Laser-cutter-user-guide - Revision history

Aspontarelli: /* REFERENCE */

2025-06-24T19:03:07Z

REFERENCE

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:03, 24 June 2025
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	* Boss laser settings: https://bosslaser.com/laser-settings/		* Boss laser settings: https://bosslaser.com/laser-settings/
	* Boss laser Operator's Manual: [https://vector-space.org/wiki/images/b/bf/Hp-series-user-manual.pdf Boss Laser User Manual]		* Boss laser Operator's Manual: [https://vector-space.org/wiki/images/b/bf/Hp-series-user-manual.pdf Boss Laser User Manual]
	* Boss laser Quick Start Guide: https://~~bosslaser~~.~~com~~/~~wp-content~~/~~uploads~~/QM-855-916-Quick-Start-Guide-HP-Machines.pdf		* Boss laser Quick Start Guide: [https://vector-space.org/wiki/images/7/75/QM-855-916-Quick-Start-Guide-HP-Machines.pdf Boss Laser Quick Start Guide]

	= PROCEDURE =		= PROCEDURE =

Aspontarelli: /* REFERENCE */

2025-06-24T19:02:00Z

REFERENCE

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:02, 24 June 2025
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	* LightBurn Video Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdqMW3F_iIU		* LightBurn Video Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdqMW3F_iIU
	* Boss laser settings: https://bosslaser.com/laser-settings/		* Boss laser settings: https://bosslaser.com/laser-settings/
	* Boss laser Operator's Manual: https://~~bosslaser~~.~~com~~/~~wp-content~~/~~uploads~~/hp-series-user-manual.pdf		* Boss laser Operator's Manual: [https://vector-space.org/wiki/images/b/bf/Hp-series-user-manual.pdf Boss Laser User Manual]
	* Boss laser Quick Start Guide: https://bosslaser.com/wp-content/uploads/QM-855-916-Quick-Start-Guide-HP-Machines.pdf		* Boss laser Quick Start Guide: https://bosslaser.com/wp-content/uploads/QM-855-916-Quick-Start-Guide-HP-Machines.pdf

Aburks at 16:55, 19 August 2024

2024-08-19T16:55:43Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:55, 19 August 2024
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	This guide is for the 100W ShenHui and 150W Boss CO2 laser cutters.
			This guide is for the 100W ShenHui and 150W Boss CO2 laser cutters.

	These CO2 lasers cut leather, non-synthetic textiles, acrylic, wood, and other non-metal materials. In a CO2 laser cutter, the laser beam is created in a tube filled with CO2 gas. Next, with the help of mirrors and lenses, the laser beam is directed to the laser head and focused on the material surface. Electronically controlled motors move the laser head to cut or engrave the desired shape into the material of the workpiece. The shape is defined by an input file which can be a vector or raster image. When the laser hits the material, a very small area is heated in an extremely short period, causing the material to melt, burn or vaporize.		These CO2 lasers cut leather, non-synthetic textiles, acrylic, wood, and other non-metal materials. In a CO2 laser cutter, the laser beam is created in a tube filled with CO2 gas. Next, with the help of mirrors and lenses, the laser beam is directed to the laser head and focused on the material surface. Electronically controlled motors move the laser head to cut or engrave the desired shape into the material of the workpiece. The shape is defined by an input file which can be a vector or raster image. When the laser hits the material, a very small area is heated in an extremely short period, causing the material to melt, burn or vaporize.

Aspontarelli: /* PROCEDURE */

2023-12-15T01:49:25Z

PROCEDURE

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 * Beryllium oxide
 * Any material containing halogens (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine and astatine), epoxy or phenolic resins
 == Rotary Engraving ==

Aspontarelli: /* PROCEDURE */

2023-12-14T16:38:01Z

PROCEDURE

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	## Preview the job by click Frame at the center right of the screen. This will move the laser nozzle to show the bounding box of your job.		## Preview the job by click Frame at the center right of the screen. This will move the laser nozzle to show the bounding box of your job.
	## Click Start to start the job.		## Click Start to start the job.
	**		# Shut down
			## Once your job is finished, make sure to clear the laser bed of any debris.
			## Turn off the large rotary switch.



