Laser Cutting

Laser cutters use high-powered laser systems which allow for precise and fast cutting of materials. DBE has 2 technician-operated large format laser cutters. There are also small-format, lower-speed laser cutters that students can work directly with a technician to use if desired.

Prepare your files for laser cutting using the information, guides, and templates below.

Laser cutting requires a Makerspace Induction.

Laser cutting equipment

Choose your laser cutter based on your material and size. More details on materials are below.

Trotec SP500

Maximum material size: 1245 x 710mm

Materials: Strawboard (1 and 2mm), plywood (3 and 6mm)

Location: DBE Makerspace, building 418

Trotec Speedy 400 Flexx

Maximum material size: 1000 x 610mm

Materials: Strawboard, plywood, acrylic, polypropylene, fabrics, and other materials

Location: Digital Modelling Workshop, building 202

This equipment is operated only by technical staff. Students must be present at the workshop to have their work cut.

Materials

The following materials cannot be cut or engraved:

• Polycarbonate
• PVC (vinyl)
• Anything containing chlorine
• Some metals
• MDF
• Any materials without a Safety Data Sheet (SDS/MSDS)

Materials that can be cut and/or engraved

In the DBE Makerspace, you can only process materials supplied by the workshop:

Plywood 3mm and 6mm thick

• 1200 x 600mm
• 900 x 600mm
• 300 x 600mm

Strawboard 1mm and 2mm thick

• 900 x 680mm

You cannot bring in other materials to cut on the Makerspace laser cutters.

Materials that can be cut and/or engraved

In the Digital Modelling Workshop, you can use supplied plywood, strawboard, or acrylic in limited colours, up to 900 x 600mm in size. You can also bring other material that is not stocked, such as:

• Cast acrylic
• Wood (thin veneers, plywood, balsa)
• Fabric (natural or acrylic based)
• Leather
• Card and paper
• Polypropylene
• Acetate

Some materials can be engraved only, including:

• Glass and ceramics
• Solid wood
• Some metals

Please discuss using any materials that are not supplied with a technician before bringing them to the workshop. We can recommend suppliers and ensure that you are making an appropriate choice for your project.

Material costs

Some units require you to pay a consumables fee, which covers the cost of some or all of your materials.

If your material costs are not covered by a consumables fee, you will need to pay for supplied laser cutting materials at cost price as you use them.

Check in the relevant spaces for priceing.

File Preparation

Vector files only

What is a vector file?

A vector graphic file contains a vector image rather than a raster/bitmap image. Vector graphics are constructed of shapes, lines, and points, which do not lose resolution or quality when scaled – think of text in a PDF.

Software that can create vector files

You can create vector files with software that you might already use, such as:

• AutoCAD
• Rhinoceros 3D ("Rhino")
• Adobe Illustrator
• CorelDraw
• Inkscape

Many tutorials for this software are available online. You may also be able to get help using these programs from your tutor or from LinkedIn Learning.

Identifying a vector file

Vectors need to be made in your vector program, not just copied and pasted in or imported. If you save your work as a raster format (e.g. psd, jpg, or bmp) it will be rasterized and cannot be converted back into a vector file. If you zoom in on your vector file, you will be able to identify that it does not lose resolution, whereas a raster file will become pixelated or blurry:

Size and colour scheme

Your document/artboard/sheet size should match your material size. Leave a 5mm minimum margin from the edge of your material to your objects.

RGB red: cut

RGB green: vector engraving (“etching”)

RGB black/greyscale: raster engraving

Raster engraving is used to fill areas, either with a single depth/tonality using black or to create gradients, tone, or images, using greyscale.All other colours will be ignored.

Cut lines and vector engraving must be lines of the smallest default stroke width possible in your software (e.g. “hairline” or “0.01”), with no fill.

The laser will see every line in your file, including those hidden under others. For this reason, you need to remove any doubled lines in your file. Double cut lines can cause damage to your work, material, and the laser cutter.

Nesting

Make sure to keep at least 5mm from the edge of your material, and at least 1mm between shapes. This allows latent heat to disperse from your material, preventing charring and the risk of fires.

Work must be nested to make your cutting times efficient, and reduces material waste.

Example of work that has been nested vs not nested

File size and format

Export each sheet of material as a separate PDF at your material size (e.g. 900 x 600mm).

Examples

Artwork prepared for Trotec laser cutters, including cutting (red), vector engraving (green), and raster engraving (black/greyscale)
Laser cutting and engraving styles produced by the above image

Software-specific guides and templates

AutoCAD	Rhinoceros 3d	Illustrator	Slicer for Fusion360
AutoCAD File Setup	Rhino File Setup	Illustrator File Setup	Stacked Slice Model Guide

External Links

Guide: Creating a Contour Model by Melbourne School of Design's Fab Lab