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The 100-watt unit is pretty useful at manufacturing centers, but it's also a favorite of hobbyists. You can use it to cut through a lot of materials for your home-based laser engraving company.
But what precisely will a laser of 100 watts cut?
A 100-watt laser cutter can cut a sheet of aluminum like a butter stick. This is why it is widely used in the metal processing and garment industries. You will also use it to cut materials such as plastic, cardboard, ceramic, leather, oak, stone, marble and more.
Materials that can be sliced by a 100-watt laser
The list of materials that can be cut using a 100-watt laser cutter includes:
Acrylic (3mm, 6mm, 12mm, 25mm).
Leather
Cardboard
Plastic that can be lasered
Paper
A one-eighth inch of MDF
Rubber Stamp
Wooden planks
What to note about using a 100-watt laser cutter for various materials
When cutting acrylic, you may want to keep switching the speed of your machine to a fine, fast cut. For eg, speed 15 is good for sculpting a 6mm acrylic board. But you need to dial the pace down to 1 for an inch of content.
A sheet of paper with a 100-watt laser is very easy to scorch. So, start by shifting the speed to 400 and change it slowly until you get your sweet spot.
The 100-watt laser works well with sheets of varying thickness (3mm to 12mm in thickness). Do remember to use a transfer tape if there is any evidence of scorching. Monitor the speed of the laser cutter, based on the thickness of the wood. 50 is a decent pace for 3mm wood and 5 is suitable for half an inch or 12mm.
Will you engrave a 100-watt laser cutter?
While we have developed that the 100-watt laser machine is perfect for laser cutting, you can also use it for laser engraving. The materials that you can engrave on are included;
Acrylic
Glass
Aluminum that is anodized
Ceramic
Leather
Brick
MDF
Cardboard
Rubber stamp
Foam
Wood
Marble and granite
Metal
Plastic
Make sure the lens is correct on the focus to engrave with accuracy. Often have the transfer tape handy to rule out the chances of the content being too hot or scorched. The 100-watt laser cutter is very effective. Keep tabs on your machine's speed at all times. It varies with different materials. Many engravers will come with a user manual that provides all of these information, so be sure to obey the directions given. For eg, engraving a brick may require a speed of 35, whereas engraving a sheet of plastic may require a speed of 400.
What are the benefits of a laser cutter?
1. Precision Several cutting methods are available. Thermal cutting, for example. Even then, the laser cut is known to be the best in the norm. When you're trying to sculpt a fiber like a cloth or a leather sheet with the utmost detail, nothing is sharper than a laser cut.
The laser system uses a strong beam to pinpoint and smoothly cut into the material. Tolerance ranges from 0.003mm to 0.006mm. The laser cut reaches an unprecedented precision.
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2. Pace Accurate laser cutting can be done in a jiffy. Irrespective of how complicated or complex a specification might appear; a laser cutter can get the job done quickly and efficiently.
3. Suits the Budget Sure, a laser engraver will cost tens of thousands of dollars, but if you're just an amateur, you don't have to buy an extravagant one. In reality, there are a lot of fantastic engravers under $ that are going to get the job done.
4. No Damage There is sometimes a misunderstanding that a laser cut will damage the material, particularly if it is small. But the fact is that the laser cut is not only crisp but also clean and expensive. It does not warp the surfaces of any object. In reality, the beam is extremely strong and slices through the material in the eyelid bat. So, you don't have to think about the content getting compromised or blurred.
5. Low Power Consumption The laser cutting unit requires very little power to work. Old and conventional cutting machines, on the other hand, use a lot of electrical power to work. The laser cutter uses less than 10kW of fuel.
6. Maximum Utilization and Low Waste Accuracy at work is one of the key selling points of the laser cutting system. The laser cut is accurate on the point and does not do any damage to the material. But you can work on a bulky project without losing a lot of material due to injury, which will be the case for other cutting options. In addition, in addition to cutting, the laser cutter can be used with several other tasks. You will use it to engrave, emboss and even drill into the material to achieve the perfect artistic look.
Final Feeling
Common cutting techniques, such as thermal and water jets, may still be in use today, but they are messy, costly and too complicated. But cutting with a laser is fast, inexpensive, effective and enjoyable, too. And as we've learned, you can use a 100-watt laser cnc machine on a number of different materials. And the best thing is that you don't need to be a pro to work with a laser system just mount it as per your user manual, and you're ready to go!
Hobbyists and businesses looking to craft unique products from wood, leather, or metal will need a proper laser machine to get the job done. Not every tool will be able to cut and engrave all materials with uttermost precision. The choice of equipment can make all the difference in creating art or wasting materials, time, and resources.
A 100-watt CO2 laser engraver cutting machine is a logical option when it comes to choosing industrial machines for cutting and engraving different materials. Considering it can engrave wood, plastic, and some metals, a 100-watt CO2 laser engraver makes a versatile tool suitable for various applications. But the question is, will this machine be good for you and your business? What is 100w CO2 laser cutting capacity
A 100-watt CO2 laser engraver makes a big investment, so it's essential to determine its capabilities before the purchase. This article will tell you everything you need to know about the depth of cut and other important characteristics of a 100-watt CO2 laser engraver.