	<u>'''Materials that can be cut or engraved with a laser.'''</u>		<u>'''Materials that can be cut or engraved with a laser.'''</u>

Aspontarelli: /* PROCEDURE */

2023-12-14T16:22:48Z

PROCEDURE

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:22, 14 December 2023
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	= PROCEDURE =		= PROCEDURE =

	* LightBurn is the software for controlling the laser.		# Prepare Workpiece
	** Draw an item in Inkscape or FreeCAD.		## Turn on the laser cutter using the large rotary switch. The laser head will automatically home to the corner of the machine.
	** Save the ~~drawing as an svg or dxf file~~.		## Set your workpiece on the laser bed.
	** Import the svg or dxf file into LightBurn.		## Use the control panel arrow keys to drive the laser nozzle to your workpiece.
	** Lightburn is then used to control power, speed, and cutting operations before sending the job to the ~~laser cutter.~~		## Adjust the bed height using the U-axis controls or the nozzle height using the Z-axis controls. Set the nozzle distance from the material to the appropriate focal length, based upon signage on the machine. This gap is typically close to 15mm.
	* LightBurn is setup to read dxf files in units of ~~inches (select inches when exporting from~~ the ~~design program)~~.		## Ensure that the X and Y position of the nozzle is at the origin position that you desire.
	* The three most important settings of the laser ~~cutter are power, speed, and focus distance~~.		# Prepare Software
	** Power: Defines the ~~output power of~~ the laser~~. Typically can be set from 0~~ to ~~100% (maximum power). High power is used for cutting thick materials and lower power is used for engraving and cutting of thin materials such as paper~~.		## Launch the LightBurn application.
	** Speed: Determines the ~~movement speed of~~ the ~~laser head~~. ~~For engraving and cutting of thin~~ material, the ~~speed~~ is ~~usually set (~~close) to ~~the maximum (recommended max = 250mm/s)~~.		## If LightBurn prompts you for a license key, you can find the key in /vsfs01/share/LIGHTBURN_LICENSE
	** Focus: The focus point (where the ~~laser beam is thinnest) should be on the material surface or slightly below, for most applications. See panel on left side of machine~~ and ~~use focus gauge to adjust the distance~~ of the ~~laser~~ nozzle ~~from work piece~~.		## Import your design by File->Import or open an existing project by File->Open.
	* Use a sample piece to test to get the ~~correct power and speed settings~~. ~~Start with~~ a ~~light cut~~, you can ~~always reprint~~/~~recut multiple times over the same area with increased power as needed to get the desired cut~~.		## A list of operations will populate the upper right hand window (Cuts / Layers) based on the colors detected in your design. The next step is to set each of these operations to perform what you desire. Double click each operation and set the type (cut vs fill), the power, and the speed. This is also where you can set more advanced settings like perforation, line spacing, and line angle.
	** Each type of wood is going to be slightly different. A ~~slightly thicker sheet~~ of ~~Acrylic might need a slower speed and~~/~~or a higher power~~.		## Select the appropriate machine name under the Devices dropdown window at the bottom right.
	* The ~~laser speed determines how fast the laser will travel while cutting~~. ~~The slower~~ the ~~speeds~~, the ~~longer the laser sits in a spot~~, ~~which yields more heat~~ and the ~~deeper the cut or engraving will be~~.		## Preview the job by click Frame at the center right of the screen. This will move the laser nozzle to show the bounding box of your job.
	** Acrylic etching - high speed, ~~low power (easy to cut)~~. ~~High power has~~ the ~~potential to distort~~ the ~~acrylic~~.		## Click Start to start the job.
	** Acrylic cutting - low speed and high power.		**
	** Anodized Aluminum etching - high speed and low power.
	** Painted Brass - high speed, low power will ~~get rid of~~ the ~~paint at~~ the ~~cut zone~~.
	** Glass - medium speed, high power (experiment as there is a wide range of glass)
	** ~~Plastic - experiment on type of plastic~~
	** Wood - experiment and figure out for each type of wood separately.

	<u>'''Materials that can be cut or engraved with a laser.'''</u>		<u>'''Materials that can be cut or engraved with a laser.'''</u>

Aspontarelli: /* GENERAL */

2023-12-13T17:33:53Z

GENERAL

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	= GENERAL =		= GENERAL =
			[[File:Good-ol-laser.jpg\|thumb\|Good-ol-laser]]

Aspontarelli: fixed manuals to point to HP not LS machines.

2023-11-20T16:45:49Z

fixed manuals to point to HP not LS machines.

