Laser cutting and etching
From Grand River Makerspace Wiki
Laser Cutting & Engraving Area
⚠️ LASER SAFETY GLASSES REQUIRED WHEN MACHINE IS OPERATING ⚠️
⚠️ NEVER LEAVE LASER UNATTENDED WHILE RUNNING ⚠️
Desired Tools
Laser Machines
- CO2 Lasers — Best for cutting and engraving non-metals (wood, acrylic, leather, fabric, paper, anodized aluminum, and more).
- OMTech 80W CO2 Laser (Red/Black) — Primary workhorse machine; fully operational.
- 130W CO2 Laser — Larger 4ft x 3ft bed; currently awaiting electrical hookup.
- Noua 50W MOPA Fiber Laser — For metal marking, engraving, and color marking on stainless steel, titanium, brass, and copper. Also works on ceramics and stone. ⚠️ Use portable fume extractor near machine.
- ComMarker Omni X 5W UV Laser — Ideal for engraving plastics, glass, and coated metals without heat damage. Great entry point for tumbler engraving with the R5 Rotary attachment. ⚠️ Use portable fume extractor near machine.
- Diode Laser — Entry-level machine; good for light engraving on wood, leather, and some plastics. Lower power than CO2.
Essential Equipment
- Air Compressor - For air assist nozzle
- Exhaust/Ventilation System - Fume extraction is critical
- Inline Fan with Ducting
- Fume Filter - Activated carbon and HEPA (for use with the Fiber Laser and UV Laser
- Chiller or Water Cooling System - For CO2 tube cooling
- Air Assist Pump - Reduces charring and flare-ups
- Honeycomb Bed - For cut-through work
- Rotary Attachment - For cylindrical objects
- Autofocus Probe - For consistent focus height [NOTE CURRENTLY DISABLED ON RED/BLACK CO2 LASER]
Tools & Accessories
- Focus Gauge / Height Tool - located near each machine that requires manual focusing (attached to machine metal with magents)
- Masking Tape - Low-tack for surface protection
- Transfer Tape - For weeding small parts
- Tweezers and Picks - For removing small cutouts
- Digital Calipers - Material thickness measurement
- Fire Extinguisher Next to RED/BLACK CO2 Laser
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Safety Equipment
- Laser Safety Glasses — ⚠️ Required for Fiber Laser and UV Laser operation (if not using the green shield). Never look directly at the Fiber Laser beam without glasses. Tip: you can safely view your work through your phone camera while engraving.
- Fiber Laser View Blocking Panels — Please use the panels located near the machine to protect others in the space from beam exposure.
- Fire Blanket — Located on the East Wall next to the Red/Black 80W CO2 Laser.
- First Aid Kit — Includes burn treatment supplies. Located near the bathroom inside the main makerspace room.
- Gloves — Available for handling materials as needed.
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Software & Design
⭐ Recommended Laser Software
| 🏆 LightBurn — Preferred Laser Design Software | ||
|---|---|---|
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LightBurn is the industry standard for laser cutting and engraving. It supports GCode, DSP (Ruida, Trocen), and EZCad2-based Galvo lasers (fiber, CO2, UV). Not ready to buy yet? Try LightBurn free for 30 days — and if you need more time, LightBurn is known to be generous about extending trials a couple of times while you're getting started.
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Vector Design Tools
| Software | Cost | Notes | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inkscape | Free | Open-source vector design — great for laser prep work | inkscape.org |
| Affinity | Free | Professional-grade vector and raster design suite | affinity.studio |
| Adobe Illustrator | Paid (subscription) | Industry standard vector design | — |
| CorelDRAW | Paid (subscription) | Popular in sign/laser cutting industry | — |
Other Laser Control Software
| Software | Cost | Best For | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| LaserGRBL | Free | Diode lasers with GRBL controllers | lasergrbl.com |
| RDWorks | Free | Machines with Ruida controllers (older software) | — |
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Tools We Own
Laser Machines
| Item | Model | Specifications | Safety Training Required | Owner's Manual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO2 Laser (80W) | OMTech 80W | 80W, 28" x 20" (500mm x 700mm) bed, autofocus currently disabled (pending repair) | Yes - Mandatory | User Manual |
| CO2 Laser (130W) | 130W CO2 Laser | 130W, 4ft x 3ft (1219mm x 914mm) bed, autofocus status unknown; awaiting electrical hookup | Yes - Mandatory | Link |
