Student Material 001: CO2 Laser Technology Quick Reference¶
Material ID: U3M1-MAT-001 Purpose: Quick reference for CO2 laser technology fundamentals, specifications, and key concepts Format: Reference tables and comparison charts Updated: 2026-03-19
CO2 Laser System Components¶
| Component | Function | Key Specification |
|---|---|---|
| Laser Tube | Generates the 10.6μm beam | 40-150W output, 2K-8K hr lifespan |
| Mirror 1 | Redirects beam from tube to Y-rail | Gold-coated silicon, fixed position |
| Mirror 2 | Redirects beam along X-gantry | Gold-coated silicon, moves on Y-axis |
| Mirror 3 | Redirects beam down to lens | Gold-coated silicon, moves on X-axis |
| Focusing Lens | Converges beam to focal point | ZnSe, 2" focal length (most common) |
| Air Assist | Blows air at cutting point | 15-30 PSI, clears smoke and debris |
| Water Chiller | Cools the laser tube | 18-22°C circulating water |
| Exhaust System | Removes smoke and fumes | 150-300 CFM minimum |
| Honeycomb Bed | Supports material, allows cut-through | Aluminum, replaceable |
| Control Board | Processes files, controls motion | Ruida, Cohesion3D, or similar |
Laser Power Comparison¶
| Wattage | Typical Use | Max Cut Thickness (Wood) | Max Cut Thickness (Acrylic) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40W | Light engraving, thin cuts | 4-6mm | 3-5mm |
| 60W | General purpose | 8-10mm | 6-8mm |
| 80W | Heavy cutting and engraving | 12-15mm | 10-12mm |
| 100W | Production cutting | 15-20mm | 12-15mm |
| 130W | Industrial applications | 20-25mm | 15-20mm |
Note: Maximum thicknesses assume single-pass cutting with optimal settings
Focusing Lens Comparison¶
| Focal Length | Spot Size | Depth of Focus | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5" (38.1mm) | ~0.08mm | ~1mm | Fine detail engraving, thin stock |
| 2.0" (50.8mm) | ~0.12mm | ~2mm | General purpose (DEFAULT) |
| 2.5" (63.5mm) | ~0.15mm | ~3mm | Thicker materials |
| 4.0" (101.6mm) | ~0.25mm | ~6mm | Very thick stock, curved surfaces |
Cutting vs. Engraving Comparison¶
| Feature | Vector Cutting | Raster Engraving | Vector Engraving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motion | Follows paths/curves | Scans in rows (like printer) | Follows paths/curves |
| Power | 60-100% | 10-80% | 10-40% |
| Speed | 3-30 mm/s | 100-500 mm/s | 50-200 mm/s |
| Purpose | Cut through material | Area fills, images, textures | Line marks, outlines |
| File Type | Vector (SVG, DXF, AI) | Raster (PNG, JPG, BMP) | Vector (SVG, DXF, AI) |
| DPI | N/A | 300-1000 | N/A |
| Result | Separated parts | Surface depth/marking | Surface line marks |
Kerf Reference by Material¶
| Material | Typical Kerf Width | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3mm Plywood | 0.15-0.25mm | Varies with moisture content |
| 3mm MDF | 0.15-0.20mm | Consistent density |
| 3mm Cast Acrylic | 0.15-0.20mm | Clean, polished edges |
| 3mm Extruded Acrylic | 0.20-0.30mm | Rougher edges than cast |
| Cardboard | 0.15-0.20mm | Very fast cut |
| Leather (2mm) | 0.10-0.20mm | Sealed edges |
| Fabric | 0.10-0.15mm | Sealed edges prevent fraying |
Design rule: Account for kerf by offsetting cut lines by half the kerf width (0.075-0.15mm per side)
File Format Guide¶
| Format | Type | Used For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SVG | Vector | Cutting and vector engraving | Preferred for web-based designs |
| DXF | Vector | Cutting and vector engraving | CAD standard, no fill data |
| AI | Vector | Cutting and vector engraving | Adobe Illustrator native |
| Both | Mixed cut and engrave | Widely compatible | |
| PNG | Raster | Photo engraving | Use 300+ DPI |
| JPG | Raster | Photo engraving | Lossy compression — use high quality |
| BMP | Raster | Photo engraving | Uncompressed, large files |
Key Formulas¶
Energy per unit length = Power (W) ÷ Speed (mm/s) = J/mm
Cut time estimate = Total path length (mm) ÷ Speed (mm/s) + acceleration overhead
Engrave time estimate = (Height × Width × DPI²) ÷ (Speed × DPI) (approximate)
Kerf compensation = Offset each cut line by ½ kerf width inward (for holes) or outward (for parts)
Electromagnetic Spectrum Reference¶
| Type | Wavelength | Laser Type | Material Interaction |
|---|---|---|---|
| UV | 200-400nm | Excimer | Photochemical (PCB, medical) |
| Visible | 400-700nm | Diode | Marking, alignment |
| Near-IR | 700-2000nm | Fiber/Nd:YAG | Metal cutting/welding |
| Mid-IR | 2-5μm | Er:YAG | Medical, specialized |
| Far-IR | 5-15μm | CO2 (10.6μm) | Organic materials, plastics |
Last Updated: 2026-03-19