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Laser cutter procedures and tutorials

Safety Information

  • NEVER! Leave the laser cutter running unattended.
  • Do not stare at laser for extended periods.
  • Remember you MUST have completed the Laser Safety Training before you're allowed to use the laser.
  • Ask a friendly Geek in Residence for help if you're not sure you remember everything! (It's what we're here for).

 In case of Fire: 

  • In Case of Fire, press the "Stop" button or open the lid. This immediately disables the laser and can stop a fire in progress.
    • NOTE: Opening the Lid will disable the laser, but the head will continue to move.
    • If you do not want to lose your position and want to resume after the fire has stopped, press the "Stop" button to pause the job. The head will stop and the laser will not fire.
  • Use the spray bottle with water for small fires. If the fire persists and becomes out of control use the fire extinguisher.

Important Reminders

Follow all posted instructions about changing laser-cutter settings. If you mess with the wrong setting, your cut could fail and damage the laser-cutter. Please only change the recommended settings!

Material Information

  • Only approved material can be used on the Laser. Any material that a visitor or member bring i should be checked by Staff/GIRs.
    • Acrylic (e.g. Plexiglass) ( Engraving and Cutting )
    • Wood / Bamboo ( Engraving and Cutting )
    • Paper / Cardboard ( Engraving and Cutting )
    • Cork ( Engraving and Cutting )
    • Delrin ( Engraving and Cutting )
    • Glass ( Engraving Only )
    • Aluminum ( Engraving Only - Aluminum can only be engraved if it is anodized or has some other coating )
  • Scrap material in bin/shelf is free for use by anyone.
  • Aluminum can only be engraved if it is anodized or has some other coating.

Lab Material Cost

Please inform visitors and members to not use material available in the laser lab before they purchase it first.

  • Acrylic 1/8 inch clear and opaque - $20
  • Acrylic 1/8 inch mirrored - $30
  • Wood 1/8 inch poplar/birch - $15
  • Wood 1/4 inch poplar/birch - $20
  • Wood 1/16 and 1/32 inch - $35

Material Restrictions

  • If you don't know what it is, Don't cut it!
  • Do not use PVC or Vinyl ( Can release chlorine / gases that are harmful to breath and corrode parts / electronics )
  • Do not use Polycarbonate / Lexan ( Cuts poorly, discolors, and catch fire)
  • Treated or Pressure Treated Wood ( Can emit dangerous fumes )
  • Ceramics and Stone can be safely engraved but require approval.
  • Coated Metals like Stainless Steel can be safely engraved but require approval.
  • MDF can be cut, but it requires approval as certain glues use to create the material may not be laser safe.
  • Natural rubber ( chlorine free and non vulcanized ) can be safely cut. However, we do not allowed it as a matter of policy due to the messy residue left behind.
    • If there is approval for a special project by staff. The laser must be immediately vacuumed and cleaned after cutting as it leaves a great deal of dust / residue that the air assist (compressor) does not blow off or remove.
  • Approval Method: If a member is insistent on using a non approved material, they must provide a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and await written approval (e.g. email) before making an appointment.
    This written approval must be forwarded or brought in during their appointment for on site staff / GIRs to review.
    • NOTE: This document that provides the proper procedures for handling or working with a particular substance.
      These documents contains important information such as physical data (melting point, boiling point, flash point etc.), toxicity, health effects, etc.

Laser-Cutting Procedure

Machine Setup

  1. Turn on power strip to for compressor and exhaust
  2. Verify compressor is running ( Located on floor next to laser )
  3. Turn on Laser cutter with the switch on the left side of the machine
  4. Manually Focus Laser for material height
    1. Push "Focus" on laser control panel
    2. Turn over focus tool ( magnetically attached laser mirror-head )
    3. Using the Up/Down arrows, move the bed until the material touches the end of the tool
    4. Push "Reset" button
  5. DONE!

