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Thread: CNC foam cutting

  1. #1
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    Default CNC foam cutting

    I would like to modify My cnc machine and replace the cutting head with a laser. MY question is if it is possible to use a laser diode to cut foam like Depron or Epp that is 6mm thick with a 2W or 3W laser diode. How do I know how much wattage I need to cut a certain material?

    If I'm in the wrong forum please tell me where this should be posted, first time here.
    Thanks
    Ringo

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    ... the wattage depends on the laser wavelength and focus quality or energy density.

    For cutting plastics a CO2 laser with 10640nm is much better suited than common diodelasers.

    I'm cutting plastic sheets with 2Watt @445nm, but only thinner than 1mm!

    Viktor

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    CO2 lasers are much more expensive correct? OR is there a way to do it low cost?

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    Quote Originally Posted by ringo42 View Post
    CO2 lasers are much more expensive correct? OR is there a way to do it low cost?
    low power co2 lasers are fairly inexpensive, but not as cheap as those 445 diodes... make sure you have really excellent ventilation.
    suppose you're thinkin' about a plate o' shrimp. Suddenly someone'll say, like, plate, or shrimp, or plate o' shrimp out of the blue, no explanation. No point in lookin' for one, either. It's all part of a cosmic unconciousness.

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    Can someone point me to such a low cost C02 laser please.
    Thanks

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    Quote Originally Posted by VDX View Post
    For cutting plastics a CO2 laser with 10640nm is much better suited than common diodelasers.
    Agreed. Not just for wavelength, but the thin beam allows easy depth of field with a very high energy density. I've never had one, the idea of shipping fragile glassware from China has always put me off trying, but some time I do want to get a CO2, it might be ideal for cutting acetal plastic, which I like for building stuff.

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    you haven't filled out your profile information, so i don't know where you are.

    assuming you're in the US, i would give these guys a ring. they have everything you need and have a good reputation:


    http://www.lightobject.com/Laser-CNC-C11.aspx

    Quote Originally Posted by ringo42 View Post
    Can someone point me to such a low cost C02 laser please.
    Thanks
    suppose you're thinkin' about a plate o' shrimp. Suddenly someone'll say, like, plate, or shrimp, or plate o' shrimp out of the blue, no explanation. No point in lookin' for one, either. It's all part of a cosmic unconciousness.

  8. #8
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    You could talk to these guys.
    http://stores.ebay.com/KALE-CNC?_trksid=p2047675.l2563
    It looks like they are into both CNC and lasers. I have a blue 445 from them, but showlasers are not their game. :-)
    __________________________________________________ __________

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    Just got to love lasers!

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    ... you can find cheap CO2-lasers with 40Watts of power with PS for around USD300, what's comparable in prices to the 1-2Watt@445nm-diodes with drivers - but 40Watts are much 'beefier' than 2Watts ... regardless of the wavelength ...

    I was working with and developing lasers for material processing some ten years now ... since summer I'm doing this for imes-icore - here the link to my actual diodemodules with up to 2Watts @445nm and 9Watts @975nm:
    http://www.imes-icore.de/produkte/pr...graving+Module

    Actually I'm developing a combined head with 4 to 6 (or even more) of the 445nm-diodes pointing on the same spot for averaged powers of up to 10Watts @445nm ... or >100Watts @975nm.

    For higher powers (and prices too) we're selling fiber-lasers with 200 or 500 Watts and CO2-lasers from 250Watts to 2 Kilowatts ...

    Viktor

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    Nice stuff there Viktor, I work with a 40 watt 808nm. But at the moment it is just a head and driver.

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