Hallo every one

[pfav]

Hi guys !
I joined today the forum.

I'm an electronic eng. and I spend my off-work-time building Kites.

After some tests in my office lab, I decide to build a LASER Cutter for spinnaker fabric.

I'm looking for suggestions and warnings ....

Thanks

P.

 

[aryntha]

Well, here's the question. The fabric you're cutting would likely be of varying colors, right? That'd effect what kind of laser you'd be using. Also, is it synthetic fabric/plastic/poly based?

 

[qumefox]

I think the material would affect absorption more than the dye in it would. But color would still play a small part, yes.

 

[sandidgepatrick]

Welcome to l.p.f.!!!!

 

[pfav]

Hi guys,
thanks and sorry for late answer!

Let me post a photo
The fabric is nylon (40g/m2)

for sure the power density at fiber end is high, but I used a 120mw laser

 

[qumefox]

If 120mw did that, I imagine using something like a 12x BR diode or one of the 1W 445's would probably cut it fairly efficiently then.

 

[pfav]

If 120mw did that, I imagine using something like a 12x BR diode or one of the 1W 445's would probably cut it fairly efficiently then.

I hope!:drool:

The laser source was a LD 1480nm 120mw pigtailed.
I used fiber like a cutter.

Now I bought a 805 nm - 500 mw with a set of acrylic lens for pointer applications.
I have some doubts about spot dimension.

:san:

 

[qumefox]

Actually i'm not sure how well 405 or 445 would do after looking at an absorption graph for nylon. Looks like there's a BIG peak somewhere around 1650nm though. Not sure where you'd found an IR source at that frequency though. But a CO2 laser would still probably be the best bet for fast cutting.

 

[pfav]

Agree CO2 is the best, but it is expensive !!! (or not?)
I'm looking for something is able to cut nylon at 10mm/s.

I will repeat the test using LD 960nm 150mw pigtailed.

 

[qumefox]

1 cm/s isn't much. I bet a 1W 445nm would be up to that.

 

[chipdouglas]

nylon is a poylymer. and your material doesnt look especially thick. i agree with qumefox... try the 1watt 445nm laser. it should slice through it nice if your focal length is around 3 inches.

michael

 

[alfiechip]

Hello,

Very interesting utilization of a laser. Welcome to the forum!

 

[Arayan]

Warm Welcome to LPF :beer:

Agree CO2 is the best, but it is expensive !!! (or not?)

Absolutely not... for a 20W CO2 laser you could spend approx 500 €, a colored one (20W), green for example takes approx 25.000 €

 

[biru]

Hello everyone.

This is an old topic, but i'm interested in it because I'm going to build a fabric laser cutter.

After reading all comments in here I think a 2W laser diode will be enough to do it considering I'll need to cut cotton fabric of all type of colours.
Am I right? If so, I saw a "2W 445nm Copper Blue Laser Module W/X-Drive" in which you can choose different lens:

G-2 Standard Barrel
G-2 Extended Barrel
G-2-LFL Standard Barrel
G-2-LFL Extended BArrel

Which of them would be the best option for my purposes?

Thanks.