LASER CUTTING TUTORIAL

SMALL LASER CUTTER 40cents/min

MAX MATERIAL SIZE: 24(609.6mm) x 18(457.2mm)
LARGE LASER CUTTER 70 cents/min
MAX MATERIAL SIZE: 48(1219.2mm) x 48(1219.2mm)


What is a laser cutter
A laser cutting is a tool that reveals a CAD drawing by vaporizing a material, through a
focused beam of light. Lasers work by sending an energized beam of coherent light
through a series of focal lens. These lens focus the beam of light to a fraction of an inch
causing the beam to evaporate the material which may lie in its path. Our laser cutters
are able to cut through wood, plastics and composite materials of up to 3/8(12mm)
thick. We are not able to cut glass or metal.

The laser cutter processes files by cutting, etching or filling lines and solids which are
drawn in a CAD based program such as: AutoCAD, Rhino or Illustrator. The machine
cannot simulate line thickness and therefore is limited by the thickness of the beam of
light which it emits =.3mm (1/64).

File preparation
The basics of file preparation are twofold.
The first is to create the appropriate layers for which you wish the file to be cut out with.
(EX. If you are just cutting through a material, there should only be one layer and all
drawn lines should exist on this layer. If you were to cut and etch on the material there
should be two layers one for cutting and one for etching. All subsequent drawn lines
should exit on their proper layer. Any additional types of marking should be on
additional layers.)
The second is to be sure you have drawn a bounding box, which represents the
dimension of the machine you, will be using (EX. 24wide x 18high). All objects drawn
must fit within this bounding box and have a boarder between the box and the drawn
objects.

File Export/Saving
Each CAD program is unique in its own right, though one commonality shared between
them is the ability to export and import to similar file types. It is a good rule of thumb to
save or export to a 2000 or 2004 dwg. file for our laser cutters. Illustrator files can be
opened but only if they are backsaved to a CS3 format.

Tips for files
To insure that your laser cutting experience is an enjoyable one (and so you dont rip out
your hair) we ask that you practice clean drawing techniques and finish the file before
bringing it to be processed. This includes:
- Keep all information on one file (specified by different layers)
- Be sure lines are snapped at ends & intersections
- Delete overlapping lines
- Close/J oin lines
- Remove any information not to be cut.
- Be sure the file is at 1:1 scale of what is to be cut.



Tips for specific programs
RHINO
- Line weights should be set to default.
- Delete any overlapping lines (command =Make2d)
- Be sure bottom left corner of bounding box and objects are set to 0,0,0 origins.
- Remove or explode any blocks.
- SaveAs or Export selected to:
AutoCad drawing file 2000 (*.dwg) Or Rhino 4 3D models (*.3dm)

ILLUSTRATOR
- Be sure that all cut styles are on their proper layer
- Remove any fills on objects. (unless needed for processing)
- Use Expand command on live traced images
- Use Create Outlines command on all text, so that font styles transfer over.
- Save as:
Adobe Illustrator (*.AI)
Version Illustrator CS3

AUTOCAD
- Line weights should be set to default.
- Delete any overlapping lines (command =OVERKILL)
- Be sure bottom left corner of bounding box and objects are set to 0,0,0 origins.
- Remove or explode any blocks.
- SaveAs or Export to:
AutoCAD 2000/LT2000 Drawing(*.dwg)

VECTORWORKS
- Covert all polygons to polylines or lines
- Export file as:
DXF/DWG
Format - DWG
Version - 2000/2000i/2002
Export as DXF layers =layers