Laser Cutting for a Variety of Materials

Have you ever wondered "what can you cut with a laser cutter?" The answer is, pretty much anything. Laser cutting works by directing a highly concentrated beam (the output of a high-powered laser) onto the desired surface through a series of lenses that amplify its intensity. When the laser beam hits the material on the target surface, it is either vaporized, melted, burned away, or blown away by the gas jet.

Laser engraver for wood:
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Lasers are used to cut, etch, mark and engrave materials for a variety of applications. On the industrial side, auto and aerospace parts manufacturers use laser cutters to mark parts with unique traceability numbers or product identification numbers, allowing regulators to trace each part's path through the supply chain. Product designers use laser cutting to create home decor products and other crafts. The wide range of applications for laser cutters is due in part to the versatility of laser cutting materials, including:

Laser engraver for acrylic: https://www.atom-stack.com/pages/laser-cutter-for-acrylic ,

Acrylic, also known as plexiglass, a hard plastic material that comes in a variety of colors
Mylar film also known as polyester
nylon
Two-color acrylic
Polyethylene and Polypropylene
Stainless steel
anodized aluminum
silicone
Fabrics such as suede, leather, linen and cotton
Sheet metal, including magnets

The Laser Institute of America, in partnership with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), has published a document called ANSI Z136, which establishes safety standards for operating lasers in the workplace. According to the standard, the lasers in a typical laser engraver would be marked as Class 3B or Class 4 - high power laser beams capable of causing serious skin or eye damage.

Laser engraver for metal:
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Nonetheless, laser cutters are designated as "low risk" under the standard because they are fully enclosed and interlocked. Users should not manipulate safety features or intentionally expose their skin or eyes to the laser beam - otherwise, laser engraving and cutting is an extremely safe and low-risk technique.

Imagine a car part you're manufacturing that has to be marked for traceability, and you have the option of marking it with a laser cutter or chemical etching. If you choose to etch, you need to develop a relationship with a supplier who can provide you with the chemicals, acids, and wastewater treatment equipment you need for legal processing. You also have to generate a unique physical template for each unique marker, or replace the used template after 20-30 uses.

Laser engraver for leather:
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In contrast, the only consumable used by a laser cutter is electricity, so you don't need a new waste removal process or order additional products.