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Laser Cutting
Laser Cutting
What Is It?
Laser cutting is a manufacturing process that uses a high-powered laser beam to cut, engrave, or etch materials into specific shapes or designs. This process is controlled by a computer and is often used on materials like wood, metal, plastic, and fabric. The laser precisely follows a digital design, allowing for intricate and accurate cuts and engravings.
WHAT CAN A LASER CUTTER DO?
Cut
The laser cutter directs the beam of a laser to burn through the material in whatever pattern you design
Etch
The laser cutter can decrease the laser power to burn the surface of the material, but not cut through
Laser Cut
Laser Etched
MATERIALS
Cardboard 3/16”
Ensure it is laying flat
Cardstock Paper 60lb or thicker
Be careful to watch while cutting
Plywood & Hardwood 1/8" or thinner
Baltic Birch plywood is best
Acrylic 1/8" or thinner
Don’t cut any other types of plastics
Leather 1/8" or thinner
Ensure it is laying flat
Glass and Metal Etching only
Cannot cut through
Laser Cutting
Student Work
The "Klutz" Robot
Lottery Pig
Rivalship
NuVu Tool(box)
3D Printing
Laser Cutting
Can create more complex parts
Low cost & less waste
Huge support community
Generally slower than laser cutting
Post processing may be required
More experience needed to 3D model parts
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Extremely fast & precise
Can quickly etch details
Material range
Requires active ventilation
Higher cost
Less community support
VS
Step By Step : Laser Cutting
- Finish your 2d Drawing in RHINO.
- Make sure that all your lines are closed.
- Check for duplicated lines and erase them.
- Separate the lines you want to cut than those you want them to be burned only.
- Make sure all the areas to be scanned are closed polylines.
- Delete all unnecessary lines and shapes.
- Save the file as AI or DXF format.
- Make sure that the printing scale has the same unit as the file's one.
- Open the laser cutter's application (RDWorks V8) and start adjusting the cutting parameters.
- Import the design you want to cut by clicking on "Import" in the top toolbar.
- Once the design is imported, you can resize it to fit your material by clicking on the lock icon and change the scale percentage.
- All the elements are imported to the same layer by default (Black), you have to separate the elements manually to new layers to give them different cutting parameters.
- Create different layers according to the type of cutting mode you need. then adjust each layers parameters separately. Layers are distinguished by colors not names.
- You can create a new layer by clicking on a chosen line from the other layer and change it's color. Select all the elements that will have the same properties and give them the same color. you will see a new layer holding that color in the layers tab. Start to adjust each layer's parameters
Adjust the cutting parameters such as speed, power, and frequency by clicking on "Parameters" in the top toolbar.
The main cutting modes are:
Cut mode: is used when you want to cut through the material completely. In cut mode, the laser beam is focused on the material and moves along the cutting path at a speed and power level that you have specified. The laser beam melts the material along the cutting path, creating a cut all the way through the material.
Scan mode: is used when you want to mark or engrave the surface of the material without cutting all the way through. In scan mode, the laser beam moves across the surface of the material at a high speed and a lower power level than in cut mode. The laser beam heats the material enough to change its color or texture, but not enough to cut all the way through.
Cutting parameters change according to the properties of the material you cut.
We usually use the following for the 3mm wood sheets:
|
Action |
Cutting Mode |
Min Power |
Max Power |
Speed |
Result |
|
To cut out the lines from the wood board: |
Cut |
70 |
72 |
30 |
|
|
To draw a line on the surface: |
Cut |
25-35 |
27-37 |
100-150 |
|
|
to burn the entire region created by the polyline : |
Scan |
10-20 |
12-22 |
100-300 |
Changing the scan mode's parameters leads to different results as you can see in the photo.
|
Cutting Mode |
Min Power |
Max Power |
Speed |
Result |
|
Scan |
10 |
12 |
300 | |
|
Scan |
15 |
16 |
200 | |
|
Scan |
20 |
22 |
100 |
Save your project by clicking on "File" in the top toolbar and selecting "Save As". Choose a location and file name for your project.
- Make sure the laser cutter is connected to your computer, and turned on.
- Adjust the laser head to the point you want to be the origin point of your cutting using the arrows on the laser cutter's control panel.
- press the origin button to set the origin point.
- Adjust the laser head's hight to 6mm above the wooden surface, make sure the sheet is flat.
- Make a test to ensure that whole drawing fits into the wooden board you chose, by pressing (go Scale) and choose the head's speed during this process. (better to be 300).
- When you are sure everything is OK send the project to the laser cutter by clicking on "Start" to begin the cutting process.
- You can pause / stop / resume the process anytime by clicking the related button on the panel.
That's it! Follow these steps and you should be able to use RDWorks V8 software for laser cutting.
Good luck!
Laser Cut Workflow
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