UNDER CONSTRUCTION

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Yueming PN1490 Laser Cutter

Aliases “Big Red Laser Cutter”, “Chonka-Saurus Laser Cutter”
Other References
Unofficial Maintainer Cameron (obeyedtangent8) & Ale Moré

Usable

Machine is usable, but requires supervision or induction by a supervisor.

This machine requires induction.

In order to get inducted on the laser cutter, you need to go to the following Eventbrite event and book a place for yourself on one of the available dates.

CO2 Lasers induction

Inductions happen fortnightly.

Things to keep in mind

  • Inductions signups close 3 days before the event start. This allows volunteers to organise their life.
  • If no one has signed up for the date before it closes, the induction is cancelled.
  • If the induction is on (because people signed up in time), but the time has passed, you can always ask in discord if you can get into the induction.

Not Familiar with Lightburn?

You can find all sorts of information on LightBurn Software Documentation

You can watch all the tutorials HERE

Induction booklet

This is the documentation we use to give the inductions. It's always being updated and you can always find the latest version here.

Recommended Please wear goggles or a face shield
Maintenance Disconnect power to the device before performing maintenance, including mirror adjustments
  • When operating this machine, under absolutely NO circumstances must it be left unattended.
  • If anything goes wrong, your first port of call is to always bang the big, red Emergency Stop button. It's there for a reason, don't be afraid of using it. Even the resident laser cutter experts have to hit it every so often, because things happen.
  • Try to avoid staring at the cutting point. We know it's pretty & oh-so-mesmerising to watch, but it's very bright & you'll end up with temporary spots in your vision.
  • Only cut approved materials that are known to be safe. If you disobey this rule, you will create toxic fumes potent enough to put you in hospital and/or you'll generate gaseous forms of very strong acids which will literally eat away & dissolve the machine's insides.
  • The nearest fire extinguisher is by the door to this room. Don't use the fire extinguisher unless it's necessary, but if the situation calls for it don't hesitate for one second because a fire will spread very quickly inside the machine. Having to thoroughly clean & align a laser cutter is a pain but it's far better than having to replace a burnt-out shell of an ex laser cutter.
  1. Make or load your design in Inkscape/Illustrator
  2. Import the design to LightBurn
  3. Set & confirm the position/scale/rotation
  4. Set material & thickness you are using
  5. Define cut and/or which parts to mark/engrave
  1. Load machine material
  2. Turn on the machine
  3. Turn on the air compressor
  4. Complete preflight checks
  5. Set the focus
  6. Export the job to the laser cutter
  7. Ensure all machine doors are closed and the cutting area is clear.
  1. Start the job at the control panel
  2. Put money in the donation tin
  3. Clean out under the bed with a dustpan
  4. Wipe down the bed bars, walls, rails, etc
  5. Complete after use checks
Name Value
Manufacturer Yueming Laser
Model PN1490
Year 2010
Cutting area 1400mm x 900mm
Output power 130W (Limited to Around 100)
Type CO2
Total reported power consumption without chiller or air blower. 1250W

Chiller Instruction Manual Download

Lightburn Instruction Manual (09/09/2021) Download

Material Notes Warning
Acrylic/Plexiglass/Perspex/Lucite/Acrylite
Most woods Avoid oily and resinous woods Oily/resinous species might catch fire and dirty the laser optics
MDF You may experience a higher amount of charring
Plywood Get plywood that's laser safe Don’t use marine ply. Doesn't cut nice, burnt edges. High fire risk
Paper/cardboard Be careful, watch it closely. Fire risk
Cork Quality of the cut depends on the thickness and quality of the cork Engineered cork has a lot of glue in it, and may not cut as well.
Cloth/cotton/felt Only used natural fiber fabrics
Natural leather/suede/nubuck Can be cut if thin, or engraved at any thickness Do no use artificial leather, or chrome-tanned natural leather
Ceramic tiles, stone, marble, granite and similar Engraving only Must be covered in painter's tape first
Glass Engraving only Must be covered in painter's tape first. Be careful with the glass dust
Polyester (PES), Polyethylene (PE), Polyurethane (PUR) FOAM Check MSDS from supplier Do not use Polystyrene or PolyPropylene foam

Some materials when they are cut can catch fire really easily and some of them release harmful dust and gases that can damage the machine and even endanger yourself. As well some of them cut poorly leaving gooey residue behind. These are the reasons why the following material can’t be cut.