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:45, 20 November 2023
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	= REFERENCE =		= REFERENCE =

	* LightBurn Video Tutorial, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdqMW3F_iIU		* LightBurn Video Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdqMW3F_iIU
	* Boss laser settings, https://bosslaser.com/laser-settings/		* Boss laser settings: https://bosslaser.com/laser-settings/
	* Boss laser Operator's Manual, https://bosslaser.com/wp-content/uploads/QM-855-~~901~~-LS-~~Manual~~-~~003~~.pdf		* Boss laser Operator's Manual: https://bosslaser.com/wp-content/uploads/hp-series-user-manual.pdf
			* Boss laser Quick Start Guide: https://bosslaser.com/wp-content/uploads/QM-855-916-Quick-Start-Guide-HP-Machines.pdf

	= PROCEDURE =		= PROCEDURE =

Aspontarelli: added boss references and cleaned up general discussion

2023-05-09T10:08:31Z

added boss references and cleaned up general discussion

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:08, 9 May 2023
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	A guide for ~~using~~ the ~~130W~~ ShenHui CO2 laser ~~cutter. It cuts leather, non-synthetic textiles, acrylic, wood, and other non-metal materials. The bed is roughly 4 ft wide by 3 ft deep~~.		This guide is for the 100W ShenHui and 150W Boss CO2 laser cutters.

	In a CO2 laser cutter, the laser beam is created in a tube filled with CO2 gas. Next, with the help of mirrors and lenses, the laser beam is directed to the laser head and focused on the material surface. Electronically controlled motors move the laser head to cut or engrave the desired shape into the material of the workpiece. The shape is defined by an input file which can be a vector or raster image.		These CO2 lasers cut leather, non-synthetic textiles, acrylic, wood, and other non-metal materials. In a CO2 laser cutter, the laser beam is created in a tube filled with CO2 gas. Next, with the help of mirrors and lenses, the laser beam is directed to the laser head and focused on the material surface. Electronically controlled motors move the laser head to cut or engrave the desired shape into the material of the workpiece. The shape is defined by an input file which can be a vector or raster image. When the laser hits the material, a very small area is heated in an extremely short period, causing the material to melt, burn or vaporize.

	~~When the laser hits the material, a very small area is heated in an extremely short period, causing the material to melt, burn or vaporize.~~		In general, there are two tasks that a laser cutter can perform: Cutting and Engraving.

	In general, there are ~~three~~ tasks that a laser cutter can perform: Cutting, Engraving ~~and Marking~~.

	We use [https://lightburnsoftware.com/ LightBurn] as the software for controlling the laser. The general workflow is to draw something in a program like [https://vector-space.org/wiki/inkscape-user-guide Inkscape] or [https://vector-space.org/wiki/FreeCAD-user-guide FreeCAD], save the drawing as an svg or dxf file, then import the svg or dxf file into LightBurn. Lightburn is then used to control power, speed, and cutting operations before sending the job to the laser cutter. Simple designs can be created within the LighBurn software, skipping the Inkscape/FreeCAD step.		We use [https://lightburnsoftware.com/ LightBurn] as the software for controlling the laser. The general workflow is to draw something in a program like [https://vector-space.org/wiki/inkscape-user-guide Inkscape] or [https://vector-space.org/wiki/FreeCAD-user-guide FreeCAD], save the drawing as an svg or dxf file, then import the svg or dxf file into LightBurn. Lightburn is then used to control power, speed, and cutting operations before sending the job to the laser cutter. Simple designs can be created within the LighBurn software, skipping the Inkscape/FreeCAD step.
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	* LightBurn Video Tutorial, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdqMW3F_iIU		* LightBurn Video Tutorial, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdqMW3F_iIU
			* Boss laser settings, https://bosslaser.com/laser-settings/
			* Boss laser Operator's Manual, https://bosslaser.com/wp-content/uploads/QM-855-901-LS-Manual-003.pdf

	= PROCEDURE =		= PROCEDURE =

Aspontarelli: /* REFERENCE */

2022-04-19T10:46:05Z

REFERENCE

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:46, 19 April 2022
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	= REFERENCE =		= REFERENCE =

	* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdqMW3F_iIU ~~LightBurn Video Tutorial]~~		* LightBurn Video Tutorial, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdqMW3F_iIU

	= PROCEDURE =		= PROCEDURE =