blog 1 (laser cutting documentation)

Hi everyone! 😌 Welcome to my first blog, where I’ll be sharing with you on my experience using a laser cutting machine! (COOL RIGHT?)

 

Here is a summary of the contents I’ll be talking about in my blog: 

1.     The 4 important hazards associated to the operation of laser cutting machine and their respective safety control measures (administrative/engineering control).

2.     The materials that can be cut and can’t be cut using laser cutting machine.

3.     The steps including pictures on the operation of UNIVERSAL laser cutter, that consist of:

a.     Starting the compressor, turning on the laser cutter machine and fume extractor.

b.     Importing a .DXF file to CorelDRAW and modify the lines/fill for cutting and engraving.

c.     Sending the CorelDRAW drawing to laser cutter software and setting the laser cutter power, speed, PPI in the software.

d.     Starting the job on the laser cutter machine.

e.     DOs and DONTs when there’s flame/fire on the material being cut.

4.     My Learning reflection on the laser cutter activities.

Without further ado, let’s get into the blog! 😎

 

Firstly, we will be looking at hazards and their control measures: 

Hazards	Safety control measures	Pictures to support the explanation
1. Material in laser cutting machine can catch fire	Engineering:  Emergency button is present to cut off power supply to the laser cutter, hence reducing the chances of the fire getting bigger.  Administrative: Students are informed about the ways to handle fires (eg. by blowing off/using fire extinguisher/cutting off power supply) beforehand during their safety briefing to minimise any harm to user.  Administrative: Students are informed to observe the material constantly and not leave the laser cutting machine unattended. This ensures that any material caught on fire can be detected almost immediately.
2. Smoke being inhaled, hence causing lung related problems to the user.	Engineering: Fume extractor is present with an in-built filtration system where it passes through carbon filter to remove any unpleasant odours. It also consists of an in-built air filter that releases clean air to the environment, instead of smoke from the laser cutter.  Administrative: Students are informed to turn on the air compressor and the fume extractor before turning on the laser cutting machine to continue operations.
3. Staring into the laser beam of the laser cutting machine may cause vision issues	Administrative: Students are informed to occasionally glance at the material and NEVER to stare into the laser beam
4. The laser cutter may come into contact with the user	Engineering: There is a lid present on the laser cutter that prevents any direct contact between the laser beam and the user. When the lid is lifted, the laser cutting machine will no longer be in operation as the power supply would be cut off.  Administrative: Students are informed beforehand to NEVER touch the laser beam of the laser printer during their safety briefing.

 

Laser cutters are not able to cut through all materials, as certain materials may pose a harm to the user if it is exposed to the laser. Hence, there are materials that are approved materials to be used in laser cutting, while some other materials are not approved. 

MATERIALS THAT CAN BE ENGRAVED/CUT USING LASER CUTTING MACHINE IN FABLAB

Material	Photo of material
1.     Paper/ White Card
2.     Cardboard
3.     Acrylic
4.     Plywood/ Balsa wood

MATERIALS THAT CANNOT BE ENGRAVED/CUT USING LASER CUTTING MACHINE IN 

Material	Photo of material
1.     PVC
2.     Metal
3.     Foam
4.     Rubber

Now that we have talked about the safety hazards to take note of when using the laser cutter, as well as the materials we can use, let us now look at the steps on the operation of the universal laser cutter machine. 

 
STEPS ON THE OPERATION OF THE UNIVERSAL LASER CUTTER MACHINE

(a)

1. Before using the laser cutter, turn on the main power switch for the laser cutter, fume extractor, air compressor and light switch. 

2.              Next, turn on the fume extractor to prevent the accumulation of smoke and gases in the laser cutter.

3.              Then, turn on the air compressor that aids in removal of smoke and debris from the laser cutter. 

4.              Lastly, turn on the universal laser cutting machine by pressing the power button. 

(b)

1. To import file from fusion 360 to corel draw, 

Select File > Import > Select your .DXF file and press import. 

2.   After importing the DXF file, select line colour and width to create either vector engrave, vector cut or engrave. 

*RED - (R:255 G:0 B:0)*

*GREEN - (R:0 G:255 B:0)*

 Note: Ensure that the colour settings are in RGB

3. For Vector cutting or Vector engraving, line width and colour can be adjusted. For vector cutting, select the outline pen icon (bottom right of screen) and change the line width to ‘hairline’ and select ‘red’ for the colour. 

 

 

Then, specify the style to ‘RGB’ and input the appropriate values for vector cut (R: 255 G:0 B:0) 

4. To adjust the fill colour for ‘engraving’ setting, click the fill icon (bottom right corner) and edit the ‘name’ into green under the uniform fill section. 

Then, input the appropriate values for ‘engraving’ setting (R:0 G:255 B:0). 

