Laser cutter

Draft

Low-cost Laser cutters typically used in Fablabs can cut and engrave. They can use materials materials such as wood, Plexiglas or cardboard and cut out various shapes and sizes from them.

List of laser cutters

This is a just a quick list made be someone who has no expertise. It seems that there are huge price and quality differences in the area of low cost / low power desk top laser cutters.

Other lists:

• Laser Engraver and Cutter

Redsail

China made Redsail lasers are fairly cheap compared to other brands

Redsail (Redsail Laser Cutters Australian site)

M500 Mini Laser Engraver

• 500 * 300mm
• Co2 Laser power: 50W
• $1800
• 85 kg

X700 Laser Engraver

• $3000
• Engraver and acrylic/leather cutter

M900 Laser Cutting 80W

• $3000
• 900mm x 600mm
• CO2 laser 80W
• Resolution: 2500 DPI
• Location precision: 0.01mm
• PC Interface: USB2.0 and USB Disk
• Software: Lasermate 5.02
• Image form: HPGL, BMP, GIF, JPG, JPEG, DXF, DST, AI
• 180 kg (!)

HxLaser / Rabbit

Hxlaser.com, Rabbit laser USA

This Chinese company sells several models from mini to large. Systems sold in the US seem to have other model names...

HX-3050 (Hxlaser.com)

• A mini engraver / acryl cutter
• 300 * 500mm engraving area
• 40/60W Laser
• 10mm cutting depth acrylic
• 80kg

A variant ( HX-3050SC type ) comes with a stand.

QX-30-5030 (Rabbit Laser USA

• Laser power: 30W
• 500 x 300 mm engraving area
• $4,800 plus shipping etc.

QX-40-7040 Laser Engraving/Cutting Laser

• Laser power: 40W or 60W
• 700 x 400 mm engraving area
• $6600 - $7100 + shipping

MLlaser

• Mllaser
• MLLaser is a french company that integrates parts mostly made elsewhere (most parts are probably from China)
• Price tags seem to be low compared to others assembled in Europe

ML-W40M

• Highest end of their low cost/perfomance model
• ML-W40M
• Zone: 200 x 300 mm
• Price 3300 Euros
• Formats: AI,BMP, PLT,DXF, JPEG, GIF; DWG

Arketype

• Arketype
• A French Company

The entry model costs 2800 Euros

5030 Laser cutter

• Several variants
• Laser Power: 40W to 60W
• Footstand or none
• 300 x 500 mm cutting area
• 3300 to 3700 Euros

AD Oracle IQ Exhaust system

• 2350 Euros

Epilog

• Epilog
• Probably the most popular brand in FabLabs, good quality but fairly expensive compared to models made in Asia
• US made

Epilog Mini

• 457 x 305 mm work area
• 30 watts of CO2 laser power
• 32 kgs

Full Spectrum

• Hobby Lasers
• Professional models start at about $5000

Hobby models:

Basic

• $1850
• 40W CO2

Deluxe

• 40W CO2
• $2350

New 2014 model

• $3500
• Various options, e.g. a $1300 small air filter or a $2500 large one (needed for cutting acrylic)

GBOSLaser

• gboslaser.com
• Chinese, available through many resellers

Mini

• Laser power :35W
• Driving system:stepper motor
• Engraving speed:0-64000mm/min
• Cutting speed:0-36000mm/min
• Working area:458mmx305mm

Trotec/Rayjet

Rayjet 50

• http://www.rayjetlaser.com/
• Is (mostly) sold as engraving laser
• Dimensions: 726 x 412 x 680 mm / ca. 45 kg
• Engraving Area: 457 x 305 mm, max high = 145 mm
• Laser Power: 12 to 50 watts
• Engraving Speed: 60”/sec

An additional Atmos exhaust system that doubles as machine base is available.

Trotec Speedy 100 / fiber / flex

• Compact Laser in three variants: Co2, fiber or combined (flex)
• Laser power: 40-60 watt CO2 laser, 10-30 watt fiber laser
• The CO2 laser is suited for engraving and cutting plastics, wood, rubber, leather and many other materials. The fiber laser is for marking metals and plastics.

Trotec Speedy 300

• Mid-sized, in three variants (as above)
• This machine has a good reputation for fairly serious and continous work.
• Pricing: between $20K and $30K in the US, probably add 50% in Europe

Other models

• See Product Overview

Links

Using makes and models

• Using the Epilog Laser
• Epilog Laser

Tools

• Using Inkscape with the Laser Cutter

Tutorials

• instructables.com includes quite a few laser cutting examples and tips. E.g. search for Laser cutter

Communities

• Engraver's Forum at SawmillCreek.org
• CNCZone Forums