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New Lasercutter: Epilog Fusion M2 40

In 2020, we upgraded our lasercutter from our old Epilog Zing 6030 to a new Epilog Fusion M2 40. It also uses a CO₂ laser, so the materials that can be cut are the same, but it has a larger cutting bed size of 40 x 28 inches (slightly over 100 x 70 cm), and it's a 60 Watt laser, making it quite a bit faster than our old model.

We use Affinity Designer and Epilog's Mac driver to run lasercutter jobs natively from our Macs, instead of using Inkscape and VisiCut, which is not currently fully compatible with the new lasercutter. You can continue to bring SVG files created with your software of choice. We recommend creating them in Affinity Designer for best compatibility.

Quick start tutorial for the new Epilog Fusion laser cutter

The information below is still referring to our old lasercutter and process.

Old Lasercutter: Epilog Zing 6030

If you already have an appointment in the fab lab

If you registered for an appointment online, please bring at least two things to the fab lab:

bring your own material (max. 600mmx300mm) - you find a list of supported materials on the bottom of this page
bring your data in the VisiCut PLF format

It is also a good idea to bring a laptop and your original files.

Lasercutter Basics

Before using the laser cutter for the first time, please read this basic tutorial.

What can I cut?

The max material size is 600 x 300 mm. It is a 30W laser, so it will not cut materials thicker than 5 mm. Have a look at the table below to find out which materials can be used with the lasercutter.

We do not cut "Graupappe", PVC (FOREX,...), Vinyl, Neoprene, Polystyrol (DEPRON, OWOCOR, ...)

For detailed information, see table below.

When adjusting the laser height, please DO NOT move the laser bed fast or move it too low!

Using the laser cutter directly from Inkscape on Mac OS

Open Inkscape on the FabLab Mac (you need to be logged in as Fablab Master (at the moment))
Import, Create or Open your file in Inkscape
Select everything you want to cut (shift for multiple selections) or select nothing to laser cut everything
Extensions->Lasercut Path->Open with VisiCut. That's it.

If you want to use this Inkscape extension at home, follow these steps:

For the Plugin you have to copy all files from this folder: https://github.com/t-oster/VisiCut/tree/master/tools/inkscape_extension to your Inkscape Extensions folder:
- On MacOS and Linux: “~/.config/inkscape/extensions/”
- On Windows: “C:\Program Files\Inkscape\extensions”

If you want to cut and engrave using different layers, have a look at this Inkscape tutorial that we created:

How to use VisiCut with Inkscape

Are you new to Inkscape? Here are some good books and tutorials:

Inkscape: Guide to a Vector Drawing Program by Tavmjong Bah - free online book!
free online manuel from flossmanuals - also available in epub and PDF

Using the lasercutter (Inkscape/Illustrator and VisiCut on macOS, Linux or Windows)

Create your file in your favorite vector graphics editor
Export/Save your file as SVG (see these helpful tips)
Open your file in VisiCut (on the FabLab computer, or on your own, connected to the i10 network)
Select the material you want to use. If your material is not listed yet, just pick one and select "Edit settings before executing" to manually select power, speed and frequency for every part. If your settings work well, consider creating a new material profile, to make the settings available for everyone.
Select the mapping you want to use (e.g. Everything=>CutLine if you only want to cut or Everything=>Engrave Drawing/Photo if you want to engrave. You can also create custom mappings e.g. to cut every red line and engrave every text)
Place and resize your job (optional). If you are on the FabLab computer, you can use the camera to directly place your job on your target material visually.
Send your job to the lasercutter by pressing the execute button

If you want to cut and engrave using different layers, have a look at this Illustrator tutorial that we created:

How to use VisiCut with Adobe Illustrator CS5

Air System

Switch on the air system before cutting. It is connected to the fire safety system of the building. If the outlet is closed, you can't use the laser cutter. Read more about this on our internal page.

