I just took this over $10,000. Just $2000 to go (10 more backers).
Now my RigidBot will be able to cut as well as print!
http://igg.me/p/l-cheapo-laser-cutter-attachment/csgp/3989374
But does it cut wood or plastic? Or say dibond… The video mentions cutting only paper and the most interesting part - serious materials - is left out a bit. And that is the most interesting! Although it’s a 2W laser, should be good for some interesting things.
he cuts wood and acrylic albeit very slow. Dibond is aluminum so you would need to move to a YAG laser to cut it.
@Mark_Zimmerman I used a high end professional laser cutter a few years back when I was working for a print shop. At least with the model we worked with, more passes doesn’t equate to cutting thicker materials. While you can cut through with enough passes, each pass is leaving behind slag and imperfections (albeit in tiny amounts) that cause the progressive cuts to be lower and lower quality.
Theres no way that laser can cut 3/8" acrylic. It could do 1/8" with multiple passes. 3/8" is starting to get into the realm of hard to cut on 80W Co2 lasers.
The issue with thick materials isnt just power but its depth of focus and beam divergence. Lasers are full of science lol.
@Joe_Spanier Would the moving Z axis help with the thicker acrylic? It would obviously take many passes, so moving the Z might help with the focus and divergence problem, wouldn’t it? (My first foray into lasers; looking for education.)
@Mark_Zimmerman as @Joe_Spanier pointed out, it’s a focus thing. The slag disrupts focus. You can use a laser for CNC, but it has to be high quality optics and has to adjust again for every pass it makes.
There is a huge difference between designing for a laser and a router as well. A router has cutting force to deal with, chatter, and a host of other issues that force you to build for mass and rigidity. A laser on the other hand needs to be able to move rapidly without vibration and issues. So there’s that to deal with in your design.
the only thing i dont have in my arsinal of equipment is a laser. I would love to support the campaign but beging a broke collage student forces me to sit on the side lines. good work.