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Laser cutters and laser engravers are similar machines that can cut or engrave images or shapes into hard materials. Industrial laser cutters can cut even the toughest metals, like stainless steel and nickel, while more affordable laser cutters, like DIY laser cutter kits, can cut wood, acrylics, and other softer materials.
Acrylic or plexiglass is a unique material that is very fun and creative to work with, but also very temperamental.
Acrylic laser cutters and engravers help take a lot of the guesswork and labor that comes with working with acrylic by automating and modernizing processes, such as deburring edges and achieving clean lines.
Can you laser engrave acrylic?
Yes. Acrylic laser engraving occurs when the laser evaporates the top layer of material. Therefore, the material absorbed by the laser rapidly turns into a liquid and then a gas. Because of this vaporization, you'll need an enclosed laser engraver with a ventilation system that can direct the fumes away from the work area, such as out of a window.
In addition to enclosure, you'll need a machine with air assist to further manage steam in all aspects of your sculpting environment.
Acrylic or plexiglass are actually ideal materials for laser engraving, as the laser avoids warping the material, provides automatic deburring, and gives you precise angles and sharp edges when cutting acrylic. They are also so powerful that industrial laser cutters can process acrylic materials up to an inch thick.
How to laser engrave acrylic?
When engraving, acrylic comes in two types: cast and extruded.
Cast acrylic is made by pouring a liquid into a mold, which is then turned into a matte material that is highly sought after in custom projects such as awards.
Extruded acrylic is made by putting pellets into an extruder, which is then melted and extruded. This is an easier and cheaper option to make and keep its clear deposits during the engraving process. It is also softer than casting and is best for projects that require smooth edges.
But in general, acrylic or plexiglass will absorb certain wavelengths of light, which means you'll be able to engrave at relatively low power. No matter which version you use, you only need about 25% - 50% more power to achieve the design you want.
You may have heard about the growing popularity of wood laser cutters, but now is the time to try it out for yourself. These wood laser cutters and engravers promise to combine your artistic endeavors with powerful design software while saving you time, money and costly mistakes.
What are CNC wood laser cutters and engravers?
A laser wood cutter is a mechanized way of cutting and carving wood using a laser beam and design software.
These are usually carbon dioxide or gas and laser "cut" or burn the wood to create the design you want, giving you a dark burnt wood effect. During this process, the intensity of the laser is adjusted to create varying degrees of "burn," as well as product shading and contrast (if desired).
If you don't want the signature burnt brown look, there is also a way to create a white engraving when using the correct settings (i.e. low temperature and high speed).
When laser cutting wood, you need to consider a number of factors before processing, such as the density and resin content of the wood. For example, balsa wood is soft, so cutting requires less power than hardwoods such as redwood. There's also MDF (made from glulam fibers), which requires a machine that uses compressed air and a laser to optimize cutting and engraving.
Laser wood cutters are popular for making arts and crafts, but they're also great for furniture construction, interior design, gifts, models, and more. Not only do they allow you to make these things, but they make them faster and better than traditional methods, giving you more money and opportunities to create.
Wood Laser Cutting and Engraving
All of the laser cutters on our list are also capable of carving wood, depending on the setup you use. For cutting wood, you'll want a higher power setting, and less intense for engraving. With carving, you don't want to cut the wood, but burn the top layer while maintaining most of the structure.
Since wood laser engraving doesn't require power, you don't have to spend a lot of money on a solid-state laser engraver. However, if large projects and precision are priorities, it's worth checking out the advanced options.
Lasers are very versatile and can be incorporated into a variety of courses. We've also found that Atomstack laser machines are very popular in schools outside of the classroom, as they can also be used to create student or teacher awards, cut classroom signage in-house, create promotional products for school fundraisers, and more. ) depending on the course topic and course, we have seen lasers used in a variety of courses including
From smartboards to tablets, 3D printers to laser cutters, more and more schools are bringing hands-on interactive technology into the classroom. Whether it's industrial technology courses, art labs, schools and universities adopting new technologies in the classroom, they are attracting more students and developing active learners. The laser cutting/engraving system is fast becoming one of the most popular tools in the classroom, or in some cases, building an entire curriculum around it. Laser cutters are versatile, easy to use and safe. Not to mention it's very fun to use. What to cut and engrave with the students with a laser machine.