The most significant factor to consider when choosing a laser cutter and engraver for your business or home is the laser power. When it comes to the 100W CO2 laser engraver, the name itself indicates its power. But what about the cutting capabilities?
Let's take the 100-watt CO2 laser engraver from OMTech as a reference. This machine can cut as deep as 10 mm on multiple nonmetallic materials such as glass, wood, leather, acrylic, rubber, and even granite.
This CO2 laser engraver & cutter comes with the following specifications:
A maximum engraving speed of 23.6 in/s
A cutting speed of 15.75 in/s
Focal length of 2 inches
An easy-to-use control panel
Safety features include auxiliary equipment like the air pump and automatic shutdown.
Pro Tip: If you're looking for a laser engraver for metals, we suggest using OMTech's Fiber Laser Cutting Machine with fiber laser power. A CO2 laser is not as effective on reflective materials.
While the 100W CO2 laser engraver has cutting capabilities of 10 mm on various materials, different factors can affect the depth of cut.
Materials with a thicker density, such as ceramics and glass, will require higher power settings to increase engraving depth. It's good to note they will also shorten your laser's life due to the prolonged use of high-power settings.
What can a 100W CO2 laser cut? Let's see how different materials affect the depth of the cut in more detail:
OMTechs 100W CO2 laser machine is a popular choice of equipment for cutting wood and industrial marking. However, different types of wood can affect the depth of the cut. This is because really thick wood does not fully absorb the laser beam, resulting in a shallow cut.
For example, when using plywood, which typically consists of at least three layers of wood, an ideal thickness is no more than 10 mm. Otherwise, avoid using a 100W CO2 laser engraver and cutter with plywood thicker than 10 mm.
Plastic and acrylics are popular engraving materials, but not all of them will provide the same level of versatility. For example, plastics with a microporous surface are easier to cut through as they don't require as much surface area removed. This will result in a cleaner and deeper cut.
As for acrylics, a 100W CO2 laser engraver can cut a thickness of up to 0.7 inches (20 mm) but no more than this, as it will negatively affect the depth of the cut.
When it comes to textile cutting, leather is generally a tough fabric and is challenging to puncture. While a 100W CO2 laser engraver will be good enough to get the job done with optimal results, we don't recommend opting for a too-thick piece of this material.
Other fabrics like fleece and cloth are less resilient and will not affect the depth of the cut as much.
When engraving and cutting paper, consider going for thicker material. Too thin paper can tear easily and burst into flames under the laser cutter. An ideal paper thickness for a CO2 laser engraver & cutter is 0.07 inches (2 mm).
Alongside the material type and density, the power of the laser engraving cutting machine will influence how deep you can cut. With OMTech's 100-watt CO2 laser, the lowest laser setting is 10%, which is 2-3 mA (milliamp), and the highest is 100%, which translates to 28 mA. A higher laser power paired with slower speeds on thicker materials like wood or glass will help achieve clean, deep cutting. On the other hand, textiles, paper, and plastic will require lower power with higher speeds.
The focal length and the beam width of a laser engraving cutting machine affect how deep the laser cuts. Here's how.
The laser engraver machine has a focus lens that focuses and directs the laser beam powered from the laser tube onto the material. The width of the laser beam that passes through the lens will influence how deep the machine will cut and how well it will execute the design details.
Wider beams result in deeper, bolder designs, while smaller beams are great for finer details. Beam width also influences the speed of cutting. For example, wider beams have greater coverage, which means they work faster.
Focal lens length also affects how deep the CO2 laser machine cuts. For example, shorter focal lengths will result in finer resolution, which is great for small details but will result in a shallow cut. Longer focal lengths won't help achieve finer details but will result in a deeper cut.
Using the most efficient power transmission of the 100W CO2 machine will guarantee optimal results and affect the depth of the cut. Ensure, therefore, that you always set the correct power and speed on your machine depending on the material underneath. Correct settings will help you achieve better product quality, prolong the machine's lifespan, and keep you safe. Remember, incorrect speed and power can result in fire from combustible gases when cutting plastics.
When you cut through very thick materials or multiple layers, you are at risk of material not absorbing the laser beam. In this situation, it could help to be patient and make multiple passes over the same area.
Thicker or delicate materials that don't like a lot of heat at once benefit from this method.
A 100W CO2 laser engraver and cutter can be an excellent addition to any DIY or professional workspace operating with a variety of materials. Now that you know its qualities and how to use its features and settings, you can decide whether a 100W CO2 laser engraver is the right tool for your needs.
If you are ready to take your hobby or small business to the next level, OMTech is here for you. Contact us today for more details and learn how our 100W CO2 laser engraver and cutter can help you handle your most demanding engraving and cutting projects.
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