Material Table

It is not possible to cut metal with this lasercutter. (These materials should be made available in VisiCut)

Material	Raster Power	Raster Speed	Vector Cutting Power	Vector Cutting Speed	Vector Cutting Frequency(Hz)	Vector Marking Power	Vector Marking Speed	Vector Marking Frequency(Hz)
Acrylglas 1,6mm	??	??	88	95	5000
Acrylic-Plastik (Corona Kopfhoerer,Plastik_Huelle)	??	??	70	50	5000
Alu Profil (eloxiert)	50	50	NA	NA	NA
Bleistift	70	100	-	-	2500
Birkensperrholz(Multiplex) 4mm (toom) lasern wir nicht mehr	??	??	100	20	500
Birkenholz 2mm	100	100	100	45	500	40	100	500
Bristolkarton 0,6mm	??	??	18	100	2500	8	100
Braunpappe 1mm	??	??	55	100	2500	8	100
Buche 0,8mm	??	??	70	100	2500
Dicke Wellpappe	50	100	70	100	5000
Expo Giveaway Pappe	12	100	12	100	500
elring AbilN(Pappeart)	??	??	50	100	5000
Filz(Girlsday_Blume)	-	-	40	100	5000
Finnpappe 1mm (weiss_kaschiert)	??	??	35	100	2500	8	100
Finnpappe 1mm (nicht kaschiert)	??	??	30	100	2500	11	100
Finnpappe 1,5mm (weiss_kaschiert)	??	??	50	100	2500	10	100
Finnpappe 2mm (weiss_kaschiert)	25	100	60	100	2500	12	100
Finnpappe 2mm (nicht kaschiert)	??	??	50	100	2500
Finnpappe 3mm (weiss_kaschiert)	??	??	70	100	2500	10	100
Finnpappe 4mm (weiss_kaschiert)	??	??	80	100	5000
Finnpappe 3mm (doppelseitig weiss_kaschiert)	??	??	100	100	5000
Finnpappe 3mm (hellbeige)	50	100	100	70	Auto
Folie(Plexiglass) 0,4mm	20	100	15	100	5000
Folie 1mm	??	??	37	100	5000
Folie Pentaprop 0,25mm	??	??	17	100	2500
Folie Pentaprop 0,3mm	??	??	20	100	2500
Folie Pentaprop 0,4mm	??	??	25	100	2500
Folie Pentaprop 0,5mm	??	??	28	100	2500
Folie(Bildschirm,3M ARMR 200) 0,17mm	??	??	13	100	2500
Fotokarton 0,4mm(160gr)	??	??	25	100	500
Furnier Kirschbaum 0,6mm	??	??	50	100	5000
Flexfolie (T-Shirt druck)	??	??	5	30	5000
Flockfolie (T-Shirt druck)	??	??	5	50	5000
Graupappe 3mm lasern wir nicht mehr	30	50	100	60	2500
Graupappe 2,5mm lasern wir nicht mehr	??	??	100	70	2500
Graupappe 2mm lasern wir nicht mehr	??	??	90	85	2500
Graupappe 1,5mm lasern wir nicht mehr	??	??	60	100	2500	11	100
Graupappe 1mm lasern wir nicht mehr	??	??	45	100	2500	9	100
Graupappe 0,5mm lasern wir nicht mehr	20	100	25	100	2500	3-5	100
Grafikkarton 1mm	??	??	50	100	500	5	100
Gummi,schwarz 2mm!	??	??	20	100	2500
Holzklötze Friedenstisch	20	100	80	25-30	500
Karton	??	??	35	100	500
Karton(300gr,schwarz,dick)	??	??	40	100	500	2	100
Kapton(Makerbot)	??	??	300	100	5000
Kiefer 4mm	??	??	100	50	500
Kokosschale 3-4mm	50	100	100*3	100*3	500	25	100
Kunstleder (Sarahs Kalender)	30	100	??	??	??
Klebefolie,schwarz (auf 3D-Drucker)	??	??	30	100	300
Kopierfolie(Soennecken) 0,1mm	??	??	8	100	5000
Kraftplex FO 0.8mm	-	-	50	100	500	15	100	5000
Kraftplex FO 1.5mm	-	-	100	100	500	15	100	5000
Kraftplex FO 3.0mm	-	-	100	50	500	1	100	5000
Kraftplex ST 3.0mm	-	-	100	40	500	20	100	5000
Laseracryl (0.8mm) LZ-901-008	26	100	50	100	5000
Laseracryl (3mm) zweifarbig (Nametags)	26	100	50	100	5000
Laseracryl (1.5 mm) zweifarbig (HCIC-Parkschilder)	80	100	100	100	500-1000
Laseracryl (>3mm)	2*50	100	100	50	5000
Laser acrylic (5mm)	2*50	100	100	20	5000
Latex (0.35mm)	-	-	2	13	30
Latex (0.06mm)	-	-	2	25	30
Leder	40-30	100	27	100	2500
