Laser Cutter

About

After some discussion about getting a laser cutter for the Makerspace, a laser cutter has been purchased.

WE HAVE A LASER!

The laser cutter arrived Friday, January 11, 2019.

The laser cutter is being commissioned - installation, testing, and calibration should be complete by the end of January.

The machine we have is:

• Make: HL-Yeah
• Model: HL-ZXP 1060 100W (1000 mm x 600 mm working area) [1]
  • Manual: Download
  • https://youtu.be/z0I_VBttqEI
  • https://youtu.be/xphDmXKrCgg
• Reci W2 (90W-100W) CO2 laser tube
  • "The running current must be kept below 27mA. The life span can reach 8,000 hours if the current is kept below 25mA."
  • HY-100W laser tube power supply [2][3]
    • 220VAC +/- 10% input, 40kVDC output (32mA max)
• D&N CW5000 chiller
  • 120VAC, 6.5A, 750W capacity
  • File:Laser chiller manual.pdf
  • File:Laser chiller maint manual.pdf
• Ruida controller ("RDC6442S-B(EC)")
  • HL-1060 RDworks software download: https://hl-yeah.com/2017/07/03/hanlaser-hl-1060-100w130w-ruida-dsp-rdc6442gs-download/
    • RDWorks v8.01.34 - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XO0SGilnPcl8vkkqzH0fyHGE9xMHtgIv
  • Hardware Manual: http://en.rd-acs.com/Private/Files/a4d9f12fe9e32eb7.pdf
  • RD Works v8 Software Manual: http://www.thunderlaser.com/download/down/RDWorksV8_Software_and_the_plug_in_software_SetUp_Manual.pdf
  • RDWorksLab operator's manual for RDWorks (Good English documentation for RDWorks software): https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-sU_TFE8RdZfG81w6d70Xi1PCEsz9MSt
• Lifting platform (200 mm) honeycomb work table
• Rotary axis
• Auto focus
• 17HW4410H Stepper motors

Also required:

• Ventilation
  • VIVOSUN 6 Inch 440 CFM Inline Duct Ventilation Fan with Variable Speed Controller, 2450RPM, 120VAC, 1.1A
• Fire suppression
• Safety glasses
  • 1 pair received with laser cutter (dark lenses), 2 pair of laser safety glasses from eBay sellers.
• Laser power meter - received 0-200W laser power meter "POWERGAUGE V1" from eBay seller ukemm_qewpbhg
  • File:POWERGAUGE-V1-instuctions-version2.pdf
• Cart / Stand (4'W x 3'D x 2'H) (built by Ken K)
• 0-30ma DC Analog Ammeter
• Spares / Consumables
  • Mirrors (3), diameter?
  • Focus Lens (1), diameter? focal length?
  • Cleaning swabs
  • Isopropyl Alcohol
  • DI water for chiller

Payments

https://makerspacenanaimo.org/laser/

• WORKSHOP FEE – $50 (One-time payment)
• MONTHLY USAGE FEE – $10/mo (Subscription per calendar month)

Materials

Laser Cutter Materials

Design Resources

• Inkscape - Vector graphics editor
• Vectric VCarve Pro - Vector editing, import/export SVG/AI/EPS/DXF/DWG, nesting
• Boxes.py - Create boxes and more with a laser cutter! Boxes.py is an Open Source box generator written in Python. It features both finished parametrized generators as well as a Python API for writing your own. It features finger and (flat) dovetail joints, flex cuts, holes and slots for screws, hinges, gears, pulleys and much more.
• Jigsaw Puzzle Generator
• http://cartonus.com/category/free/

Photos

• 

  Laser cutter, uncrated but still on the pallet.

• 

  Back of the laser cutter.

• 

  Laser cutter exhaust fan (6")

• 

  Laser cutter and accessories.

• 

  Accessories received with laser cutter.

• 

  Water chiller and rotary axis for laser cutter.

• 

  Reci 90W CO2 laser tube in laser cutter.

• 

  Label of Reci 90W CO2 laser tube.

• 

  Back panel on laser cutter.

• 

  Top label and Ruida front control panel of laser cutter.

Samples

• 

  Laser cutter compatible materials chart

• 

  Laser cutter samples

• 

  Laser cutter samples

• 

  Plywood laser cut samples

• 

  Acrylic laser cut samples

Rubber stamp made with 80W laser

This stamp was made on an 80W laser cutter at at Schaffenburg e.V. (Germany). The Makerspace Nanaimo logo was taken from the front page of the https://makerspacenanaimo.org website and prepared for the laser cutter in a few minutes.

Youtube video - 80W laser engraving rubber Makerspace Nanaimo stamp

Maintenance

https://k40laser.se/faq-how-to/

https://k40laser.se/lens-mirrors/mirror-alignment-the-ultimate-guide/

http://www.thunderlaser.com/troubleshooting/maintenance/maintain.html

Thingiverse - Material Test Card for Laser Cutting and Engraving (SVG)

Learning Resources

https://hackaday.com/2016/05/31/how-to-fail-at-laser-cutting/

Youtube - Sarbar Multimedia / RDWorks Learning Lab

Youtube - Thinklaser

CNC Zone - Laser Cutter subforum

https://rdworkslab.com/

Reddit - Lasercutting

http://www.thunderlaser.com/laser-download

http://www.thunderlaser.com/video/how-to-use-your-laser-machine.html