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equipment:lasercutter4

REMOVED FROM BUILDING - Laser Cutter (40 watt)

Make/Model

Specs

  • Engraving Area 9.5“ x 14.5”
  • Work Area 12.5“ x 16”
  • Machine Dimensions 31.5“x20”x12“
  • Laser Type Sealed CO2 laser tube
  • Net Weight 70 lbs
  • Laser Power 40W Peak (30-35W Average)
  • Power Supply AC 110V Native (220V Option Available)
  • Gross Power Less than 1000W
  • Driving System Stepper
  • Cooling Mode Water-cooling and protection system
  • Operating Temperature 0 - 45°C
  • Z table Manual Z, 2.75” (3.25“ with 1.5” FL Lens)
  • Auxillary Equipments Exhaust-fans, Air-exhaust pipe
  • Controlling Software RetinaEngrave USB Direct Print Drivers (100% USA Software)
  • Also includes:
    • air assist connection to blow away smoke at the laser head while laser is cutting
    • dual solid precision Y axis rails with ball bearings for increased stiffness and accuracy
    • visible red aiming laser diode (beam combiner option available)
    • up to 1000 dpi resolution and 0.001“ repeatability
    • includes 2” lens for cutting and engraving (other options available)

Current Status

  • Removed

Location

  • Previously Laser Cutter Room
  • No longer in building
  • Pete's House

On loan from

  • JasonG

Approved Trainers

  • JasonG
  • KevinB
  • Pete

Approved Users

  • KevinB
  • BrantH
  • Gavin
  • Tiffany
  • Hiram
  • Pete

History

  • 2013/07/27 - Arrived at Makerspace
  • 2014/12/21 - Removed from building by Jason
  • 2018/01/01 - Arrived at Pete's House

Manual

Operating Instructions

  • Turn on the power strip underneath the laser cutter stand (not the one the computer is plugged into). This will power on the water circulation, the air assist for the cutter and the cutter itself.
  • Open the ventilation blast gate for the exhaust.
  • Turn the ventilation system on low. Do not turn this on if no blast gates are open. Low is sufficient for a single cutter running.
  • Turn on the IBM computing machine.
  • Adobe Illustrator and the Full Spectrum software will start automatically.
  • Inside illustrator, just hit print and send your stuff to the laser. TODO(JasonG): Fill in more details here. blah blah blah.
  • Once you send a print, it will bring up the Full Spectrum Software
  • Inside the Full Spectrum software you can do a few handy things in the software:
    • Use the arrow keys to jog the laser head/focus beam. Where the red focus beam hits will be home (0, 0)
    • Hit the J key to have the laser head move around the job perimeter to aide in positioning your material.
    • Both of these are super handy for positioning your pieces on the cutting surface.
  • Inside the Full Spectrum software you can do several things with your vector lines:
    • Change the color of a line segment! Click on a line and then select a new color.
    • On the right hand side, choose the speed, power and # of passes settings for each color.
    • Colors may be ordered as well.
    • To simply not print a color, set it to passes = 0.
  • The software will auto-generate a material test cut. In this mode, it will generate a 2“x3” grid of various speed and power settings.
    • To start this, select the “Hobby 9.5 x 14” menu item and then choose “Material and Focus Tests”. The screen that pops up will guide you through creating a grid and printing it. It takes about 4 minutes to do the print.

To shut things down:

  • power down the International Business Machine.
  • turn the power switch off on the power strip under the laser table (not the one the computer is connected to).
  • turn the ventilation system.

Notes

Please read about the ventilation system.

Laser cutters are expensive and dangerous. Do not leave it unattended. Things can and will start on fire. You don't want that on your head now, do you? I mean, come on.

You can etch/cut various materials. Cut: paper, acrylic, plastic. Etch: wood, acrylic, plastic, etc. (For more in-depth info, see the manual.)

Some great info from Lady Ada: http://www.ladyada.net/library/laser/

April 12, 2014 Training Signup

JasonG will run a training on the laser from noon - 3pm on Saturday, April 12, 2014.
If you want to attend, sign up here.

  • BrantH
  • your name here

barcodeDon't have barcode reader? Click here.

equipment/lasercutter4.txt · Last modified: 2019/12/04 19:08 by raster