 

(c)&(d)

 

1. After inputting the settings, it is ready to be sent for laser cutting. Click on ‘file’ and then on ‘print’. 

 2. Then, click on the Cogwheel for settings. 

 

3. Then, the Universal setting will appear. Proceed to click on ‘LOAD’ for more material settings. Select the presets that match your material type and thickness. Select ‘OPEN’ 

 

 

4.  Before cutting, check for the power, speed and PPI settings.

 

9. On the Universal Control Panel (UCP), we will check the Horizontal and Vertical sides of the built-in ruler and use the ‘MOVE’ tool to move the object to the empty space of the plywood. (Click on the focus tool and crosshair appears)

 

10. With the lid open, check if the file is within a safe cutting area. 

 

11.When done checking, click ‘OK’. Then, shut the lid gently before proceeding to activate the laser cutter and to start cutting, press the ‘play’ button. (To pause the cut/engraving, click the ‘pause’ button) 

(Click ‘settings’ to change/set settings for different material) 

Once the process is over, let the extractor remove the toxic smell and particles first before lifting the lid of the universal laser cutter. It is recommended to wait for 1 minute as a safety precaution. Then, remove any unwanted materials and dispose them appropriately before deactivating the laser cutter!

(e) Dos and DONTs when there’s a flame/fire on the material being cut

DOs

-       Ensure that you actively watch the laser cutter at ALL times due to the fact that material might catch fire. 

-       When cutting materials, small fires may be expected. However, if material stays on fire, (more than 1-2 seconds), lift the laser cutter and stop the cutting operation. If fire is negligible, put it out by blowing it off. IF FIRE PERSISTS, remove material from the laser cutter and step on it to put out the fire. 

-       IF FIRE IS UNCONTROLLABLE, go to the closest fire extinguisher and put it out. Get people’s attention by shouting for help. 

 

DON’Ts 

-       Do not leave a laser cutter unattended when in operation. 

-       Do not keep quiet about the fire. Inform the staff in charge immediately. 

Learning reflection

When I first got to learn that we would be dealing with an actual laser cutting machine this practical, I was  both nervous and excited. I had never handled a laser cutting machine before and was definitely up for this new learning experience. 

Initially, we were briefed by Mr Chua on the different laser cutting machines that were located around school. These were the 'Epilog', 'Universal' and iLaser laser cutting machines. Before we were allowed to learn more about the features of the laser cutting machines, we were exposed to the most important thing when it comes to handling machines; SAFETY! 

We were informed on the different materials that could be used in laser cutting. We were also taught on which materials could not be used in laser cutting and the reasons behind why not. I found that it was crucial for us to be informed on the safety first as this would prevent any mishaps along the way. Moreover, as a chemical engineer we handle equipments/substances that are hazardous. Hence, I feel that it is always a good practice to learn about the hazards and safety measures of equipments to ensure the safety of all users. I can carry along this practice when I move on to the industry to do my internship/work. 

Before the actual lesson, we got learn about different types of laser cutting characteristics. Turns out, laser cutting involves different cutting methods such as 'vector cutting', 'vector engraving' etc. Initially, I thought that laser cutting was just a laser beam cutting through materials. However during this lesson, I got to discover that a laser cutting machine also involved outlining the materials (vector engraving) without completely cutting through the material! This was definitely an indicator that I still had much more to learn about the laser cutting machines and their characteristics. 

Before we were allowed to handle the machines, we had to complete an online competency test where we had to attain at least 80% in order to proceed on to the physical competency test. Although it took a few tries to attain a high grade, it was worth it because we were exposed to various questions that tested us on our thinking abilities. This way, we were able to get more exposure on the different laser cutting machines. 

For the physical competency test, we were required to create an SOP before the practical as this would be our form of reference during the competency test. Initially I was not confident to create an SOP by myself as this was the first time all of us were learning about the laser cutting machines. Previously, I had created SOP for other modules such as POS 1 and LPS 2. However, these SOPs were created with already existing knowledge on the equipment in the chemical plant and thus those SOPs were 'easier' to create. After actually going through the process of creating the SOP for the competency test, I realised that it helped me to get a better understanding about the laser cutting machines before I actually handled one. This taught me that reviewing materials beforehand and experimenting by yourself does teach you more things than waiting on a direct answer from the lecturers. This task enabled us to be more proactive and build our confidence. Moreover, I can apply this habit of preparing before lessons/practicals to all my other modules. This way, I can absorb more information and be more confident in my learning during lesson time!

Although I made some mistakes during the competency test, I am glad that my instructor was encouraging and motivating! Whenever I was not confident in myself, he would assure me that I could do it! Initially I was nervous that I would do something to the laser cutting machine that might harm someone around me. However I soon realised that the laser cutting machine had many engineering control measures that would help to keep the user and the environment safe. There were also additional resources such as the fire extinguisher, to help to diffuse any unforeseen circumstances. Although I'm not an expert at laser cutting, I believe I still learnt a lot of new skills during the actual practical. I hope to get the chance to handle the laser cutting machine more in the future, so that I can improve further 😋

Overall, the in-person competency test was a great new experience that I am glad I had the opportunity to have. I hope that in the future, I will be exposed to similar things that would help me to become a better learner! :)