Pratt Rapid Prototyping

Laser Cutting Guide

Welcome to Pratt RP Lab

Basics Services

What:
We offer laser cutting, 3D printing services.

Hours:
9:30am 8:30pm

Website:
http://prattrapidprototyping.weebly.com

Laser Cutting
Basics Info

What:
Laser cutting is a high-precision CNC process that uses laser to
cut, etch, and engrave materials. The high-power laser beam is
focused through a lens to a fine spot, which then melts, burns,
vaporizes material and leaves an edge with high-quality surface
finish.

File Format:
PDF

Bed Size:
18 x 32

Max material thickness:

1 / 4

Laser Cutting
Basics Material

Yes:

No:

- Acetate
- Acrylic
- Basswood
- Bristol Board
- Chipboard
- Cotton
- Corduroy
- EVA
- Felt
- Flannel
- Hard woods (oak, cherry, etc)
- High gloss paper
- Illustration board
- Leather
- Mirrored Acrylic (taped)
- Museum board
- Nylon
- Paper
- Poly-satin
- Rubber
- Sticker Paper
- Suede
- Vellum
- Wood veneer
- Woven fabric

- Composites
- Corrugated cardboard
- Corrugated plastic
- Foamcore
- HDPE
- Painted material
- PETG (looks like acrylic, but has a blue backing)
- Polycarbonate (looks like acrylic, but has a white backing)
- Styrene

Materials not on this list are reviewed on a case by case

basis, and pending approval by a lab manager.
Contact jmorri36@pratt.edu with manufacturer
information MSDS sheet for the given material.

Laser Cutting
Basics Material

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

- Precise
- Clean edge finish
- Can cut intricate designs
- Can cut a wide variety of materials
- Can create exact copies with the same file
- Can adjust laser setting to achieve specific results
- Easily operated with Adobe Illustrator
- Efficient at cutting large or small objects

- Thick materials tend to have more burn marks

- Quality depends on the focus of the laser bean
- Job time cant be estimated
- Materials must be flat to achieve best results &
avoid fires
- Maximum material thickness is 1/4
- Engraving always takes longer than expected
- Parts too close have a tendency to burn
- Light material such as paper and vellum might
move due to the air current caused by the exhaust

Laser Cutting
Job Preparation Adobe Illustrator

Document Color Mode must be set to RGB Color

Artboard / Laser Bed Size 18 x 32

Export / Save As a PDF

to avoid compatibility
issues!!!

Laser Cutting
Job Preparation Adobe Illustrator

To Vector Cut:

To Vector Score:

To Raster Engrave:

Outline / Stroke
Red 255,0,0

Outline / Stroke
Black 0,0,0

Fill Color Black 0,0,0

Stroke Weight
0.001pt

Stroke Weight
0.001pt

Stroke Weight:
None or 0pt

Laser Cutting
Job Preparation Rasterize

File must be rasterized to engrave.

Make sure background is transparent with 300 ppi

resolution for optimal results.

Laser Cutting
Job Preparation Safety

The laser beam/spark generated by the laser cutter

emits minor radiation, and are potential hazardous
to your eyes with long exposure. Our laser safety
glasses have a protective coating that filters out
harmful UV rays. Wear them while cutting.

It is the students responsibility to watch their job cut

AT ALL TIMES. Students that walk away from their laser
cutter will be BANNED from using the lab. Do not use the
cutting mats while your Laser is active, and
ABSOLUTELY NO CELL PHONE USE!!!!

Laser Cutting
Job Preparation Safety

After cutting your part, leave material in the laser

cutter for some time to extract the fumes.

NEVER OPERATE THE LASER SYSTEM WITHOUT CONSTANT

SUPERVISION OF THE CUTTING AND ENGRAVING PROCESS.
Exposure to the laser beam may cause ignition of combustible
materials which can lead to a fire.
There is a ready to access fire extinquisher by the cutting tables.
In the case of a fire, it is available for you or a monitor to use.

- Laser cutter uses high-powered laser beans, it BURNS materials no matter how much tape you use. To
reduce the burning, do multiple runs with low power.
- Apple Art glues multiple thin chipboard to make thick chipboards, the glue makes it harder to cut.
Chipboards bought from them might require extra pass to cut through and could increase burn marks.
- Plexi or plexiglas is an alternative name of acrylic glass. In most cases, it has brown stickers on both side
claim its acrylic. Polycarbonate has white backing, PET/PETG has blue backing,
- If pieces drop down, its a sign that it cuts through
- Do not remove material from bed unless youre sure the job is cut through and correct. Its hard to
reposition the piece back to the laser bed once moved.

dot instead. Use it to realign the material.

- Taping over your material would reduce the score marks.
- Top side of the material tends to burn more.

some time before removing.

stuck, recut it.
- Use blue tape to secure material to the bed, white to secure cutouts to the material for transport. Blue
tape is very expensive, use wisely!
- If outlines are doubled it will cut twice during the job.

END
Happy Prototyping!