SparkFun Forums

[xevilstar]

searching around i found that it can be possible to cut alluminium with a 40w laser module.... I wander if it can be possible to find such a cutie here someday.
if it is not... even a less powerfull module but that can cut would be perfect... if it will be slow it is not a problem if it can do small jobs in 24 hours it would be perfect for me.

[ProEngineer]

searching around i found that it can be possible to cut alluminium with a 40w laser module.... I wander if it can be possible to find such a cutie here someday.

It's unlikley. In the US it is illegal to sell any laser over 5mW without special permits.

[xevilstar]

what is the minimum power needed for a laser to cut such alluminium sheets ?

[MichaelN]

I think you'll find plenty of CO2 laser cutting machines on EBay in that power range (45W is quite common; they start at about $1100 for cheap Chinese units). However, I don't think you'll easily cut aluminum with such a low power (maybe thin foil - I don't know). The problem is the high reflectivity of aluminum at the wavelength of the laser, and its high thermal conductivity.

Stainless steel cuts much more easily than aluminum, and is preferred by laser cutting companies. I can't imagine you could cut anything other than very thin stainless with 45W though. Best to check manufacturers' specs.

[jotux]

Not meant for cutting, but recently ran across this page for high-power blue lasers: http://laserdiy.com/

I'm pretty sure you can burn stuff with those.

[MichaelN]

Not meant for cutting, but recently ran across this page for high-power blue lasers: http://laserdiy.com/

I'm pretty sure you can burn stuff with those.

Any laser that can "burn stuff" can also instantly (and permanently) damage your sight - be careful! If you're looking for dangerous laser pointers (as well as heaps of other stuff) for cheap you can't go past http://www.dealextreme.com/

[xevilstar]

i really do not want to just "burn things" I want to build a small size arduino controlled cnc to mod pc cases and I thought it could be cool to give it a cutting laser module that is mainly what i need (the 4mm thickness is about a mod I am actually designing)

Not meant for cutting, but recently ran across this page for high-power blue lasers: http://laserdiy.com/

I'm pretty sure you can burn stuff with those.

Any laser that can "burn stuff" can also instantly (and permanently) damage your sight - be careful! If you're looking for dangerous laser pointers (as well as heaps of other stuff) for cheap you can't go past http://www.dealextreme.com/

[MichaelN]

i really do not want to just "burn things" I want to build a small size arduino controlled cnc to mod pc cases and I thought it could be cool to give it a cutting laser module that is mainly what i need (the 4mm thickness is about a mod I am actually designing)

Not quite sure what you mean. Are you saying that you want to cut 4mm thick metal? If so, that would require a HUGE laser (thousands of watts)...

[xevilstar]

i thought alluminium would not be like steel to be cutted by a laser

[MichaelN]

i thought alluminium would not be like steel to be cutted by a laser

Steel cuts much neater than aluminum as previously mentioned (due to the higher thermal conductivity and reflectivity of aluminum). However, both steel and aluminum would require thousands of watts to cut a thickness of 4mm.

[Ales]

4-5kW machine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC8hJ2lQqe4 (I love this vids, i.e. this is nice CNC mill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsmiIeAkE-o)

With 45W you can cut very thin steel, probably only a foils, more or less thick. There are CO2 lasers to approx. 100W, much more usable, but again - only for steel and probably not thicker than 0.5-1mm (depend strongly on quality of components like tube, optics...). Forget the aluminium or copper at all. All of this gas laser tubes are sealed. It means that they are filled with special mixture of gases (not only CO2) and this gas degrades in time and under working conditions. So the output power of this tubes will fade and they have limited lifetime, roughly 5000 hours (with proper cooling) or several years and costs quite a lot. Also you will need an very costly and hard-to-obtain optics and special power supply - for 100W of light output power you will need much more from wall outlet. You have to count if it will pay off. Maybe you should consider to give this job to local metalworking fab, or maybe a small mill can do the job - much easier and safe to make with arduino and 2D xy table.

[bdmaple]

searching around i found that it can be possible to cut alluminium with a 40w laser module.... I wander if it can be possible to find such a cutie here someday.

It's unlikley. In the US it is illegal to sell any laser over 5mW without special permits.

WHAT!@

no. maybe only laser diodes, not laser tubes.
check out ebay for laser tubes. cheap and multiple watt, 100+

[bdmaple]

searching around i found that it can be possible to cut alluminium with a 40w laser module.... I wander if it can be possible to find such a cutie here someday.
if it is not... even a less powerfull module but that can cut would be perfect... if it will be slow it is not a problem if it can do small jobs in 24 hours it would be perfect for me.

40w will cut through foil, maybe, but definitely not 4mm aluminum as for your plasma question.
100w will etch aluminum, but never cut it.

Aluminum dissipates heat very efficiently.
You need at least a 1000w tube based laser system, check ebay, the x-y table can be EASILY made with 8020.net 's aluminum "erector style" pieces.
and m,ove it via arduino and servo's.
Turn on the laser tube/amp via a relay controlled by the arduino.

Quick quote for pricing basic system, (cutting corners, making do with many small things)
$500-1000.

If you make th tube yourself!! fun and easy task. it can come down to about $250-500.

I made a cnc- milling machine for actually less than $300. 18" x 24" x 6"

awesome. and fun.
mach3 is the most expensive part other than a purchased tube. $150.

Good luck dude.

[xevilstar]

How can i make the tube ?

[MichaelN]

How can i make the tube ?

It’s actually quite difficult and time consuming. Probably the most difficult part is making the curved mirrors for each end of the laser. Very similar to the skills needed to make telescope mirrors. You can buy them premade though. Then you have issues with vacuum & low pressure gases, high voltage electronics etc. I have some old plans lying around somewhere – PM me if you are interested. The plans are for a much lower power (100W I think).

It would be far easier to buy a premade tube, but 1000W is going to be quite pricy. Bear in mind that you would need a serious power supply (definitely 3-phase) to drive such a laser – the average domestic 110V / 230V supply will NOT be enough!