An Ultimate Guide on How to Use a Laser Cutter

PDF download Download Article
Learn the basics of creating and cutting images with a laser cutter
PDF download Download Article

A laser cutter is a machine that uses a laser to cut and engrave materials. Choose an image you would like to cut or engrave, optimise it for laser cutting, pick a material, and then press print on the laser cutter. This is a quick and easy way to replicate the same design on different materials, or create multiple copies of the same object.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Creating an Image File

PDF download Download Article
  1. A middle of the range laser cutter costs about US$1000. This is quite a high price if you are just wanting to experiment with a laser cutter. Contact your local university or polytechnic and ask if you can pay to use their laser cutter. This will give you a chance to find out what model of laser cutters you like best, before investing a large amount of money in purchasing your own. [1]
    • If you want to buy your own laser cutter, consider buying a used model to reduce the cost.
  2. Laser cutters can cut and engrave wood, plastic, cardboard, foam, fabric, and thin sheets of metal. Any material containing chlorine cannot be used due to the toxic fumes they produce. Avoid PVC, vinyl, and printed circuit boards. [2]
    • Glass can be engraved but cannot be cut.
    • Thick metal cannot be cut.
    Advertisement
  3. This could be a photo, a computer drawing, or computer text. Start with a simple image at first and try more complex images as you gain experience with the machine.
    • If you are using a photo, make sure it has plenty of contrast and not many shadows. [3]
  4. Check the side of the laser cutter or the user manual to find out what software to use. Save the image file to your computer. Open the software and click “import” to upload the image to the programme. [4]
    • Popular software options are Adobe Illustrator and CoreIDRAW. These can be downloaded online.
    EXPERT TIP

    Ylva Bosemark

    Jewelry Maker
    Ylva Bosemark is a high school entrepreneur and the founder of White Dune Studio, a small company that specializes in laser cut jewelry. As a young adult herself, she is passionate about inspiring other young adults to turn their passions into business ventures.
    Ylva Bosemark
    Jewelry Maker

    Use online tutorials to learn the software. Ylva Bosemark, a jewelry designer, says: "I learned Rhino first, which made it much easier to learn CorelDRAW and Adobe Illustrator. Those are the two softwares connected to most laser cutters, and the commands are very specific and concise. Also, on the CorelDRAW website, there are tutorials you can use. Online tutorials are your best friend. "

  5. It is important that the image size is not larger than the size of your material, otherwise you will end up with sections of the image missing. Go to the setting of the image and change the dimensions to match the size of your material. [5]
    • For example, if your material is 10 centimetres (3.9 in) x 20 centimetres (7.9 in), enter 10 centimetres (3.9 in) as the width and 20 centimetres (7.9 in) as the height. Make sure that you have selected the correct unit of measurement.
  6. In the settings of the image, select “photo-optimised” if you are cutting a photo. If you are printing a digital drawing or text, select a resolution of at least 333dpi (dots per inch). This will optimise the image for laser processing. [6]
    • As you get used to the laser cutter you are using, experiment with different effects. In the algorithm effects toolbar you can vary the depth and patterns of engraving.
    • If you are cutting a picture of people, select “ordered dithering” in the algorithms toolbar. This effect will help the people to stand out.
    7. Advertisement
Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Adjusting the Machine

PDF download Download Article
  1. This is the optimal placement to achieve a quality result. If your material doesn’t fit, you will need to trim it down so it can fit flat inside the machine without bending up at the sides. Press any key on the keyboard, this will cause the laser to test its dimensions across the mat. If the laser moves outside the area of your material, reposition the material so that the laser doesn’t move off the edge of the material. [7]
    • Don’t forget to resize your image if you trim the material.
    • If your material has a bend in it, place a weighty metal rod on the edges of the material to hold it down.
  2. Dampen a piece of cotton wool with rubbing alcohol and lightly rub the lens of the laser cutter. This can be done while the lens is still in the machine. [8]
    • Purchase rubbing alcohol from a drugstore or grocery store.
  3. Most modern laser cutter will have an automatic lens height sensor or button. Once your material is in the correct position, press the “adjust lens height” button on the machine if the machine doesn’t adjust automatically. Adjusting the lens height will focus the laser at the correct level.
    • If there is no lens height button, you will need to adjust the height manually. Read the user manual of your laser cutter model to find out how to do this, as the process varies between models. [9]
  4. Press the on switch on the fume extractor. This is the large tube located behind the laser cutter. The fume extractor sucks all the fumes and dust from the material out of the laser cutting machine. [10]
    • Don’t use any materials that contain chloride, even if you are using a fume extractor.
    5. Advertisement
Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Choosing Print Settings

