Laser Cutters

Safety

While the laser cutter is a pretty safe machine, the material removal process can produce hazards if not run properly.

DO NOT leave the laser running unattended, you must be watching it in case a fire starts.
Make sure that the fume extractor is ALWAYS on when using the machine to avoid fires and toxic fumes.
1. - If the machine is filling up with smoke while you are using it, you probably forgot to turn on the fume extractor. If so, pause your cut and turn on the fume extractor to evacuate the smoke without opening the door. Once the smoke is gone, you can resume your cut. Notify a staff member afterwards, because smoke can fog up the lens.
If a fire occurs, opening the door is the quickest way to stop the laser. If the fire doesn't go out when the door opens, then use the spray bottles with water on the material. You can also move the material to the floor and stamp the fire out. Let a staff member know and do not restart the cut.
1. - Some materials cause more flames than others. If the flame appears to be following the laser, then you probably do not need to stop the cut. When the flame is spreading from the path of the laser is when you should stop the cut to put it out. Notify a staff member when this happens.
  - Fires can be caused by double lines in the file or by setting the incorrect thickness or material amongst other reasons.

Rules

DO NOT leave the laser running unattended. Someone must be sitting next to the machine during the entirety of the job.

If you want to bring in a new material to cut with, you must get staff approval first.
If you want to change between the table and rotary axis, in the small laser, please ask a staff member to change it for you.

How do I get access?

To use the laser cutters you must pass the manufacturing lab safety quiz as well as the laser cutter canvas quiz. The quiz references this page, the First Cut Tutorial, and the Picking a Laser page. Once you pass the canvas quiz with 100%, you must demonstrate to a staff member that you know how to use the equipment on your first job.

Material Costs

We have some laser cutting material available for purchase at the DCI Lab:
- - Plywood 18x32x1/8" $5.00/sheet
  - Plywood 18x28x1/8" $4.50/sheet
  - Plywood 12x24x1/8" $2.50/sheet
  - Plywood 18x32x1/4" $8.00/sheet
  - Plywood 18x28x1/4" $7.50/sheet
  - Plywood 12x24x1/4" $4.50/sheet
  - Plywood 18x32x1/2" $13.00/sheet
  - Plywood 18x28x1/2" $11.00/sheet
  - Acrylic 12x12x1/8" $6.00/sheet
  - Acrylic 12x24x1/8" $15.00/sheet
There is also a lot of scrap that can be used for free
You may bring in your own material that you buy from other places but if it is significantly thicker or different than those that we sell you must verify with staff that it is laser safe
For reference, our laser cut area is 18"x32"

Always refer to the Material Store page for the most updated pricing.

Booking Time on This Machine

Because our laser cutters can be very impacted, you can reserve time in advance to make sure it is available when you come into the space. There are several rules around booking time on the machine:

The maximum length for a single booking is 2 hours
- If no one is waiting at the end of your booking you are welcome to continue using the machine
The total amount of time you book per week cannot exceed 4 hours
- You are welcome to use the machine for more hours if it is free and not booked
If you do not start using the machine within the first 15 minutes of your reservation you forfeit your reservation
- Please make sure your file and / or material are prepared before the start of your reservation because that will not count as time on the machine

To reserve time on the machine, create a new event on the outlook calendar associated with your Chapman email and for the location search and select Keck N102 Left Laser Cutter, Keck N102 Right Laser Cutter, or Keck N102 Small Laser Cutter. You can see the differences between the three laser cutters on the Picking a Laser page.

How does it work?

This machine directs a focused laser beam which either melts, burns, or vaporizes away material to cut sections of the material or engrave a path or image onto the top surface of the material. Computer Numerical Control or CNC technology is used to automate the axes to follow 2D paths to cut or engrave the material.

Here are some parts we have either cut or engraved in the DCI Lab.

Types of Material

Wood

Engineered Wood

MDF
Plywood

Hard Woods*

Walnut
Oak
Maple
Cherry
Bamboo

Medium Woods

Birch
Alder

Soft Woods

Pine
Balsa
Cork board
Bass wood

*Hard woods will require thinner wood in order to cut through*

Acrylic

Clear

Fluorescent

Transparent

Frosted Acrylic

Colored Acrylic

Mirrored Acrylic

Acrylic Rod*

*For rotary attachment*

Textiles

Cotton

Fleece

Linen

Lace

Felt

Cloth

Denim

Polyester

Leather*

*Only real Leather*

Paper

Art Paper

Fine Paper

Two-ply paper

Handmade Paper

Paper (up to 150 g/m²)

Cardboard

Gray Cardboard

Corrugated cardboard

Misc

Polyurethane Foam

Polyethylene Foam

Neoprene Rubber

Silicone Rubber

Engravable Only

Glass*

Slate*

Granite*

Ceramic

Marble

Porcelain

Natural Stone*

Anodized Aluminum*

Painted/ Coated Metal*

*Stone / glass materials: If the surface is uneven it will be harder to achieve a quality engraving.*

*Aluminum/ other metals must be painted or coated first in order to be engraved*

Do Not use

PVC

PVB

Fiberglass

PTFE (Teflon)

Carbon fibers

Polycarbonate

Epoxy or phenolic resins

Artificial Leather containing Chromium

Materials containing Halogens (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine)

*Unsure if you're materials contains something on this list check with the Makerspace staff and we can help!*

Thickness for materials

Click the above link to find max allowable thickness for each material and reference Picking a Laser Page to know wattage for each laser cutter.

*Before purchasing material that is not offered, check with Makerspace staff to ensure it can be safely cut*

Do you need to buy your own materials?

No, we have scrap materials on hand. However if we don't have what you want for your project below are a list of approved vendors you can go to!

We also have pre cut plywood sheets available to buy if needed

For Acrylic: EstreetPlastics or TapPlastics

For wood: Austin Hardwoods - *Call ahead to see if they have the specific size and wood you are looking for*

Textiles - Any place you can get fabric based on material type.

Paper - Any art or craft store

More Resources

Learn the basics of using the laser cutter and file preparation!

Picking a Laser

Learn the differences between the 3 lasers in the lab and when to use each one.

Laser cut your custom Spotify QR code keychain to share your favorite song.

Learn to laser cut leather and press in snaps to make a cool bracelet!

Learn to engrave cylindrical objects like water bottles, glasses, and more with the rotary axis.

Laser cut your custom box using a box generator.

Make a thoughtful gift using laser cutting and sticker printing!

Learn leather finishing and sewing techniques with this leather card holder tutorial!

Learn to engrave your own custom business cards!

Learn how to laser-cut a custom cover for a notepad!

Learn how to design a custom stamp!

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