Material Notes Warning
Metal It simply doesn’t cut or engrave any metal of any thickness.
Any materials containing halogens (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine and astatine), epoxy or phenolic resins Contains chlorine and other harmful chemicals that are released when cut Toxic fumes
PVC Contains chlorine Toxic fumes
Vinyl Contains chlorine Toxic fumes
Artificial leather, pleather, moleskine etc, as well as chrome-tanned natural leather Contains chlorine Toxic fumes
Polycarbonate/Lexan/Makrolon Cuts poorly, melts and discolours, almost impossible to cut Catches on fire
Polystyrene, including Polystyrene foam This is the #1 material that causes laser fires Catches on fire
Nylon Melts and burns Catches on fire
ABS Melts and burns Produces cyanide gas with high fire risk.
HDPE (Milk bottle plastic) Melts Catches on fire
Epoxies such as those found in resins or glues, including epoxy-coated items Toxic fumes
Fibreglass and carbon fibre Thin carbon fiber mat can be cut, with some fraying - but not when coated. Toxic fumes
Cutting printed circuit boards (FR4 and other material types) Toxic fumes
PTFE/Teflon Produces hydrofluoric acid Toxic fumes
Food of any description
Date Description Workaround Proposed Remediation
22/12/2020 Lid open switch not working Switch has been bypassed Needs to be reattached and wired to enclosure
Image Category Accessory Name & Notes Location Buy from
Cleaning Wipes for cleaning supports and internals On machine, in store room https://www.lekura.com.au/products/hospital-plus%e2%84%a2-triple-pack-surface-disinfectant-240-wipes
Image Category Accessory Name & Notes Location Buy from Price
Image Optics Gold-Plated Si reflective Mirrors Dia. 20 mm 3 Pack Coming soon to Server Room Cloudray $25
Optics Focus Lens USA CVD ZnSe DIA 18 FL 50.8 for CO2 Laser 1 Pack Coming soon to Server Room Cloudray $20
Optics Reci W6 130W CO2 Laser Tube for CO2 Laser No on hand Cloudray $2500
image Cleaning Lens Cleaning Wipes for 10.6um CO2 Laser Lenses mirror 10 Pack Coming soon to Server Room Cloudray $5
{{:tools:digitalfabrication:screen_shot_2021-09-13_at_10.56.56_am.png?200|image Cleaning Nonwoven Cotton Swab for Cleaning Focus Lens And Protective Windows 100 Pack Coming soon to Server Room Cloudray $15

Caution – use of controls, adjustments, performance of procedures other than those specified here in may result in hazardous laser radiation exposure. Before starting cleaning or maintenance work always switch off the device at the interlock level. Always keep the system clean, as flammable parts in the working area or exhaust area rise the fire hazard.

The cleaning interval strongly depends on the material that is being processed and the operating time of the device. Please bear in mind that only a clean machine guarantees optimal performance and reduces our service costs.

Cleaning the Laser Machine

Interval Task
Daily Thoroughly remove all loose dirt particles and deposits in the interior of the machine
Daily Clean out anything under the bed with the dustpan
Daily Wipe down all the bars, the side & rear walls, the Aluminium rails, the underneath area.
Daily Clean the viewing window with a cotton cloth. Do not use paper towels as they could scratch the acrylic
Daily Brush the air extraction grill if necessary
Daily Keep the Digifab room as free from dust as possible, vacuum it if it has not been done within the last fortnight
PLACEHOLDER Pick one: Daily/Weekly/Monthly/Quarterly/Biannual/Annual PLACEHOLDER Description of maintenance task and any relevant parameters

