Laser cutters are the most common and frequently used machines in the Fab Lab. This page provides all the important information and links to laser cutter at Haystack.

<aside> 📌 If you are new to laser cutting, check out the Laser Cutting 101. Otherwise, the rest of this document will assume you have familiarity with laser cutters.

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Equipment

Our two primary machines are both Universal VLS laser cutters. They different in their size and power, but otherwise are identical to operate.

<aside> ❓ Each of the following equipment pages contains the recommended settings for you to use.

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Universal VLS 6.60 — 32” x 18” (60 watt)

Universal VLS 3.50 — 24 x 12” (50 watt)

xTool S1 — 20” x 12” (40 watt) ⚡ NEW

⚠️ Laser Safety & Policies

1. 🚪Never leave the laser cutter unattended. You must stay in the laser cutter area at all times while your project is cutting.
2. 💨 Always remember to turn on the exhaust fan before cutting!
3. 🔥 This machine is a fire hazard, never leave the building while cutting a file! If you see the material begin to catch fire (not a moving flame, that is OK), pause the job, and the fire should go out. If it does not, open the lid and use a water spray bottle or fire blanket.
4. ☣️ NEVER CUT PLASTICS or VINYL! Be cautious of synthetic fibers. Cutting certain materials can release toxic fumes into the lab.

Tutorials

Below are all the tutorials on the topic of laser cutters.

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Project Examples

Laser Cutter Project Gallery

Trainings

Student Training