PDF download Download Article
  1. In the material settings, select what kind of material you are using. This will dictate the settings of the laser. For, example if you are cutting wood, the pressure will be stronger than if you were cutting foam. [11]
  2. Click on the print menu. A preferences menu will pop up and ask you to choose the cutting method: raster or vector. If you are cutting your image press “vector print” and if you are engraving press “raster print”. [12]
  3. Press print and watch your image come to life. Don’t move your material while it’s being cut, otherwise, the image components won’t line up. [13]
    • If you want to print multiple copies of the same item, replace the cut object with a new piece of material and press print again.
    4. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    Do I have to leave the cutter to cool?
    Community Answer
    No, It is fine to remove the finished product from the laser cutter as soon as the process is over. There is usually a beep to signal the cutting is complete.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 8 Helpful 25
  • Question
    When cutting a circle in acrylic, I can visibly see and feel a notch where the cut begins and ends - is this normal?
    Community Answer
    Those notches are called "tabs," and are for keeping them from falling out in place once they're cut. Your machine might have an option to enable/disable tabs.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 22 Helpful 29
  • Question
    How many different nozzles are there on a laser cutter?
    Community Answer
    As far as I know, lasers use a set of lenses to direct a cut with a beam. Unless it is an abrasive type of laser like a water one, you might be thinking of a 3D extruder which uses different nozzle sizes for the material you're printing and detail level that you need. In that case it would depend on the specific type.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 27 Helpful 17
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      Things You’ll Need

      • Laser Cutter
      • Material (fabric, card, wood, foam, thin metal)
      • Compatible software
      • Cotton wool
      • Rubbing alcohol

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Use a Biscuit Joiner: Tips and Techniques
      How to
      Wrap a Knife Handle with Paracord
      How to
      Close a Pocket Knife
      How to
      Use a Cutting Torch
      How to
      Measure Chainsaw Chain
      How to
      Replace an Axe Handle
      3 Easy Ways to Sharpen a Pocket Knife at Home
      How to
      Sharpen a Hand Saw
      How to
      Sharpen Pinking Shears
      How to
      Use a Punch Down Tool
      How to
      Use a Reciprocating Saw
      How to
      Sharpen an Axe
      How to
      Use an Angle Grinder
      How to
      Loosen up a Stiff Knife
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://makezine.com/2015/12/02/a-guide-to-buying-your-first-laser-cutter/
      2. ↑ https://www.sculpteo.com/blog/2016/07/20/which-material-can-you-use-for-laser-cutting/
      3. ↑ https://www.troteclaser.com/en/knowledge/tips-for-laser-users/photo-laser-engraving/
      4. ↑ https://www.troteclaser.com/en/knowledge/tips-for-laser-users/photo-laser-engraving/
      5. ↑ https://www.cutlasercut.com/resources/drawing-guidelines/coreldraw#maintaining-continuous-vector-geometry
      6. ↑ https://www.troteclaser.com/en/knowledge/tips-for-laser-users/photo-laser-engraving/
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/_5ab2V06Sf8
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/AZP6nMdsNsY?t=39
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/_5ab2V06Sf8?t=347
      1. ↑ https://ixdlab.itu.dk/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2017/01/Lasercutting_101_IxD_Lab.pdf
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/_5ab2V06Sf8?t=447
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/_5ab2V06Sf8?t=447
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/_5ab2V06Sf8?t=447

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 138,480 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Callum Adams

        Jun 9, 2021

        "It helped me learn about the laser cutter more and how to use it properly. You must read all of this article if ..." more
      More reader stories Hide reader stories
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement