Activities
K40 Laser Cutter
[ ] | |
| Equipment | Laser Cutter |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | - |
| Model | K40 |
| Category | Red |
| Description | Laser cutter / engraver |
| Risk Assessment | Link? |
The space has a single K40 laser cutter that is available for members to use. The cutter can be used to cut thin materials or to mark / engrave the material surface.
In operation, the laser cutter will generate smoke and fumes and can ignite materials if used improperly. It is also possible to damage the machine by running the laser tube at high power for prolonged periods. This means that an induction course is mandatory before using the cutter.
Photos
Suggested Uses
- Cutting acrylic to make enclosures and models
- Engraving into wood / plastic
- Cutting out patterns and shapes in felt/leather/cloth
- Etching rubber stamps
- Cutting out stencils from plastic/card
- Cutting pop-up xmas cards
- Check our Upcoming Events list for workshops
Cutting Limitations
- The Bed size is roughly A4 (315mmx215mm)
- This machine will not cut or mark metals directly
- Will cut and engrave plastics, wood, paper, cloth, rubber, etc
- NEVER use PVC - it produces poisonous gasses
Please read our guide on Preparing Artwork for Cutting
Operating Procedure Reminders
- Place vent tube out of window
- Ensure cooling bucket has sufficient water to cover the pump
- Turn vent fan and cooling pump on
- Check that water is flowing
- Set appropriate power level
- Close all machine access doors before attempting to use
- Red interlock light will only illuminate when all panels are closed, the laser is enabled,
and the cooling flow is running - You MUST NOT leave it running unattended
- Watch for fires, stop the system and extinguish them immediately
- After use allow sufficient time for any smoke and fumes to be extracted before opening the panel
Suggested Settings
NB: If doing multiple passes, do not launch Engrave dialog before previous one has finished, as it will not reset position, and you will need to manually hit the 'reset' position button.
Maximum Feedrate is 500mm/s for engraving, and 50mm/s for cutting, above those speeds it may skip or jump position and ruin your work
Absolute minimum power appears to be between 1.5 and 1.75
Absolute Maximum power should be 18mA on the meter, this is around 7-8 on the dial. do not exceed this value as it drastically shortens the lifespan of the laser tube.
| Material | Cut Type | Power level | Feedrate | Passes | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acrylic - 1mm | Vector Cut | 6 | 10mm/s | 1 | Cut 1 |
| Acrylic - 1mm | Raster Engrave | 3 | 400mm/s | 1 | Engrave |
| Acrylic - 3mm | Vector Cut | 8 | 8mm/s | 1 | Cut |
| Acrylic - 3mm | Raster Engrave | 3 | 300mm/s | 1 | Engrave |
| Acrylic - 5mm | Vector Cut | 9 | 10mm/s | 2 | Cut |
| Acrylic - 5mm | Vector Engrave | 8 | 40mm/s | 1 | Engrave |
| Rubber - 2.3mm | Vector Cut | 5 | 8mm/s | 2 | Cut |
| Rubber - 2.3mm | Vector Engrave | 5 | 300mm/s | 5 | Engrave |
| Mylar Sheet | Vector Cut | 2.5 | 40mm/s | 1 | Cut |
| Slate 2 | Raster Engrave | 8 | 300mm/s | 1 | Engrave |
2 WARNING, for small engraves only (50x50mm area max), the laser tube isn't strong enough to run at high power for sustained periods of time
Useful links
- Laser Materials Guide - What cuts well, and what should not be cut.
- Inkscape vector design
- Box Maker plugin for Inkscape
- SVG Nest - online layout optimiser
- Plastic Online Ltd - Acrylic sheet sales. Ebay Website
- How to Adjust for Wood Thickness and Kerf on a Laser Cutter
Aligning the K40 laser
- Patterns Collection - Make rigid materials bendable
- LaserDrw tutorial
- Flat Fab - Make 3D objects from flat slot together pieces
Archive of the purchase and commissioning phase
Consumable Parts
- 40W CO2 laser tube, 700mm length
- 3x 20mm mirrors
- 12mm diameter, 50.8mm focal length lens
- replacement flow sensor with G1/4 thread