To begin with laser machine safety, it is essential to have knowledge of the space in which it is located. This will allow us to first have a general overview and then focus on the specific details.
In the Fab Lab iFurniture, you can see a safety area around the CNC laser machine, marked by yellow lines with black stripes, which are visibly marked on the floor. This is to prevent people from entering the work area without the proper protection.
It is essential to have proper signage in the workspace. The signs should be visible and clear to warn about laser hazards, electrical risks, and safety rules to follow. Additionally, the signage helps maintain order in the workspace and preserve the condition of the machine.
Signage also helps preserve the machine. For instance, in the area where the laser controls are located, it is forbidden to place magnets, as this could damage the equipment.
One of the things we must know before operating the machine is the type of equipment we are using. The machine in the Fab Lab iFurniture is of Chinese origin, a C4V laser 1390 type.
The CNC laser machine also has a stabilizer that powers on the entire machine. It also has ports to connect to the internet, the computer, or directly via USB. It includes the power buttons for the machine, the laser, and the lamp.
A laser tube in a laser machine is the main component that generates the laser beam. Its function is to convert electrical energy into concentrated laser light, which is used to cut, engrave, or mark materials with precision. The power and type of the laser tube determine which materials the machine can process and the quality of the results.
First, before starting the activity, I check what materials are available in the Ifurniture Fab Lab and choose the one that will best help me develop the project.
Once the material is selected, I design the template in the Rhinoceros program, where I will conduct the power and speed test using 3mm MDF.
The software compatible with the machine that I used is RDWorks, which will assist me in the testing.
I configure the colors, assigning each one a specific power and speed. I start with a speed of 10 and increase it to 100, while adjusting the power from 10 to 70.
An important step before working with the machine is knowing the material thickness, in order to make the necessary configurations and calibrations.
The C4V Laser 1390 is a high-precision laser cutting and engraving machine. It features a working size of 1300x900 mm, allowing for the processing of large materials. It is ideal for cutting and engraving a variety of materials such as wood, acrylic, leather, and more. Additionally, it has an efficient control system and is compatible with various software to facilitate its use.
For the assignment of characterizing the focus, power, speed, and acceleration of the laser cutter, we selected a material from the Re-trazos project of the Fab Lab iFurniture, aiming to recycle it and use it in our test.
This is the result of the comb, which ranges from 2.8 mm to 3.2 mm. With a tolerance of 2.8 mm, it didn't fit, but at 3 mm, it fit precisely. With values of 3.1 mm and 3.2 mm, it fit without any difficulty.