WHAT CAN YOU MAKE?

WHAT CAN A LASER CUTTER DO?

Cut

The laser cutter directs the beam of a laser to burn through the material in whatever pattern you design

Etch

The laser cutter can decrease the laser power to burn the surface of the material, but not cut through

Laser Cut

Laser Etched

MATERIALS

Cardboard  3/16” 

Ensure it is laying flat

Cardstock Paper  60lb or thicker 

Be careful to watch while cutting

Plywood & Hardwood  1/8" or thinner  

Baltic Birch plywood is best

Acrylic  1/8" or thinner  

Don’t cut any other types of plastics

Leather  1/8" or thinner  

Ensure it is laying flat

Glass and Metal  Etching only

Cannot cut through

THE PARTS OF A LASER CUTTER

Cutting Bed Limits the size of materials to 10" x 19" and 1/4" thick

Air Filter Must be turned on before any cut by turning the knob all the way

Lid Needs to be closed the entire time during a cut

Camera Captures the objects on the cut bed before a cut. Can be used to trace artwork to cut.

Laser Tube Creates the laser that will then bounce off of mirrors to cut your material

Power Switch Is in the back

Cut Button Starts your cut once you have sent your file from your computer 

• Finish your 2d Drawing in RHINO.
• Make sure that all your lines are closed.
• Check for duplicated lines and erase them.
• Separate the lines you want to cut than those you want them to be burned only.
• Make sure all the areas to be scanned are closed polylines.

Checks to follow:

• Delete all unnecessary lines and shapes.
• Save the file as AI or DXF format.
• Make sure that the printing scale has the same unit as the file's one.

1. Units: Must be MM
2. Export and select the file type: AutoCad Drawing Exchange (.dxf) in "file type" dropdown
3. Choose 2007 polylines in settings

Remember these considerations when exporting:

Open the laser cutter's application (RDWorks V8, it might be different in your school!) and start adjusting the cutting parameters.

Import the design you want to cut by clicking on "Import" in the top toolbar.

Once the design is imported, you can resize it to fit your material by clicking on the lock icon and change the scale percentage.

• All the elements are imported to the same layer by default (Black), you have to separate the elements manually to new layers to give them different cutting parameters.
• Create different layers according to the type of cutting mode you need. then adjust each layers parameters separately. Layers are distinguished by colors not names.

• You can create a new layer by clicking on a chosen line from the other layer and change it's color. Select all the elements that will have the same properties and give them the same color. you will see a new layer holding that color in the layers tab. Start to adjust each layer's parameters

Adjust the cutting parameters such as speed, power, and frequency by clicking on "Parameters" in the top toolbar.

The main cutting modes are:

Cut mode: is used when you want to cut through the material completely. In cut mode, the laser beam is focused on the material and moves along the cutting path at a speed and power level that you have specified. The laser beam melts the material along the cutting path, creating a cut all the way through the material.

Scan mode: is used when you want to mark or engrave the surface of the material without cutting all the way through. In scan mode, the laser beam moves across the surface of the material at a high speed and a lower power level than in cut mode. The laser beam heats the material enough to change its color or texture, but not enough to cut all the way through.

Cutting parameters change according to the properties of the material you cut.

We usually use the following for the 3mm wood sheets:

Changing the scan mode's parameters leads to different results as you can see in the photo.

Save your project by clicking on "File" in the top toolbar and selecting "Save As". Choose a location and file name for your project.

• Make sure the laser cutter is connected to your computer, and turned on.
• Adjust the laser head to the point you want to be the origin point of your cutting using the arrows on the laser cutter's control panel.
• press the origin button to set the origin point.
• Adjust the laser head's hight to 6mm above the wooden surface, make sure the sheet is flat.

• Make a test to ensure that whole drawing fits into the wooden board you chose, by pressing (go Scale) and choose the head's speed during this process. (better to be 300).
• When you are sure everything is OK send the project to the laser cutter by clicking on "Start" to begin the cutting process.
• You can pause / stop / resume the process anytime by clicking the related button on the panel.

That's it! Follow these steps and you should be able to use RDWorks V8 software for laser cutting.

 Good luck!

ENJOY LASER CUTTING!