2. Set the fill type to "cut" to outline, or "scan" to fill. If choosing scan, you can set the resolution in the bottom.
    3. Set minimum and maximum power equal unless using a ramp (advanced).
    4. CLICK the Okay button. If you hit enter, the value of the text field which currently has focus won't be saved.
  6. Using the control panel on the laser:
    1. Turn on the laser
    2. Move the laser where you want it
    3. Hit "origin"
    4. Auto-focus the laser:
      1. Hit the center of the D-Pad
      2. Hit the Up arrow twice
      3. Press enter
      4. The laser will now raise the platform until it hits the depth sensor, then lower it again. Be sure the laser head is over the material.
  7. Using the laser power box:
    1. Turn on the laser with the laser key (Ask a Volunteer if you don't know where it is.)
    2. Turn on the fan
  8. Press "start" on the computer

Good settings for cuts

Unknown Materials

Most materials should be safe to cut if you start low. The laser won't fire at anything below 16% power, however 16% @ 500mm/s doesn't burn paper, so you can start low and go higher. If you don't move the material at all between cuts, you can do multiple tests of the same area without any ghosting.

Plastics tend to work better using two or three passes at lower powers for engraving, since it prevents them from melting too much.

Computer Case

PCB paint etch

5mm Mylar

MDF 1/4"

MDF 1/8"

Plywood

Birch Plywood 1/16"

Baltic Birch 1/4"

Baltic Birch 3/8"

Acrylic 1/8

Note: plastics smell awful. Leave the cut in the fume hood for an additional minute with the fan running to avoid the smell being too strong.

Acrylic 1/4

Note: plastics smell awful. Leave the cut in the fume hood for an additional minute with the fan running to avoid the smell being too strong.

Moleskine

Nintendo 3DS

3rd Gen Zune

Lenovo Thinkpad W520

Sheet Steel

Cannot engrave or cut

Zinc-Galvanized Metals

Cannot engrave or cut

Tech Specs

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