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Before you begin get to now your printer. Read and follow all instruction presented to you. Please Review following Safety Standards recommend for Laser Engraving/Cutting Machine.
LASER SAFETY
NEVER operate laser machinery unless you have been properly trained.
ALWAYS use protective eyewear (preferably wraparound goggles); Or keep the lid closed.
ALWAYS be sure to keep the exhaust fan running while the machine is in use.
NEVER set anything on top of the laser and/or on the worktable while not in use.
NEVER leave the laser unattended while it is running. This will ensure that you are able to see or hear any abnormalities / potential hazards.
ALWAYS maintain the machine’s environment free of heavy pollution, such as strong magnetic electrical interference.
NEVER use unapproved or unsafe materials, such as Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) or any materials that emit noxious gases. These gases can cause harm to your central nervous system.
NEVER operate the laser near flammable or explosive substances. The UV light beam that is emitted is not visible and poses a fire hazard.
NEVER lift the lid of the machine while it is running.
NEVER engrave or try to cut reflective material, the laser beam can reflect and deviate (bounce around) which can cause blindness or serious injury, requiring medical attention.
NEVER push or pull the laser head and its gantry while the laser is running.
NEVER dismantle the laser machine, this can disrupt the laser and its high voltage/pressure parts. This can cause harm or injury.
ALWAYS clean out the collection tray(s) to prevent accidental hazards.
Iowa Core
Technology Literacy
21.9-12.TL.6 - Essential Concept and/or Skill: Demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations.
Students adapt to evolving technology systems and apply them for everyday use. They also interpret the underlying structure of the system so it can be used for multiple purposes and applied to unique situations.
CTE Industrial Technology
3. Students apply safety practices in the lab and on worksites.
3.1 Demonstrate safe practices and procedures with tools and equipment.
3.2 Demonstrate appropriate use of personal protective equipment
3.3 Document safety concerns according to local policies and procedures
3.4 Analyze hazardous materials procedures and OSHA.
CTE Engineering and Design
2. Students understand the effective use of engineering design equipment.
2.2 Apply conventional engineering design processes and procedures accurately, appropriately, and safely.
A laser cutter is a prototyping and manufacturing tool used primarily by engineers, designers, and artists to cut and etch into flat material. Laser cutters use a thin, focused laser beam to pierce and cut through materials to cut out patterns and geometries specified by designers. Apart from cutting, laser cutters can also raster or etch designs onto work pieces by heating up the surface of the workpiece, thus burning off the top layer of the material to change its appearance where the raster operation was performed.
Scroll down for more information about how to use your Laser and RDWorks software.
HOW LASER ENGRAVERS/CUTTERS WORKS
Explore the key technologies that work together to make Laser Engraving/Cutting possible.
Laser cutting is the process of precisely cutting or engraving a material using focused high-powered laser beam, directed by CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) machine from a CAD vector file.
There are three main types of lasers used in cutting, CO2 lasers, fiber lasers and neodymium lasers. We use only CO2 lasers, so for ease of this introduction I will focus on them.
The laser beam is emitted from a laser tube when a current is passed through it, this reflects off mirrors to point the beam through a focal lens in the machine head. The lens focuses the beam onto a point on the surface of a flat sheet material, melting, vaporizing or burning the material at that point and moving along the cutting line as dictated in the vector file that the machine has been provided with. This melting and vaporization of the material, especially with plastics leaves a melted, almost polished edge, requiring little to no finishing, depending on the finished purpose.
There are three separate techniques that can be used with CO2 laser machines.
Vector cutting, the most common application, a full cut through the material following the vector line in the CAD file.
Vector Engraving or ‘Kiss Cuts’, is a method of marking or scoring the material surface. Like the laser cutting process the laser beam will follow the path of vector strokes without cutting all the way through.
Raster Engraving, an infill engrave of a sealed vector shape, where the laser works like an inkjet printer moving from side to side, turning the laser on and off very quickly and slowly moving the line up, the distance between these lines is called the scan-gap and this can be varied from 0.001mm through to several mm depending on the design and desired effect.
CO2 lasers can cut through a variety of materials, ranging from very thin paper and textiles, through to Plywood’s, MDF and up to 10mm Acrylic. Speaking for machines like ours: they cannot cut through metals, even very thin metal or hard materials like stone or glass, but they can mark and engrave into them. The laser also cannot cut or engrave into any material containing Chlorine, ie: PVC, Vinyl, fake or PU leather and some coated patent leathers, as when cut or engraved, the vaporized material releases deadly Chlorine gas, which turns to hydrochloric acid when mixed with water vapor in the air, causing great damage to the machinery (and our lungs!).
HOW DO YOU DESIGN FOR LASER ENGRAVING/CUTTING
CAD (Computer Aided Design) or Vector files are prepared in software like Solidworks, AutoCAD, Adobe Illustrator or InkScape in formats like .ai, .dxf, .pdf and .eps. Bitmap or Raster files are prepared in software like Adobe PhotoShop, GIMP, MS Paint or PaintShop Pro in formats like .jpg, .gif, .png and .bmp.
LASER ENGRAVING/CUTTING WORKFLOW
To laser cut/engrave on our Boss 1416 Laser, you must obtain a vector or raster file, prepare it in RDWorks, and send it to your Laser.
STEP 1: CREATE A FILE
In order to laser cut/engrave, you must create a file in a Graphics or CAD software. You can use a bitmap/raster (jpeg, png, gif, bmp, ect. ) or vector (dxf, ai, pdf, eps) file for engraving, but only a vector files can be used to cut lines.
Design an object in CAD or a Vector program.
Design an object in a Graphics/Bitmap or Raster Program.
Find a file online from websites like GrabCAD or 3DContentCentral
STEP 2: PREPARE FILE
Before sending a file to your Laser, you must prepare the file. Preparing an object in our software translates your objects into a language the laser can understand.
Setup
Send your design to the lasers RDWorks, its like Makerbot Print. In RDWorks you’ll enter the laser parameters you want to use, or select a preset material setting. You can even make basic edits and preview your design in RDWorks.
STEP 3: SEND TO LASER
Laser Engrave It
Select your file at the laser, put your engraving material in the machine, shut the door, and press Enter/Start. The laser will do the rest!
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