Laser Cutting Attachment for Shopbot?

[williams_architectural]

Where do you get a laser attachment to install on the shopbot that will cut 3/16" thick carpet?

William

[Brady Watson]

How deep are your pockets? From what I know about industry pricing, you are looking at $30k+ for the head unit and controller. This does not include the price of the CNC.

-B

[dray]

You can use a co2 laser that will cost you around $4-5k.

You will need 75-100w

Applications: http://www.parallax-tech.com/cutting.htm

Here is a complete new system for $7k
http://www.parallax-tech.com/oemsys.htm

I have found them on ebay for under 3k

[williams_architectural]

I looked at those lasers. The price is good but I dont see how you install it on a cnc. They're big! Guess I figured they were a lot smaller. About the size of a spindle motor or something.

[dana_swift]

What most laser cutters do is mount the laser to a solid member of the structure, CO2 lasers HATE shock and vibrations, as the end mirrors that make the resonator cavity (the thing that makes a laser laze) have to be very precisely square to each other. Putting a laser on the gantry makes it have a VERY short life. So.. laser cutters put the laser on something solid and steady and move mirrors to direct the beam to where it needs to cut.

Now to guide the beam around it is better to spread the beam out so there is not so much power per square inch.. (don't want to cut through the mirrors do we?) So the next thing you need is a collumnating beam expander. Then at the working end, you need a beam concentrator, ending with a beam collumnator to get the power density up to the level you need to cut the rug.

Know the difference between a first surface and second surface mirror. It will matter in this application.

Next thing you need is something to stop the laser once it gets through the material. The last thing you want to the laser to do is hit something shiny and bounce of in some unpredictable direction and cut whatever happens to be there (you?).

Most optics labs using lasers have a sign on the wall that reads: "Never look at a laser with the remaining good eye". That is both for humor and remind those present that these things should be taken seriously. Be sure to have safety glasses that handle the lasers wavelength, and note that at these power levels they are not guaranteed to work for more than a fraction of a second!

The goal is clearly within reach- if you know what you are doing. If you want to learn, hopefully I have given you a direction to start investigating the necessary optical components. Other folks have built laser cutters, so it cant be all that tough.

Let us know how it goes! (While you can still see to use the computer!)

D

[dray]

Heh.. this is true..

I have a small 25W co2 laser. First off its invisible. SO when you unpack it from ebay and turn it on, dial it to highest power and point it at your hand keep in mind its going to leave a mark..

lol.

I never burnt my eye but could have easily blinded myself out of pure stupidity