LaserCutter

From

Contents
1Usage
1.1Steps
1.1.1Turnonthelaser
1.1.2Putinthematerial
1.1.3Checksettings
1.1.4Burn
2Software
2.1LaserDRW
2.2CorelDraw
2.3Inkscape
2.4Specifications
2.4.1Controllerboard
2.4.2IncludedSoftware
3ExternalLinks
3.1Boxmakers
4UsageSettings
5Futureimprovements
6Maintenance
6.1Issues
6.2WaterCooling
6.3AirFilter
6.4Replacementparts

Usage

Don'tusethefollowingmaterials:
MDF,
PVCplasticofothermaterialcontainingchlorine,
Teflonorothermaterialscontainingfluorine,
Rubber,
NotrecommendedPolycarbonate(alsoknownasLexan,itproducesauglyedgeandsmokeslike
crazy).
Ifyouarenotsureyoucanusethisdiagramtoidentifythematerial
ALWAYSkeepaneyeonyourjobwhenthelaserisworking.Don'tleaveitunattended.
Aftereachusecleanthelaser(lensandmirror)withacottonswabandaceton,donotexertpressureon
thelenswhilecleaning.

Steps
Turnonthelaser
Switchonthewall&emergencybuttononthelaser.

Putinthematerial
Thetablehavetobeontherightheight,ontherightthereisaredline,thetopofthematerialshouldnot
aligntothisredline.

Checksettings
Findtherightsettingsofthematerialyouwanttouse.
CHECKtablewithsettings(powerandspeed)
LaserDraw
Material

Speed Power Numberoftimes

Poplarsplywood(populierentriplex)3.5mm ??

??

??

Birchplywood6mm

5mm/s 80%

1x

Acrylic,black2mm

??

??

??

Acrylic,transparent2mm

??

??

??

Acrylic,transparent3mm

??

??

??

Acrylic,transparent4mm

??

??

??

CorelDraw(thelowerthemm/s,thefaster)
Material
Poplarsplywood(populierentriplex)3.5mm

Burn

Speed Power Numberoftimes

5mm/s 90%

2x

Software
LaserDRW
Thisprogramismainlyforengravingandlimitedinthefunctions.
Thereisnoeps/svgimportbutyoucanreadwindowsEMFfiles.
Theprogramcanbesettoengraveormarking(fornicepictures)orcutting(forniceparts).
Whencuttingworkingfromvectorsisadvisedasitwillbealotfaster.
Engravingcanbedonefrombitmaps(jpg,png,bmp...)beadvisedthatthelighterthewood,the
bettertheresultswilllooklike.

CorelDraw
youcancutwiththelaserplugin.(Nottestedyet)
supportalmostallbitmapandvectorfiletypes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR7967VHKnItutorial

Inkscape
Thereisnodirectsupporttousethislaserwithinkscape,butthereisaworkaround.Youcansaveto
windows.emffile(onmacandwindows),thisformatcanbereadwithLaserDRW.HOWEVER:
Usingalinewidthof<0.13mminyourdesignswillresultinsomeofyourcuttinglinesdashed.
Usingalinewidth>0.13willmakethecuttercutallyourlinestwice.Pickyourpoison.
Notes:
allthepathsmadeintheinkscapefilewillbefollowed,soevenifyouusedmasksorotherthings,
itisNOTWISIWIG!
youcanonlysaveto.emfininkscapeinwindows.(forlinux,youcanusethe.wmfformat,tested)
worksgreatwhattodotomakeitwork,getthelatestversionfromtheinkscapewebsited,theone
intherepo'siswaytooldanddoesn'tsupportsavingas.emf
ifinstalledopeninkscapemakeyourdesignsaveitas.emf,besuretoticktheboxssaying:
Convertdashed/dottedlinestosinglelines.
makesurethatyourdesignhasthestrokesetto0.001mmorelseitwilldodoublecuteedges.
andyourgoodtogo!
ImportinlaserDRW:
OpenyourfilewithLaserDRWCheckthedimensionsOpenthe"engrave"dialogChoosethe
"cutting"strategyinsteadofthedefault"engrave"ifyouwanttocutSelecting"nearest"will
makethelaserfollowapaththatisnotutterlyinsaneIsuggesttouseanonnull"fillthegaps"(I
use0.1mm)tominimizeunecessarymovementsOnceready,checkyouhaveputyourmaterial
tocutandclick"starting".Checkthetrayiconnotifications,itcantakelongtoexportyourpaths
ifyouhavealotofcurves.Uptoafewminutes.Itwillstarteventually.Enjoythesmell.

