MLC

INFORMATION PACK

All that you need to know about submitting your laser cutting project.

Laser cutting offers an endless array of possibilities for your upcoming projects. We offer laser cutting services in our Heidelberg Heights location. We are experienced laser cutters and will make your work come to life and help clarify the process of What is laser cutting. Below is some information you may find useful and please enquire within for future information.

MATERIALS

  • The bed size is 900 x 1300 mm. You are able to cut up to 899 x 1299mm in size. However we do recommend about 10mm around the border in case there is movement in your materials.
  • We can cut up to 3mm plywood, 3mm acrylic.
  • We cut only 1mm boxboard as it’s rather dense and doesn’t leave a very nice output when thicker materials are cut.
    Please note we don’t cut leather, glass, rubber, metal, certain fabrics, felt, PVC, vinyl, MDF and laminated cardboard.
  • Materials that can be laser cut are vast and include an array of non-metals such as fabric, acrylic, glass, wood, plywood and a variation of other non-metals. Please click here to view the materials that we stock.
  • Materials that aren’t available on the materials list need to be supplied by the client to our Heidelberg Heights address upon booking an appointment.
  • Machine strength is 120 watt.
  • Please note we don’t use large plastic bags for laser cutting for environmental reasons and we ask clients to keep this in mind when collecting their job.


ARTWORK

  • Please email your artwork prior to delivering your materials and also for quotation.
  • Please provide your artwork in Adobe illustrator.
  • File naming- It’s important to name your files correctly to make it a smooth laser cutting experience. Please name your file with a number (to identify), material type and whether it is to be etched or cut.
    So for example:

    * Ply 3mm- Etch
    * Ply 3mm- Cut
    * Boxboard 1mm- Cut and etch
  • Please set stroke line to 0.001mm in thickness. Please note our laser cutter doesn’t vary depending on the stroke line, it’s cutting thickness is dependent on the amount of power that we use and the type of material it’s cutting.
  • Please provide two files if you require cutting and line etching. Please save cutting in one file and line etching in the other. Please label files correctly and save cutting lines as black and etching lines as red. We will then lay both files on top of each other in our program.
  • If you need full engraving (raster), please provide both the illustrator file of where the engraving is placed and a jpeg file with just the engraving in black. We then use the jpeg to etch and lay it on top and we delete the layer in illustrator once we have aligned this for you.
  • Your jpeg should be saved to correct size and at 200-300 dpi for best quality output.
  • Should you require help putting together your designs into artwork, we have a graphic designer who is available for $50 an hour.
  • Laser cutting kurf is when a little bit of the material is burnt away. Different materials burn away at different amounts. For 3mm ply, the kurf is usually .4mm. Please allow for .2mm for less dense materials, however we do recommend testing this before proceeding with your order.
  • If you require your project to slot into each other. For example if you are making a wooden box, please remember to allow for the laser cutting kurf and please note materials vary in thickness. If it needs to be exact we do recommend that you perhaps send us a notch test (an artwork with a piece that slots into each other) and we can test this for you and you can setup your artwork correctly.


    • IMPORTANT AREAS TO CHECK IN YOUR ARTWORK

  • Please make sure your artwork doesn’t have double lines. Sometimes when you export files from CAD for example into an illustrator file, it creates double lines. Then when we are cutting it goes over the artwork 2 times or sometimes even 5 times. Please check and if you reduce the stroke weight to be 0.001mm this will reduce any issues. If we do have double lines in your file, we will have to stop your job and ask you to remove the duplicates.
  • Check spacing between cuts. Please allow a minimum gap of 1.5mm between lines, so that your work doesn’t fall apart.
  • Please allow 10mm around the border of the material so all your artwork is cut correctly. If you place it too tight around the edge, there is a chance that it might not cut correctly.
  • If you are laser cutting really small pieces (smaller then 1 x 1cm) then please be aware that they may fall through our honeycomb bed and can’t be retrieved.
  • Please don’t have hidden layers in your illustrator file. Our laser cutter picks up on all lines in the worksheet and therefore it will pick up on these lines as well. Please open a new art board with just the layer that you would like cut.
  • Please setup your artwork to the size of your material. So when selecting art board please set the measurements to 600 x 900mm or the material size.


    • COST

    As a guide we charge:

    • $20 for file setup per project, projects with more then 5 files will be charged $5 per file instead.
    • $1.5 per minute for laser cutting
    • Please note prices are GST exclusive and our minimum jobs are $80 including setup fees.
    • Our preferred payment method is bank transfer. Other options are cash or credit card via paypal (incurs 3% fee).
    • Orders under $300 require full payment prior to starting your job. Orders over $300 require a 30% deposit and the remainder of payment is due prior to dispatch.


    TIMING

    We endeavor to have your project ready within 5 working days from receiving the materials and artwork. Should you wish to have your work done within 24-48hours, this is possible but we do charge an additional $50 express fee for fast turn around. Please note Express is only applicable for small orders under $750. For larger orders please enquire within and we will see what we can do for you

    Please note we offer Express production but the timing is not guaranteed if unforeseen circumstances do occur.


    RESULTS

    At Melbourne Laser Cutter we work hard in achieving the results that you desire. Laser cutting is an experimental                  process, so please note that we will not be held responsible for any projects that don’t turn out the way you had                    hoped. We will always do our best to keep you informed on the process and will speak to you should any problems                arise.

              Areas to keep in mind:

    • White paper is going to leave a dusty mark on the edge and we usually recommend pearl papers as they are oil based and reduce this effect.
    • Cutting wood will leave a brown mark on the edge and sometimes mark slightly on the back but you can sand this off if you wish. Please note we don’t include sanding in our pricing but if required, please let us know.
    • Areas narrower then 1.5mm will be weak points and may tear.


    COLLECTION OF MATERIALS

    Please note due to space restrictions in our studio we can not store materials if you decide not to go ahead with your project. All materials will be disposed of if not collected within 5 working days or otherwise arranged.


    QUOTE

    Please file out our online form and send through an Adobe illustrator file (or a jpeg) of your project, quantity, materials and we will provide you with a quote within 24hours. If you are having trouble attaching your file, please email it to info@melbournelasercutter.com.au

    We look forward to working with you!


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