Why do we work with students on laser cutting and engraving projects at school?
What is education? Education is about helping our students find a way to connect them with the world. Who do we need to nourish in the future? We have no shortage of people who don't change anything, copy the work day in and day out. If so, machines can do it. We have a shortage of creative people in every industry. We lack children who can develop new products, new technologies, unknown worlds, new ideas. How we raise children in this way is the responsibility of every teacher and the hope of every parent. Owning an Atomstack laser engraver can help your students connect them to the world. Here are the two main categories where we see educational facilities adding laser technology: specific courses for custom applications, and first we'll look at the different types of courses that use lasers. From industrial workshop courses to art to architectural design, schools are discovering lasers' powerful tools for engaging, inspiring and educating students. Lasers in the classroom develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, foster creativity, encourage peer collaboration, and develop more engaged and successful teachers.
Recommended Laser Engraving Machine:
The versatility of lasers means that there are naturally some hidden benefits to incorporating this type of equipment in your school. If you want to share all these money-saving ways to use a laser engraver outside the classroom, or if you want to keep them to yourself, you can decide!
Awards and Plaques
Your school gives out many awards each year - why not create your own custom awards and trophies using a laser? Creating and crafting custom rewards can be expensive. Bringing these services in-house can have a positive impact on school budgets.
School Signage
Schools are required to put up signage throughout the campus. Customize classroom signs for teachers and room numbers in just a few quick steps. Directional signs can be created to guide students and visitors through campus, or even building signs can be created to showcase your school mascot.
Fundraising Campaigns
How about something involving a laser machine when your school plans its next fundraiser? Can you custom etch a laptop for donation, or make a commemorative laser-cut holiday decoration for sale? Or make a special etched keychain with your school logo. Ideas are endless!
Booster Gifts
Are you looking for a special gift for a school booster? How about a cozy fleece with the booster name and school logo? Or a personalised travel coffee mug or water bottle? Even the simplest gift can mean so much more when customized with a laser.
Club Use
Does your school have a club that uses lasers? Imagine what projects an engineering club or art club could create by using a laser system. Lasers can even spark ideas for new clubs, such as the Architecture Club, that can use lasers for architectural modeling projects!
Activity
From sporting events to dance to science fairs, lasers can bring huge benefits to your school. Students can use the laser to create signage for events, create custom giveaways, and add laser cutting to science projects.
Wood laser cutting machines have gradually become the first choice in the related woodworking industry due to their unparalleled processing characteristics. Wood laser cutters are available in a variety of sizes and powers. When it comes to woodworking, laser wood cutters can mark, engrave and cut with amazing results. Laser cutting is an amazing technology that is now widely used for precise cutting of flat materials. It uses a movable laser head to emit a focused beam to cut, mark or engrave materials. Applicable materials include wood, acrylic, plastic, paper, cloth, rubber, stone, etc. This article focuses on the basics you need to know when buying and using a wood laser machine. If you are hesitant to buy a laser wood cutter for sale, I hope to give you some ideas.
A wood laser cutter is a laser cutter for cutting, engraving and etching wood. In addition to wood, other non-metallic materials can also be processed, such as plastic, acrylic, fabric, leather, rubber, stone, glass, etc. Therefore, it is also called plywood laser cutting machine, acrylic laser cutting machine, laser woodworking engraving machine wood. Wood laser machines are suitable for cutting simple to complex designs into flat materials. Now the mainstream laser wood cutting machine is CO2 laser cutting machine. Its beam wavelength is 10.64um, which is suitable for processing non-metallic materials such as wood. Another mainstream laser cutting machine is the fiber laser cutting machine. Its beam wavelength is one-tenth that of a carbon dioxide laser. Fiber laser cutting machine is more suitable for cutting metal, so it is also called metal laser cutting machine. Compared to fiber laser cutters for metal, wood laser cutters require much less power to cut wood. We have 80W, 100W, 130W, 150W and other power options. This laser power determines the cutting ability of the wood laser cutting machine.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Wood Laser Cutting Machine First, understand your machining needs. As a woodworker, you should look for engraving and cutting machines that can process wood and related materials. It's even better if your laser wood cutter of choice can process multiple materials. You can then initially determine your machine configuration requirements based on your processing needs. If you just engrave images on wood, a small power like 40W can meet this requirement. But when you want to cut wood, you need to consider a high powered wood laser cutter. The choice of machine size depends on the largest size of material you need to cut. If your project requires a lot of detail, accuracy is the key metric. The engraving quality of a wood laser engraver depends on a number of factors. For example, the beam width and the spacing between the lines it can engrave. If you need to cut boards longer than 20mm thick, you'd better use a CNC router. Don't forget the budget. Prices for home and factory wood laser cutters vary widely. You can expect to spend anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 on a machine. Before buying, please determine your maximum budget and choose the most suitable machine accordingly. Safety is also a key factor, especially if you are at the beginner level. You also need to pay special attention when you place the machine in a high-traffic area of your home or workshop. The best wood laser cutter with a protective cover might be ideal. It not only protects the operator's safety, but also protects the environment. You should also consider maintenance and repair of your laser cutter. It should be easy to clean. Ask about maintenance frequency and overall process before investing. Also, you should be able to easily find its parts in the market.
