Also see Laser Troubleshooting

How big is the work area?

1300mm x 900mm (47.24in x 31.49in)
Please note this is the travel size for the head – if you try to engrave near the edges, you will get an error.

How much does it cost to use the laser?

We charge by the minute based on the ”actual time the laser is firing’ .50¢/minute

Note that these fees do not include any assistance with setting up runs, models, etc. This is purely firing time. Members are responsible for all firing time regardless of the results.

How does storage work?

There is a set of shelves next to the door to store laser materials. The storage policy follows the same structure as the rest of the ACE space. Learn more on the storage page.

• Members may keep materials on the laser storage shelves using the blue tags.
• You may donate materials to the scrap shelf, provided they may be useful to other members. Nothing smaller than two hand-widths, and all waste material should be detached.
• You may not just put waste material on the scrap shelf.
• Materials that are red-tagged will be dealt with according to the storage policy.
• Untagged or red-tagged expired materials found in the scrap shelf that are deemed simply waste will be tossed.

What file type should my laser project be in?

LaserSoft, the controller software on the laser takes a lot of different file types. We recommend a .dxf formatted for 2004 but the manual for LaserSoft has more details.

What is the “Door Protect” error and how do I make it go away?

The “Door Protect” error will trigger for two reasons. The first and most common is that you didn’t fob into the laser OR your session timed out. The second is that the door is not fully closed. In both cases the laser will not fire.

• Not fobbed in? Press Escape, fob in.
• Timed out? Press escape, fob in, and press play, and your job will continue. DO NOT PRESS STOP… that takes your job back to the start.
• Door not closed? Close the door.

What do I do if the kerf is too wide? And what is kerf?

Adjust the focus or drop the power. Kerf is the gap were material is removed by a blade and in this case by the laser.

What do I do if it is not cutting through the material?

Slow down your speed OR add more power.

Why is it burning through my small details but cutting other stuff?

Speed it up or reduce power OR change the scale of your art

What do I do if it is burning up all the small parts?

break them to a separate layer and drop the power for that layer

Why is it not cutting all the way through in spots? Even when the test cut worked?

materials are not flat… get flat stuff or flatten your material

What do I do if my file won’t import into LaserSoft?

Check here first. Make sure your file is a DXF (preferably), and that all of your settings are accurate. Then try copying your art into a new document, exporting as DXF, then uploading it again. Then if that doesn’t work try asking in #laser in Slack.

Why doesn’t the laser fire when I set the power low?

The laser has been calibrated not to fire under around 11% power. If you need lighter lines one option is to use this minimum power setting with a faster speed, but that technique may not work for small-scale delicate art.