Intro to Lasercutting:

Hacker Lab's lasercutters are among the most used pieces of equipment in the makerspace. They are fairly easy to operate and allot users to prototype designs, create art, and much more.

This is our Laser Cutter safety and basic use class. It is designed to cover the safe operation of the lasers, Hacker Lab's policy's regarding laser cutter use, and walk students through the lasercutting toolpath.

Please note: this class does not cover design creation. If you have no vector design experience (typically Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, Inkscape, AutoCAD, or similar) we highly suggest you take our Vector Design for Laser and Vinyl Cutting online class in addition to this one.

Please note: this is a small group class and there may be up to 4 attendees in addition to the instructor. If you would like a more personalized experience, consider taking a 1-on-1 class with Shane instead!

We'll Cover:

• High-level overview of design software
• Introduction to components of the laser cutter
• Laser Safety, Rules, and Guidelines
• Overview of materials
• Preparing the machine for operation
• Vector versus raster files and why it matters
• Laser cutter design considerations
• Review errors and ways to prevent them
• Laser cutting in practice
• Positioning the laser and work piece
• Navigating the laser cutter's user interface software
• Operation of the lasercutter for performing a cut

Equipment Covered

• Morntech MT L960 Laser Cutter
• DLM Spartan Laser Cutter

Important Information:

• Please make sure to arrive 10-15 minutes early and sign our general release of liability agreement.
• While we have some PPE available, you MUST bring your own mask (N95 or greater), and we suggest you bring your own safety glasses. Masks must be worn correctly while inside the facility.
• Please wear shop-appropriate clothing: long pants, close-toed shoes, no loose or dangling jewelry, and tie back long hair.
• Do not come into the Lab if you have a cough, fever, or feel sick in the past 14 days.