| MOPA Fiber Laser | Noua 50W MOPA | 50W; bed size varies by lens: 254mm lens (160mm x 160mm / 6.3" x 6.3"), 420mm lens (400mm x 400mm / 15.7" x 15.7"); use portable fume extractor near machine | Yes - Mandatory | Generic User Manual Noua Website |
| UV Laser | ComMarker Omni X 5W | 5W UV (355nm); bed size varies by lens: 150mm lens (150mm x 150mm) — general engraving workhorse; 70mm lens (70mm x 70mm) — 3D internal glass/crystal engraving and high power density work | Yes - Mandatory | User Manual Omni X Website |
Support Equipment
| Item | Model | Specifications | Notes | Safety Training Required | Owner's Manual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fume Extractor | Generic portable fume extractor | HEPA filtration | ⚠️ Required when using the Fiber Laser or UV Laser until a permanent exhaust system is installed. Unit is located next to those machines. | Yes | — |
Accessories
| Item | Model | Compatible Machine(s) | Notes | Safety Training Required | Owner's Manual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rotary Attachment | PiBurn Laser Rotary 4.0 | OMTech 80W CO2 Laser | For engraving tumblers and cylindrical objects. ⚠️ Advanced process — not beginner-friendly. We recommend attending a Laser Engraving Tumbler Workshop or scheduling one-on-one training before your first use. Rotary Setup & Usage Documentation |
Recommended — see notes | Manual |
| Rotary Attachment | ComMarker R5 Multi-Functional Rotary | Omni X UV Laser | For engraving tumblers and cylindrical objects. ✅ New to tumbler engraving? Start here. The UV Laser with the R5 Rotary is currently the most beginner-friendly way to laser engrave tumblers at GRM. ⚠️ UV Laser use is still an advanced process — we recommend scheduling one-on-one training before your first use. R5 Rotary Info & Overview 📺 Videos: ComMarker R5 Rotary Overview ComMarker R5 In Use 📚 ComMarker Tutorial Playlist |
Recommended — see notes | Manual & Assembly Guide |
Safety & Usage Information
General Safety Rules
- NEVER leave the laser unattended while operating
- Always wear appropriate laser safety glasses
- Ensure exhaust/ventilation is running before starting
- Keep fire extinguisher within reach
- Know the location of the emergency stop button
Material Safety - APPROVED Materials
| Material | Cut | Engrave | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood / Plywood | Yes | Yes | Use air assist, watch for resin flare-ups |
| MDF | Yes | Yes | Heavy smoke, ensure good ventilation |
| Acrylic (Cast) | Yes | Yes | Best results, clean cuts |
| Acrylic (Extruded) | Yes | Caution | Tends to melt, less crisp engraving |
| Paper / Cardboard | Yes | Yes | Low power, fire risk |
| Leather (Veg-tanned) | Yes | Yes | NOT chrome-tanned |
| Cotton / Natural Fabrics | Yes | Yes | Low power, watch for ignition |
| Cork | Yes | Yes | Low power |
| Rubber (Laser-safe) | Yes | Yes | Only use laser-rated rubber |
| Anodized Aluminum | No | Yes | Engraving only |
| Glass | No | Yes | Engrave only, with care |
| Slate / Stone | No | Yes | Engrave only |
Material Safety - PROHIBITED Materials
| Material | Reason |
|---|---|
| PVC / Vinyl | Releases chlorine gas - EXTREMELY DANGEROUS |
| ABS Plastic | Toxic fumes, melts poorly |
| Polycarbonate (Lexan) | Discolors, catches fire easily |
| HDPE / Polypropylene | Melts, doesn't cut cleanly |
| Polystyrene / Styrofoam | Catches fire, toxic fumes |
| Fiberglass | Toxic fumes |
| Carbon Fiber | Toxic fumes, fire risk |
| Chrome-tanned Leather | Contains chromium - toxic |
| Coated/Treated Wood | Unknown chemicals, toxic fumes |
| Anything with unknown composition | Always verify material first |
Fire Safety
- Keep a fire extinguisher (CO2 or ABC) within arm's reach
- Fire blanket should be available
- If fire occurs: STOP laser, keep lid closed if small, use extinguisher if needed
- Never use water on electrical fires
Operating Procedures
- Complete mandatory training before use
- Sign in on the log sheet
- Verify ventilation is running
- Check material against approved list
- Set appropriate power/speed settings
- Stay present during entire operation
- Allow material to cool before removing
- Clean bed and remove scraps
- Sign out on log sheet
Emergency Procedures
- Emergency stop button location: Red/Black 80W CO2 Laser — E-Stop is located near the LCD panel
- Fire extinguisher location: Left of the Red/Black 80W CO2 Laser
- Fire suppression blanket location: Left of the Red/Black 80W CO2 Laser, on the East Wall
- First aid kit location: Near the bathroom
- Emergency contact: Chris Kaminsky — 616-802-7088 — chris@grandrivermakerspace.org
- In case of fire that cannot be controlled, evacuate immediately and call 911