Align Laser Mirrors

Date Modified By Description Remediation
1/4/2022 Cameron Replacement replaced laser tube $1900
09/11/2021 Cameron Update PN1490 Laser Cutter Ordered and tracking the parcel from https://couriertrackingfinder.com/ 187$
09/10/2021 Murray Update LightBurn licence and camera purchased (https://www.ups.com/WebTracking?loc=en_US&requester=ST&trackNums=1ZE2603X6795285465/trackdetails) ~$400?
03/10/2021 Cameron & Ale Test Conducted large full bed cut test, all working well Free
03/10/2021 Cameron & Ale Test Remove, clean, reinstall mirrors x3 Lens x1 Free
03/10/2021 Cameron & Ale Test Found lens had been installed wrong side up, causing poor cutting performance Free
28/09/2021 Cameron Update installed filter material into Trotec Atmos unit Free
22/09/2021 Cameron Update installed second new power supply, first still assumed lost Free
19/09/2021 Cameron Update Ordered a second new laser power supply, first assumed lost (http://auspost.com.au/track/track.html?id=997052399776) $320 (No Cost to HSBNE)
09/08/2021 Cameron Update Ordered new laser power supply (https://m.aftership.com/ubi-logistics/AUS223940801512) $320
05/06/2021 Cameron Update Install and test RDC6422 Found old power supply not PWM compatible Free
28/05/2021 Cameron Update Received Ruida RDC6422 Free
15/05/2021 Cameron Update Ordered Ruida RDC6432 from Cloudray laser Member Donation ($311.50)
08/04/2021 Cameron Safety Installed 4x hose clamps on chiller and laser input/output to prevent future leaks Free
08/04/2021 Cameron Documentation Labeled pinouts ready for new controller Free
22/12/2020 Buzz and Aaron Documentation Updated Wiki and run the machine through a test cut Free
22/12/2020 Buzz and Aaron Documentation Updated Wiki and run the machine through a test cut Free
17/06/2020 Buzz and Aaron Documentation This doc, todo and document update Free
16/06/2020 Buzz and Aaron Test Test file laser with push button at back Free
16/06/2020 Buzz and Aaron Test Connected exhaust, chiller and test Free
16/06/2020 Buzz and Aaron Test Mirror/lens alignment Free
22/03/2020 Buzz and Aaron Update Remove, clean, reinstall mirrors x3 Lens x1 (undo silver screws with springs, NOT brass knurled knobs) Free

PLACEHOLDER A RACI is an important documentation process to let people know what ACTIONS can happen, and who needs to be Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed for each ACTION. Delete this line.

Task / Action Executive Cause Leader
Cause Team
Named Maintainer Trainers Cause Membership Implementer
Modification and Repairs - AC C I I I R
Induction changes C RACI RC I I I R

Risk assessment is important to ensure we are making tools available to members in a responsible fashion. Please make every effort to do a reasonable risk assessment. If there is a safety incident with the tool, please redo a risk assessment and add it to the table.

Ref / ID Pre-Mitigation Mitigations / Warnings / Remedies Post Mitigation
Risk Risk Severity Risk Likelyhood Risk Level Risk Severity Risk Likelyhood Risk Level Acceptable to Proceed
0001 Death Intolerable Possible 1 Induction to train users in correct usage Low Improbable 1 Yes
0002 Crushing Injury Intolerable Possible 4 Induction to train users. Warning signage. Emergency Stop buttons Low Improbable 1 Yes
0003 Burns Undesirable Possible 4 Induction to train users. Low Improbable 1 Yes
0004 Trips Undesirable Possible 4 Induction to train users. Low Improbable 1 Yes
0005 Spilled Fluid Undesirable Possible 4 Induction to train users. Low Improbable 1 Yes
Ref / ID Decision Details Impact Proposed Date Proposed By Status Approved By Date Resulting Actions and Comments
0001 Decided to purchase Brings the laser onsite 18/08/20 JH Approved Membership 18/08/20 We bought the laser for $20,000
  • tools/digitalfabrication/bigredlasercutter
  • Last modified: 14 months ago
  • by ale