Laser cutters use a high-powered laser to cut and engrave wood, acrylic, metal, paper, fabric, and other materials with extreme precision.
Laser Cutter: What you need to know
- Only Makerspace Staff or those who have completed Laser Safety Training are allowed to operate the laser cutter.
- The laser cutter must be monitored across the entire duration of the job. This means that if your cut is going to take an hour, you are required to sit next to the laser cutter for an hour!!
- Review the Laser Cutter Safety Checklists prior to using the laser cutter
- The laser cutter cannot be reserved, and operates on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Materials for the Laser Cutter
Not everything can safely be cut with laser cutters, and putting outside material in the machine must be approved by staff. When purchasing material for your laser project, please make sure to use the following laser safe vendors (Do not use amazon):
Approved Materials
- Woods and medium density fiberboard (MDF)
- Cardboard and matboard
- Acrylic (Cast Only)
- Leather (Vegetable Tanned Only)
- Paper (Non-Dyed)
- Engraving only: aluminum, glass, materials greater than 0.375" (8mm) thick
Forbidden Materials
Some materials produce harmful or even toxic fumes when cut by the laser. These materials are never to be used in the laser cutter:
- Polyvinylchloride (PVC)
- Polycarbonate (this is often confused for acrylic so be careful!)
- ABS plastic
- Fiberglass
- Flammable materials
- Pressurized containers
Designing for the Laser Cutter
To create designs for our VLS 4.60 laser cutter, you will need a vector-based software such as:
- Adobe Illustrator (available in the Maker Hub and in the Gelardin Center)
- Inkscape (a free alternative to Adobe Illustrator). If designing in Inkscape, make sure to save your file as an SVG when you bring it to the Maker Hub
In the Maker Hub we primarily use Adobe Illustrator to create designs. Follow this link for tips on Designing in Adobe Illustrator for the laser cutter.
Obviously there are many intricacies with using Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape. If you want help using these softwares, come speak with Maker Hub staff. You can also check out our Workshops and Events page for Intro to Adobe Illustrator workshops, or request one-on-one support through a consultation.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning also provides a series called Laser Cutting: Design for Fabrication which can be used to learn the ins and outs of laser cutting.