Specifications
ItemCode:CW3040
WorkingTableSize:300*400mm

LaserTube:CO2glassTube
LaserPower:40W
CuttingSpeed:02000mm/min
EngravingSpeed:03000mm/min
Resolution:0.05mm/1000DPI
SupportFils:BMP,HPGL,PLT,DSTandAI
Port:USB2.0Plugandplay
Software:CorelDraw(DirectOutput)
Motor:Stepper
PowerVoltage:AC110220V10%,5060Hz
WorkingEnvironment:045?595%(humidity)
Powerconsumption:300W(Total)
Softwarecompatible:CorelDraw,AutoCAD,Photoshop
Tabletype:Honeycomb/Bladetype/Aluminum(Optionaluponneeds)
Positionsystem:REDdotpointer
Coolingmode:Watercooledsystem
Cuttingthickness:34mm(uponmaterialstype)
Rotarydevice:optional
PackingSize:123*79*60cm
GrossWeight:77/kg

Controllerboard
LihuiyuStudio6C6879LASERM2:6boardfromhttp://www.3wcad.com/
Firmware:2015.02.15

IncludedSoftware
LaserDRW
CorelDrawdriver(youneedCorelDraw,thisisNOTincluded)

ExternalLinks
Ifyouwanttoimprovethelasercheckthefollowinglinks
fabriekant?
tipstokyohackerspace
cnczone
Aboutmaterials

Boxmakers
Boxmakerforinkscape
Simpleonlineboxmaker
Alsowithtslots
Cardboardboxes

UsageSettings

Futureimprovements
Replacecontrolboardwithlaoshttps://tuxic.nl/webshop

Maintenance
Cleanthelensandmirroraftereachjoboratleastonceaday.Usecottonstickwithacetonandlightly
brushthesurfaceofthemirror/lens.
Keeptherodsoiled(noWD40)
I(Duality)Quote:
Neverusewd40asalubricant.Theprimaryingredientsinwd40arekeroseneandmineral
spirits,whichcanbecorrosiveandareotherwisenotsuitableformechanicallubrication.
Alsoyoudontwanta(wd40)sprayedmirror).

Issues
thereissomeghostinginthelaser,alinkifoundsuggeststhatit'sthelasernothittingthelensrightin
theheadduetothemirrorintheheadbeingmisaligned.forum
orastheforumalsosuggestsacrackedlenscouldbethecause.
Dubliner,
IhadthesameproblemonmyVytek.
It'sallinthealignmentandthepointwherethebeampassesthroughthenozzlebelowthefocuslens.
Thebeam(onmine)wasgrazingthenozzleandreflectingoff.
IttakesaVERYindepthalignmentproceduretocorrectthis.Takeyourtime,bringalunch.
WishI'dboughtaMulticam.

focusing:link

howtomaintainalasercutter:maintenance

WaterCooling
IfyouneedtoreplacethewaterinthewatercoolingreplaceitwithDemiwaterwith10%antivries(in
casetheroomcanget<0c).

AirFilter
Transportkeepitupright(orletitrest96hours).

Replacementparts
Lasertubearound500(shouldlastbetween4000hours(ifyouusealwaysfullpower)10000
hours(ifyouonlyuseengraving).
ReplacementAirfilter:cost85foractivecarbon,200fortherest(285ofthewholefilter)).
Expectedlife2years
Mirror80,=
Lens38mm250,=
Thispagewaslastmodifiedon28August2015,at20:57.