Introduction to Laser Cutting

Vector Cutting

Brian O’Connell, Jonathan DietzDraft 11/12/14

OutlineI. What is Lasercutting?

II. Laser Safety

III. Preparing the File

IV. Starting the System

V. Setting Up Laser

VI. Preparing the file(2)

VII. Set Epilog Preferences

VIII. Printing the Job

IX. Cleanup

What is Lasercutting?

Laser cutting uses a focused invisible infra-red beam to vaporize material such as wood, paper, and plexiglas to cut through or etch material, depending on settings.The red beam you see when laser cutting is an aiming laser; the cutting beam is not visible.

How a Laser Cutter Works

How a Laser Cutter Works

● 2 stage IR laser tube

− Electricity excites He

− He excites CO2

● One fixed mirror

● Mirror at end of gantry

● 3rd Mirror on cart

● Focusing lens in nozzle

Controlling a Laser

● X-Y gantry moves the mirrors to focus energy at different points

● Energy delivered to the material is determined by the laser power ,speedand frequency

Laser Focus

● The laser beam must be focused to make accurate cuts

● Focal Length is from the top of the lens to the surface of the material

● Use the focusing stick to adjust

Cutting vs Etching

● Laser Cutting

○ Heated enough, material will vaporize leaving a void.

● Laser Etching

○ At lower energy levels material will burn, melt or vaporize less than all the way through.

● Other Lasing Operations

○ Curing, sintering, tempering...

What can be cut Wood

Paper

Plexiglas

Leather

What can’t be cut- makes chlorine gas!

• PVC• Vinyl• Heavy Metal• Any unapproved material

Raster vs Vector

● Laser etching of raster images works like a dot matrix printer varying pulses across a line

● The Zing can print in vector, raster(etch), and combined modes

File Format

• For laser cutting, file should be in SVG ( Scalable Vector Graphics) format, which defines an image as a series of points, lines, and fill, rather than the pixel format used in programs such as PhotoShop

Raster vs Vector

● Raster graphics use an array of values for representation○ Pixels in a picture

● Vector graphics describe images as a series of mathematical points, lines, and primitive shapes

SVG File Format

Vector Graphics Programs

• Adobe Illustrator ( part of Adobe Creative Suite)

• Inkscape( free, open source)

• CorelDraw

Preparing Your File

Before you come to Jumbo’s Maker Studio, prepare your SVG file using a vector drawing program such as Adobe Illustrator or InkScape

Preparing File

The plexiglas sheets available in the CEEO are 12”high x 24” wide; you may want to set this as your artboard size.

Multiple pieces can be laid out on a single artboard

Multiple-Piece Layout

Laser Safety Rules

• Never let the machine run unattended!

• If material catches on fire, open door, hit stop, spray with water

• Do not cut unapproved materials!

Starting the System

Turn on laser Power

Turn on Laser w/ rocker switch- right side of laser, bottom right

Start the System

2. Turn on Apple iMac- Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape run on Windows Virtual Machine

Insert USB thumbdrive for images ( or other method, such as email or GoogleDocs)- Images should be in Vector (SVG) format( Use Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, or CorelDraw to prepare).

Log In to Computer

Choose CEEOstud2 login option

Enter CEEO student password ___________________

Launch VMware Fusion Windows Emulator program

CLICK THE BIG ARROW

When Windows Virtual Desktop active, import image files from thumbdrive to Windows virtual desktop(copy files (command C )+ paste (Command V)

L

Launch Illustrator

Launch Adobe Illustrator (under Virtual Windows, notApple version)

Starting the System

In Illustrator,

Open –browse to file on Windows virtual desktop—open file

Setting Up Laser Home

The laser home is normally at the top left corner of the workpiece

On Laser Control panel—Pointer Laser- On

Insert work material in top left corner of bed

X-Y Off (removes brake)

Setting Up Laser

SETTING LASER HOME

Manually move pointer laser to top left corner of wood/plexiglas, hit Go

Setting Laser Focus

Hit Focus-drop doohickey—use up/down arrows until doohickey just grazes sheet

Preparing the file( if needed)

Set artboard

to size of sheet material

Items should fill artboard, and go close to top left corner

Set Stroke to 0.002”

Create Compound path(Object-Compound Path-Make)

In text( off to edge)- write your name, what the item is, actual dimensions, cut settings

6. Setting Epilog Preferences

File—Print—Epilog Engrave Win X64 Zing

Hit SetUp-

Preferences

6. Setting Epilog Preferences

In Epilog Preferences window….

Set Epilog Preferences

Set Job Type

( vector) and piece size

Set Epilog Preferences

Set laser Speed/Power/Frequency—varies with material and thickness—check with Brian—Double click on integer to change or use sliders

Hit OK

Typical Settings-Speed/Power/Freq

• ¼” acrylic 10/100/500

• 1/8” acrylic 20/100/500

• ¼” birch plywood 20/85/500

• 1/8” plywood 70/50/500

Printing the job

Hit Print

8. Printing the job

Hit Print in Illustrator

Printing the job

On laser control panel,

Job name should be in

Window– Hit Go—job should

Print( cut)

8. Printing the job

7. Printing the job

If fire starts- hit stop, open door(shuts off laser), squirt water if necessary, close door to let smoke clear.

Wait until finished, wait a minute for smoke to clear system

Remove work piece

8. Shutting Down

Close down menus—Illustrator File—close/ close VM Ware Fusion

Exit

Log Out, Clean Up

Shut Down Laser-Hurray!