File and Software Setup

  1. Prepare the files you want to cut and/or engrave using Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw or Inkscape.
    1. If using other software to create your files, save them as *.svg or as *.dxf (R2000).
    2. Using Inkscape:
      1. Select File \ Document Properties from the Menu
        1. Set "Default Units" and "Units" to Inches
        2. Set paper size to 24 inches by 12 inches
      2. Move your parts around to fit within the cutting area.
        1. The top left corner of the document will be treated as the zero/zero origin on the laser bed.
        2. If you have irregularly shaped material, it is best to place it on the bed and measure how many inches down and right you want the cut/engrave to start. Place your drawing in that same position in the document.
      3. Select all lines that you wish to cut ( Select All - CTRL + A )
      4. In the "Fill and Stroke" menu (Shift + Ctrl + F to open ), go to the "Stroke Style" tab
        1. set the "Width" field to 0.001 inches for any lines you want to be cut through.
        2. Any other line width will be engraved.
      5. If the lines are not black, make them black by selecting the black square in the scale on the bottom of the screen.
    3. Navigate to File \ Save As...
    4. Select "Portable Document Format" (*.pdf) from the drop down menu and save the file.

Send files to Laser

  1. Verify the Laser Cutter is ready by following the setup procedure (see above).
  2. Open the file in Adobe Reader. Go to File -> Print
  3. Verify the correct printer is selected ( e.g. Epilog Engraver * )
  4. Verify that "Page Sizing & Handling" options are set to "Actual size" and "Portrait" (If this is not set the scale of your objects will not come out correctly).
  5. Adjust cut and engrave settings by selecting the "Properties" button
    1. Make sure Auto Focus is not checked ( Having this set will override your manual focus steps ).
    2. Change the "Piece Size" values to Horizontal 24 and Vertical 12
    3. Under "Job Type"
      1. If your job involves both engraving and cutting, select "Combined"
      2. If your job only involves cutting, select "Vector"
      3. If your job only involves engraving, select "Raster"
    4. Find the Speeds/Feeds chart posted near the laser. Enter the Raster and Vector settings by either sliding the handles or typing in the values to the right.
    5. Click "OK" to leave the laser settings menus
    6. Click "Print" to send the file and all your selected settings to the laser
  6. Begin Cutting/Engraving on Epilog Laser
    1. Verify the LCD on the printer should say "Job: example1".
    2. Press the green "Go" button on the touch pad to begin the job.
    3. DO NOT LEAVE THE LASER UNATTENDED WHEN IT IS RUNNING!

Laser Clean Up and Shutdown

    1. Remove the remaining scrap material and parts from the laser bed.
    2. Place any large usable pieces of material in the scrap bin.
    3. Place any small unusable pieces of material in the nearby trash can.
    4. Turn off the laser and Power strip ( compressor and exhaust ).
    5. If there is a lot of material that has fallen below the honeycomb bed, clean it and any excess dust with the shop vacuum.
    6. Verify you have saved your files and close any open programs. Delete any files you from the workstation you want kept private ( The computer is accessible to all members ).
    7. Put the computer to sleep or turn off the monitor.

Tips

  • Faster cut speeds equals less fire hazards and slower ( lower percentage ) cut speeds equals more of a fire hazard. This is because the heat generated by the laser is on the material for a longer duration.
  • Plywoods ( containing glues ), cardboard and paper products are flammable and susceptible to flare ups. Test your settings on spare material first.
  • If there are lots of small engraved or cut details on your project, it is best to remove the paper/plastic masking before proceeding.
  • Press the "Pointer" button to see a red dot where the laser will start.
  • If the laser does not start to engrave or cut, but the head is moving, check that the top lid and front maintenance doors are completely closed. There is a sensor that disables the laser if these are open for safety.
  • Verify the honeycomb bed is flat, or material could shift when cutting.
  • Tape down any irregularly shaped objects and focus the laser to the highest point so that the head does not bump into any material.
  • Adding masking material to plywood keeps the wood clean of excess residue and keeps engravings looking clear. Be sure to increase power on the engraving so that it is completely removed.
  • Setting the power output to high when cutting wood can result in flash back that burns spots on the back of the material.

Misc. Information

As per internal lab policy, please Do not connect the Laser Lab computer to the Internet.

The laser is currently connected to the computer via an ethernet cable.

Appointment Policy

Troubleshooting

  1. If you experience an error, follow these steps to aid debugging:
    1. Save the problematic PDF file on the desktop with the name format PrintError<yyyymmdd>-filename.pdf
      1. Ex: PrintError20160125-funscape.pdf
    2. Save the problematic source file if there is one, i.e., SVG, AIS, etc. with the name format PrintError<yyyy/mm/dd>-filename.pdf
    3. Take a clear picture of the failed cut/engrave issue, and note down any concerning behavior.
    4. Post in the #help-desk forum of Slack, tagging Terry Grossman, and Graham Wideman. Include the files if you can, or indicate that they are saved on the laser-cutter machine


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