Introduction

If you've never visited this page before, we strongly recommend that you to read the entire document. It is intended to serve as a "how-to" reference. The material listed in this document is also covered during the Certification Session that you must attend prior to being granted access.

Questions about anything you see here? E-mail design_help@ncsu.edu. Contacting the IT Lab or Materials Lab staff should be your first means to solve problems with the lasercutter.

General Usage Information

The lasercutter is a product of Universal Laser Systems (http://www.ulsinc.com). It's primary purpose is to produce precision-cut model pieces for assembly by students. The College of Design specifically restricts it's usage to students, faculty and staff of Design, for work on college-related projects (i.e. we do not permit non-Design users, nor do we permit non-course-related usage).

The machine is capable of cutting a wide range of materials, with a couple of notable exceptions (see below for a list). Because the machine produces precision cuts, it's extremely important for it to be kept clean at all times. Users must take special care to clean up after themselves, as any debris left in the cutting case may cause problems. Users should use a shop vac to clean the cutting bed before and after cutting, to insure that all debris have been removed.

Users are required to register with the Design Laser System, and then attend a Certification Session prior to being granted access to the lasercutter. This policy applies to all users, including all students, faculty and staff of the college. Everyone is required to be familiar with and and abide by the Usage Policies. These policies are prominently displayed around the lasercutter, and include a link to this Website.

To insure that only certified users have access to the machine, we have implemented a new login system for the lasercutter PC. Non-certified and non-registered users are immediately logged out.

Materials and Sizing

The following general types of materials are allowed for use with the lasercutters:

The following materials are EXPLICITLY FORBIDDEN:

• Glass
• Mirrors
• Metals
• PVC piping, other sorts of plastics that produce toxic by-products
• Synthetic paint-coatings (also tend to produce toxit by-products)

Professors and instructors have been specifically asked to notify the IT Lab and Materials Lab of students turning in work produced on the lasercutter using these prohibited materials.

Here are some specific items to remember when preparing materials for the lasercutter:

• The lasercutter bed dimensions are 18" width by 32" height.
• AutoCAD has a default margin of 1/8th of an inch on all sides. Therefore, it's effective cutting area is 17.75" by 31.75". This property can be changed, as necessary (contact the IT Lab for more information). CorelDRAW does not have this limitation.
• We recommend limiting your pieces of material to 17.5" by 31.5". You can use tape to keep your material from moving on the bed surface.
• The lasercutter is capable of cutting, engraving and/or scoring your material, depending on your speed and power settings. As a result, your material MUST be completely flat on the bed surface. Any warping or bowing will affect the focal length of the lens, and result in burnt material or sloppy cuts.

Preparing the Lasercutter

We recommend using the following procedure to prepare the lasercutter for use.

1. Take a moment to inspect the cutting bed. Use the vacuum to clean any loose debris left by prior users. Make sure the bed is clean before proceeding.
2. Place your material on the cutting bed, and push it up to the upper left-hand corner of the bed. The top and left sides of your material should touch the top and left edges of the bed ledge.
3. Turn on the power conditioner switch, located between the PC and monitor. This should turn on both the lasercutter itself and the exhaust air compressor. Make sure that you hear compressed air coming from the cutting head BEFORE proceeding any further.
4. On the lasercutter control panel, press the "Z" key (see Figure #1, below). This will cause the cutting head to move to it's home position (where it will start cutting). This should be the upper left-hand corner.
5. Use the "X" and "Y" arrow keys on the control panel to swing the cutting head out and over your material (see Figure #1, above). You should move it about 6 inches from the top and left.
6. Locate the focal length tool, attached to the left side of the lasercutter case. This tool has two beveled edges. Place it under the cutting head. Use the "Up" and "Down" arrow keys on the control panel to adjust the height of the cutting bed. To increase the precision of the height movement, hit the "Select" key. The goal is to adjust the height in such a way as so that the topmost beveled edge barely touches the bottom corner of the cutting head (see Figure #2, below). This is a delicate task, and should be done carefully. The tool should rock back very, very slightly once you've reached the proper height. Precision with this step insures that your cut will occur as you expect.
7. Once the height has been properly set, remove the focusing tool, and press the "Z" key again. The cutting head should return to it's resting position, at the top right.