Leder 2mm	60	100	55	100	2500
Linde(Holzart) 6mm lasern wir nicht mehr	??	??	100	32	5000
Linde(Holzart) 3mm	??	??	100	53	5000
Linde(Holzart) 1mm	??	??	50	100	5000
MDF 6,3mm lasern wir nicht mehr	??	??	100	21	2058
MDF 5mm	100	60	100	31	500	15	100	5000
MDF 4mm	??	??	100	45	2500	15	100	5000
MDF 3mm	??	??	100	60-70	2500	15	100	5000
MDF 2mm	??	??	80	100	2500	100	15	5000
MDF 1mm	??	??	90	100	2500	10	100	5000
Multiplex 3,5mm	50100	100	100	30	500
Moosgummi PU (Polyuretan) 2mm	??	??	5	30	5000
Moosgummi,braun 3mm	??	??	20*2	100*2	2500	6	100
Nessel(aus Baumwolle)	??	??	25	100	2500	7	100
Organza(Stoff)	-	-	10	100	5000
Papier	4-5	100	10	100	500-1000
Papier(120gr)	30	100	5-7	100	500	2	100
Papier (300gr)	30	100	12	100	500	3	100
Papier 0,2mm(150gr Khadi Handmade Paper)	??	??	12	100	500
Pappel(Sperrholz) 3mm	??	??	90	100	500
Pappel(Sperrholz) 4mm	??	??	100	90	500
Pappel(Sperrholz) 5mm	??	??	100	80	500
Pappel 6mm	70	100	100	30	5000
Plexiglas 0,5mm	??	??	19	100	5000	9	100
Plexiglas 0,75mm	??	??	50	100	5000	7	100
Plexiglas 1mm	??	??	70	100	5000	10	100
Plexiglas 1,5mm	30	100	80	100	5000
Plexiglas 2mm	70	100	100	40	5000	13	100
Plexiglas 3mm	70	100	70	30	5000	70	30
Plexiglas 4mm	35	100	100	30	5000
Plexiglas 5mm	100	40	95	22	5000
Plexiglas 6mm lasern wir nicht mehr	100	40	100	15	5000
Plexiglas 10mm lasern wir nicht mehr	100	55	100	10	5000
Rubber	??	??	10	15	100
Polycarbonat (2mm)staerke Schmelz-Rußspuren	-	-	100	50	1500
Polyoxymethylen (POM,3mm)	-	-	100	40	4000
PP(Kunststoff)Dvd_Huelle 0,9mm	??	??	45	60	5000
PP Folie 0,5mm	??	??	10	30	500
PP Folie Priplak 0,5mm	??	??	25	100	2500	??	??
PS Polystyrol (Mon Cherie, Rocher, etc.) 1mm lasern wir nicht mehr	??	??	45	100	500
Polystyrol (PS Weiss) 1mm lasern wir nicht mehr	??	??	65	100	5000
Schellackplatte	50	100	-	-	606	30	100
Silikon rot 2mm	100	40	40	13	30
Silikon rot 1mm	??	??	50	100	500
Silikon rot 1,2mm	??	??	70	80	500
Vivak 1mm	??	??	39	100	5000
Vivak(Polyster) 0,8mm	??	??	20	100	5000
Vivak 0,5mm	??	??	23	100	5000	7	100
Textil Curv,Textil Membran	5	100	10	100	5000
PVC (e.g. FOREX,...), Vinyl, Neoprene, Polystyrol (e.g. OWOCOR, ...)	Do not cut with the lasercutter! These create toxic hydrogen chloride / vinyl chloride fumes, and void the lasercutter's warranty. (Neoprene Material Safety Data Sheet).

Hydrogen chloride and vinyl chloride are hazardous to the life of your laser system (and to your life!).
Unsure if your material contains PVC? Do the copper wire test!

Creating Surface Mount Soldering Stencils on the Laser Cutter

This external page explains how to create SM stencils with the lasercutter

Corel Draw

In the past, we used CorelDraw (Windows), but have switched to VisiCut and Inkscape (or Illustrator). Please bring VisiCut PLF files to the Fab Lab. This saves time and you don't spend your time in the lab fixing format conversion problems.
For historical reasons, you can learn how we used CorelDraw in the past.
There is also a tutorial that explains how to create stamps with CorelDraw.

Attachments:
File	Description	File size	Downloads	Last modified
EPILOG CUPS Server for Mac OS X.zip	added one missing step to the readme (JPK)	9463 kB	5546	2010-08-23 13:32