Week 17 | Wildcard Week

Wildcard Week – Fiber Laser Engraving and Cutting

The objective of this week was to explore a digital fabrication process different from the ones used in previous assignments. For this activity, a custom plate was designed, engraved, and cut using a fiber laser machine.

Unlike processes such as 3D printing, CO2 laser cutting, or CNC milling, the fiber laser allows high-precision engraving and cutting on rigid surfaces and metallic materials. The main purpose was to understand the complete workflow from digital design preparation to machine configuration and final fabrication.

1. Selected Process

The selected process was fiber laser engraving and cutting. This technology uses a concentrated laser beam to modify the surface of a material. Depending on the power, speed, frequency, and number of passes, the machine can produce different results such as surface marking, deeper engraving, partial cutting, or complete cutting.

In this case, the process was used to fabricate a custom plate by combining surface engraving with an external cutting contour.

The process began with the digital design of the plate in Adobe Illustrator, where engraving and cutting operations were separated using different colors. Once the file was prepared, the material was positioned and aligned inside the fiber laser machine. After configuring parameters such as power, speed, and frequency, preliminary tests were performed to validate engraving quality and cutting precision. The final fabrication sequence consisted of surface engraving first, followed by contour cutting, cleaning, and inspection of the finished plate.

2. Plate Design

The plate design was created digitally in Adobe Illustrator. The design included both the graphic information to be engraved and the external geometry to be cut.

The file included two main types of elements:

  • Graphic elements and text for engraving
  • External contour lines for cutting

Several plate variations were developed during the design process in order to test different visual compositions and logo distributions. These iterations explored changes in:

  • Logo size and positioning
  • Text alignment
  • Spacing between graphic elements
  • Overall balance of the composition
  • Relationship between the engraved graphics and the external shape of the plate

During the design process, the following aspects were considered:

  • General dimensions of the plate
  • Legibility of text and graphic elements
  • Separation between engraved details and cutting lines
  • Line thickness
  • Position of the external cutting contour
  • Relationship between the visual design and the final geometry

3. File Preparation

Before sending the file to the machine, the design was prepared in Adobe Illustrator using different colors to separate engraving and cutting operations.

The file was organized so that:

  • The cutting lines were assigned to a specific color.
  • The engraving areas were assigned to a different color.
  • Each color could be linked to different laser parameters in the machine software.

This color-based organization allowed the laser software to identify which elements had to be engraved and which ones had to be cut.

The file was also checked to make sure that:

  • The design was in real scale.
  • The cutting lines were closed.
  • There were no duplicated geometries.
  • The graphic elements were correctly aligned.
  • The file was compatible with the laser control software.

Separating the operations by color helped organize the workflow and allowed more precise control over each laser operation.

4. Machine Configuration

The plate was fabricated using a fiber laser machine. Before starting the job, the material was placed on the work area and the machine was configured according to the engraving and cutting requirements.

The setup process included:

  • Positioning the material on the machine bed
  • Adjusting the laser focus
  • Aligning the design with the material
  • Defining the working area
  • Configuring engraving parameters
  • Configuring cutting parameters
  • Running preliminary tests

The main parameters considered were:

  • Power
  • Speed
  • Frequency
  • Number of passes
  • Hatch spacing for filled engraving areas
  • Engraving or cutting mode

Adjusting these parameters was important to obtain a clean result without excessive burning, deformation, or poor contrast.

5. Initial Tests

Before fabricating the final plate, initial tests were performed to evaluate how the material reacted to the fiber laser.

These tests helped evaluate:

  • Engraving depth
  • Visual contrast
  • Detail precision
  • Cutting quality
  • Thermal marks
  • Need for multiple passes
  • Material behavior under different power and speed settings

Based on these tests, the parameters were adjusted to improve the quality of the final result.

6. Fabrication Process

Once the file was validated and the machine was configured, the fabrication process was carried out.

First, the surface engraving was performed because it required accurate alignment while the material was still fixed in place. After engraving, the external contour was cut to release the final piece.

The fabrication sequence was:

  1. Material preparation
  2. Laser focus adjustment
  3. Design alignment
  4. Engraving of graphic elements
  5. Visual inspection of the engraving
  6. Cutting of the external contour
  7. Removal of the final plate
  8. Final cleaning

This order helped keep the material stable during engraving and prevented displacement before the cutting operation.

7. Final Result

The final result was a custom plate engraved and cut using a fiber laser machine. The engraving created permanent visual details on the surface, while the cutting operation defined the final shape of the piece.

The result shows how fiber laser technology can be used to fabricate plates, labels, identifiers, graphic pieces, or customized components with a high level of precision.

8. Difficulties Encountered

Some difficulties were identified during the process, mainly related to machine configuration and material behavior.

The main difficulties were:

  • Adjusting the laser focus correctly
  • Finding the right balance between power and speed
  • Avoiding excessive thermal marks
  • Achieving good engraving contrast
  • Differentiating engraving and cutting operations correctly
  • Preventing the material from moving during the process

These issues were solved through preliminary tests and progressive parameter adjustments.

9. Key Learnings

  • Fiber laser engraving allows permanent and precise surface marking.
  • Correct file preparation is essential to avoid fabrication errors.
  • Using different colors in Illustrator helps separate engraving and cutting operations.
  • Power, speed, frequency, and number of passes directly affect the final result.
  • Laser focus has a strong impact on engraving and cutting quality.
  • Preliminary tests are necessary before producing the final piece.
  • The operation order is important: engraving should be done before cutting.
  • Small parameter changes can produce visible differences in the final finish.

10. Conclusion

The use of the fiber laser machine made it possible to explore a digital fabrication process focused on precision engraving and cutting. This technology expands the fabrication possibilities of the lab, especially for pieces that require customization, durability, and permanent surface marking.

This activity helped understand the full workflow from digital design to final fabrication, including file preparation, machine setup, material testing, parameter adjustment, and result validation.

Download Files

The design files used in this assignment can be downloaded below.