Technology Supplies Ltd - CAD/CAM Laser Cutters

LASER cutters have the potential to transform children's CAD/CAM experience and output. Their ease of use makes them the most suitable type of machines for schools. They cut with speed and precision, without any tools or work holding and in complete safety.

We have three models each with different size working envelopes and a choice of laser power. Higher power lasers will cut through thicker material in one cut and will cut faster than lower power lasers through materials of the same thickness. However, even the lowest power laser (12 watt) will perform excellently in all the usual thicknesses of materials D&T departments use.

By altering the power setting and the speed at which the laser head moves the same machine can mark the faintest of score lines on a piece of paper and yet cut through a thick block of acrylic in one pass, leaving a finished edge.

The materials these lasers will cut and engrave include acrylic, polypropylene, paper and card, wood, plywood, leather, rubber, fabrics, glass and stone. The cut is usually about 0.3mm wide and the waste material is vapourised and extracted through filters. These lasers do not cut metals and it is inadvisable to cut PVC because of the corrosive vapours produced.

A dedicated printer driver allows the use of your own design software such as 2D Design & Corel Draw, Artcam, Photoshop, Photopaint. ProDesktop files must be exported in DXF format and imported into 2D Design or Corel Draw.

OUR laser cutters have the following FEATURES

3 year on-site warranty.
Laser tube life of up to 20,000 hours use (average 2-3years).
Auto-focus gauge.
Red beam pointer to locate the object accurately.
LCD display with easy to use controls.
Six resolutions 200, 250, 300, 500, 600 & 1000dpi.
Speed & power settings adjustable from 0 to 100% to suit the job.
Speed & power settings can be saved and recalled for future projects.
16 colours linked power settings per job.
Unique 3D mode, for true 3D engraving - greyscales are broken down into different depths.
High speed DC servo motors for fast, quiet and precise control.
Standard 2” focal length lens

It is recommended 18-20psi is used on an air compressor for a laser cutter. The power of an air filtration system should be 0.75kw with an airflow 13/15 CMM (50Hz/60Hz). Minimum coolant system for a 50w laser: Heat Load (max):800W, Flow Rate:1.5GPM, Temperature: 18deg~ 20deg.

All lasers supplied by Technology Supplies are fully compliant with The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive - which came into force on 1 July 2006 (EU Directive : 2002/95/EC).

In brief, the legislation requires that manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment choose product materials with more focus on the environment and recycling thereby reducing the levels of lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium (heavy metals) and PBB/PBDE (flame retardants).

laser cutting capabilities

Rather than comparing raw laser power it is better to compare the maximum thickness of material any given laser can cut in one pass and the cutting speeds on the same thickness of material.

Cutting in one pass reduces the machining time and ensures the edge finish is as good as possible.
It is possible to cut thicker materials with multiple passes but steps are left in the edge and machining times escalate.

The following table provides an indication of the maximum material thickness each of the most popular Mercury lasers can cut in one pass.

Please note, the Ply and MDF have to be good quality.

laser power	12Watt	25Watt	30Watt
Acrylic Sheet up to	8mm	20mm	25mm
Birch Ply up to	4mm	6mm	6mm
MDF up to	4mm	9mm	9mm

Cutting speeds for 3mm Acrylic

laser power	12Watt	25Watt	30Watt
Cutting Speed	4mm/sec	8mm/sec	9mm/sec