Laserleikkuri CM1690

The Machine

NOTE: Not yet in general use, content of operator training and best-practises are still being formulated.

First rules

• Only operated by qualified operators, trainings will be organized with some regularity
  • Operators must properly fill the logbook
• Lifting the honeycomb must not be done alone (it's easy to break and costs 1800EUR to replace)
  • You probably don't need it anyway unless you're doing tiny things or fabrics.
• Never leave machine unattended even for a moment when it is cutting (significant risk of fire)
• Never touch the laser lens/nozzle combo.
• Use only pure distilled water (akkuvesi) as cooling water, do not add anything else to the cooling water.
• Since the Laser-SW requires admin rights we must allow admin logins (bad but unavoidable), this means this machine will not be used for general purpose anything and only the superusers are allowed to install anything on it.
  • We also highly recommend using some other machine for looking cool designs etc from the internet and then moving the files with an USB memory stick instead, just to reduce risk of malware infections due to unscrupulous advertisers etc.

In case of fire

• Small fire: open lid, try to blow it out.
• If does not go out with blowing, use the fire-blanket.
• If blanket does not solve the issue use CO2 extinguisher, leave the room, close the door and inform everyone at the lab. Email the board.
• If the CO2 extinguisher did not solve the issue: evacuate lab, call fire brigade, inform the board.

Q & A

• Materials?
  • See http://atxhackerspace.org/wiki/Laser_Cutter_Materials
  • https://tampere.hacklab.fi/viswiki/Laserleikkuri
  • Basically everything but metals and stuff that produces poisonous/corrosive gas.
  • Why not metal? Short answer: Metal reflects IR too well to be cut with IR laser. Marking metals is possible, though.
• Cutting area: 1600 × 900 mm with through feed.
• File formats
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • DXF
  • BMP/JPG
  • "ISO" Gerber
  • SVG is NOT SUPPORTED.

Operating instructions

Start of operation checklist

• Open the log form, fill in your name and the current time.
• Get keys from their defined storage location.
• Use keys to turn on power
• Turn on blower (switch)
• If previous operator did not raise the bed to top ask for help from a superuser
• Adjust bed for correct focus distance for your material

Cutting checklist

• Did you change material ? If yes, re-check focus distance
• Adjust head position, set origin (NOTE: the red helper dot might not be pointing exactly to the cutting point, use "pulse" to verify)
  • Make sure you know which point of your cutting job you should set as origin in the machine.
• Use "border view" (sw) or "range" (panel) to verify bounding-box of cut.
• Make sure blower is on (switch)
• Make sure lid is closed
• Start cutting, keep close watch on what is happening.
  • Risk of fire
  • Settings may need tuning
• When done cutting wait 30-60 seconds for fume extraction before opening lid.

End of operation checklist

• Remove honeycomb if installed
• Raise bed to top
• Turn off blower (switch)
• Fill uptime, laser on time & work time to log
• Turn off machine (keys)
• Clean up the bottom "drop area" in case you dropped something.
• Finish filling up the log form (notes, end time) and submit.
  • Failure to submit logbook will result in suspension of "qualified operator" -status.
• Put the computer to sleep or just leave it to go to sleep by itself, do not shutdown it completely.
• Return keys to their defined storage location.

Superusers

• Aaro
• Kremmen
• Suovula

Useful links

• Laser cutter cut width and inaccuracies (Wandel)