Laser Cutting Basics
- A laser cutter is a prototyping and manufacturing tool used to cut and etch into flat material.
- Laser cutters use a thin, focused laser beam to pierce and cut shapes out of materials or etch designs into the surface of materials.
- The material that is being used (wood, cardboard, acrylic etc.) is placed in the print bed.
- The design to be cut and/or etched must be an .svg file created in a program like Adobe Illustrator, Corel Paint, or Inkscape. Again, existing designs can be found on Thingiverse.
- A program, called K40 Whisperer, is used to tell the laser cutter how to etch or cut the design into the material.
Laser Cutting Safety
- For safety reasons, this machine can only be operated under the direct supervision of a librarian.
- Watch Video: K40 Safety Questions
- Never turn on the laser (laser switch or test switch) while the cover is open.
- Always use safety goggles when observing the laser through the glass. Looking directly at the laser without eye protection will damage your eyes.
- Never leave the laser cutter unattended while it is operating.
- When you have finished using the laser cutter, turn it off.
About our Laser Cutter
We have the K40 laser cutter
The K40 laser cutter has a class 4 laser, which means it can only be operated under the supervision of someone with laser safety training. Therefore, the Idea Factory librarian is the only person qualified to operate the machine. You may however, use Inkscape independently to prepare your design for the cutting process.
K40 Laser Cutter Design and Software
Steps to Laser Cut at the Idea Factory
- Make an appointment to use the laser cutter.
- Before your scheduled appointment, select or create your design in Inkscape or another vector based design program. Be sure your design follows the specifications described in the K40 Whisperer and Inkscape Tutorial
- Arrive before your appointment with enough time to prepare your design for cutting.
- Sign in for your appointment with the Idea Factory librarian.