Buy a laser engraver for wood or laser cutting service If you don't need to laser cut wood projects often, you can opt for a laser cutting service. There are now many online laser cutting service providers. You just need to tell them your needs, send them the design files, and they can make laser cut products according to your needs. So you don't need to invest in an expensive wood laser cutter. Instead, you only pay the corresponding processing fees, shipping and other charges. Choosing a laser cutting service also comes with certain risks. That's because the quality of laser cutting services varies. And the resulting project may not meet your needs. However, if you need a large number of laser wood projects, or if your company is in the business of selling laser cut products, then buying a wood laser cutter is the best option. Because with a wood laser cutter, you will have a lot of flexibility. It is up to you to decide when and how much to cut. If you are not satisfied, you can pause the cutting process at any time and change the corresponding parameters. Buying a wood laser cutting machine is not a small investment, but the benefits can be considerable.
First, there are different types of laser engravers, each of which will produce different results. More worryingly, not all of them are suitable for carving wood. So you may end up with the wrong machine.
Can a laser engraver engrave wood?
Yes, a laser engraver can engrave wood and do it easily. Of all the available options like Chisel, Dremel and Cricut Maker, laser engravers arguably produce the best results faster.
But in the end, the results will depend on the laser engraver and the type of wood you use. There are three main types of laser engravers to choose from.
CO2 lasers, also known as gas lasers, use carbon dioxide gas to generate a laser beam. When an electric current is passed through the gas, it emits a laser light with a wavelength of 10,000 nanometers.
This wavelength is most suitable for treating non-metallic surfaces such as leather and wood, as well as plastics.
Fiber lasers are the most powerful lasers, producing a wavelength of 1064 nanometers. These machines have the smallest focal point and can be 100 times more intense than CO2 lasers.
While fiber laser machines are popular, they are not the best for wood carving. They are designed for engraving objects with harder surfaces such as metal.
As the name suggests, UV lasers emit UV light from 10 nanometers to 400 nanometers. The wavelengths are much shorter and don't generate as much heat. Therefore, processing with UV laser is also called cold working.
These lasers are just as good at engraving materials like wood as CO2 lasers and are best for marking and even micro-marking.
So if you were to ask, "What laser can engrave wood?" the answer is all lasers, but a CO2 laser engraver is the best choice.
In addition to the above, another type of laser engraving machine is also gaining popularity. That's a diode laser. These are smaller in size and cheaper. Therefore, many laser engravers designed for home use are using diode lasers.
The next factor to consider is the type of wood. While you can laser engrave on almost any wood species, the results will vary. To choose the best wood block for your project, check the following:
Streaks - Streaks are dark stains on wooden surfaces with varying mineral content. While stripes look good on wood, they are not suitable for carving. Therefore, you need to choose the wood with the fewest streaks.
Resin/Sap Content - Ideally, the wood should have a high resin or sap content. Logs with higher resin content will produce deeper burns, while logs with lower resin content will produce shallower cuts.
Tint - Logs should be lighter in tint as they will produce darker burn marks. It's much more difficult to etch designs on dark wood and get similar results.
Some wood species that meet these criteria are alder, cherry, basswood, hard maple, and balsa. I always enjoy carving other people out of these logs.
Atomstack S20 Pro
This powerful yet affordable machine meets all the requirements of a reliable wood laser engraver. It has sufficient optical power, large working area, ultra-fine focal length, and easy operation.
