Can a portable laser cut through fabric?

[giligan]

If so, how powerful must it be? How much am I looking at?

Was just curious to know whether that could be in the realm of possibility.

Thanks.

 

[Meatball]

In short, yes. You will find that your most potent colors for cloth/fabric will probably be ~405nm- unless you're cutting white cloth. To be honest, it will not be a very clean cut. The edges of the fabric will most likely come away torn/burned/frayed/black/smelly. Nothing beats a good pair of shop scissors!

If scissors aren't your style. You'd be looking at something >500mws well focused to a dot ~1mm. This is achievable by a 12X diode, but honestly, for the cost, scissors are still best. No batteries required!

 

[RA_pierce]

What kind of speed are you looking for?

Here is a video showing what >650mW of green can do to fabric:

My laser, by the way.

 

[giligan]

In short, yes. You will find that your most potent colors for cloth/fabric will probably be ~405nm- unless you're cutting white cloth. To be honest, it will not be a very clean cut. The edges of the fabric will most likely come away torn/burned/frayed/black/smelly. Nothing beats a good pair of shop scissors!

If scissors aren't your style. You'd be looking at something >500mws well focused to a dot ~1mm. This is achievable by a 12X diode, but honestly, for the cost, scissors are still best. No batteries required!

It wouldn't matter as long as the laser's cut is precise. Oh I know, I was just looking at laser as a potential way to set up an automation process as I hate cutting pieces and that they must be quite precise.

So from my brief search of laser modules, I'm looking at 400$+ huh? Oh well, could be useful later on.

Thanks for the quick response, btw.

What kind of speed are you looking for?

Here is a video showing what >650mW of green can do to fabric:

My laser, by the way.

<1 second.

Looks good! I wonder how it would do if the laser was placed above a flat piece of fabric.

Nice laser you've got there, must be nice to torture figurines. :evil:

Thanks as well.

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Wouldn't a CO2 laser work better?

 

[giligan]

Wouldn't a CO2 laser work better?

I wouldn't know, I know nothing about lasers.

Care to explain?

 

[Tech_Junkie]

I think the pros can explain it better than me. I just know most cutting is done with a CO2 laser. But its not very portable, so I may be wrong.

 

[Meatball]

I'm not sure at all about how well the mid infrared wavelengths would be absorbed into fabric. It's worth a try!

I DO know that 1.5 Watts of 808 can't even touch jean denim. CO2 could act completely different though.

I know that CO2 is normally used in most hobby/craft engraving machines. The one used at my local bookstore is a 30W used for engraving wood frames, and engraving the leather and synthetic leather on Bibles.

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Well if it must be portable then, like others have said, a 12X Blu-Ray would work the best. But you're looking at around $400 + including goggles just to cut a jagged edge. A good pair of fabric scissors is under $100. Its up to you what fits your needs.

 

[mfo]

Wanna burn things? Buy a lighter.

Wanna cut things? Buy some scissors.

 

[Arayan]

This is the best cutting laser J/K

 

[giligan]

Wanna burn things? Buy a lighter.

Wanna cut things? Buy some scissors.

Don't kill the dream, man. Don't kill the dream...

This is the best cutting laser J/K

aweeesome. :crackup:

 

[Jacob32123]

What kind of speed are you looking for?

Here is a video showing what >650mW of green can do to fabric:

My laser, by the way.

Nice video

 

[Cyparagon]

The heat affected zone is too large to use with any handheld. If the problem is "there is a need to cut fabric in a precise fashion," there are likely better solutions than a dangerous, thousand-dollar laser.