# Laser Settings

Hieronder vind je de BRM en Epilog laserinstellingen voor diverse materialen. Let op: dit zijn enkel richtlijnen. Doe altijd een test bij twijfel of bij materialen met een andere dikte. Vraag hulp aan een medewerker voor materialen met onbekende settings. Vergeet ook niet de juiste laser te selecteren!

**English:** Below you can find the laser settings for our BRM and Epilog lasercutter. Note: these values are only recommendations. Always do a test first when in doubt or working with materials that have a different thickness. Ask an employee for help when working with materials that don't have recommended settings yet. Also make sure to select the correct laser!

{{< callout context="caution" title="Caution:" icon="outline/alert-triangle" >}}
Please note that not all material cards are filled yet. This is a continuous process. Feel free to contact us if you want to help fill these cards for a specific material you wish to experiment with. Any help is appreciated!

You will find all currently approved settings on a printed list in the laser room.
{{< /callout >}}

## Materials

Quick links to the material cards: 

{{< card-grid >}}
{{< card title="Woods" icon="outline/wood" color="green" >}}
- [Birch Plywood](#birch-plywood) 
- [Poplar Plywood](#poplar-plywood)
- [Balsa Wood](#balsa-wood) 
- [Hardboard](#hardboard)   
- [Cork](#cork)    
- [Oak](#oak)  
- [Hard Woods](#hard-woods)
{{< /card >}}
{{< card title="Plastics" icon="outline/bottle" color="red" >}}
- [Acrylic (PMMA)](#acrylic-pmma) 
- [PET-G](#pet-g)   
- [PLA](#pla)
- [Polycarbonate](#polycarbonate)
- [EVA foam](#eva-foam)
{{< /card >}}
{{< /card-grid >}}
{{< card-grid >}}
{{< card title="Papers" icon="outline/file" color="blue" >}}
- [Cardboard](#cardboard)
- [Corrugated Cardboard](#corrugated-cardboard)
- [Ecor Paper Fiber Panel](#ecor-1-paper-fiber-panel) 
{{< /card >}}
{{< card title="Fabrics" icon="outline/shirt" color="purple" >}}
- [Cotton](#cotton)
- [Leather](#leather)
- [Felt](#felt) 
{{< /card >}}
{{< /card-grid >}}
{{< card-grid >}}
{{< card title="Metals" icon="outline/hand-love-you" color="red" >}}
- [Stainless Steel](#stainless-steel)
- [Anodized Aluminium](#anodized-aluminium)
- [Bare Aluminium](#bare-aluminium)
- [Bare Steel](#bare-steel)
- [Brass](#brass)
- [Bronze](#bronze) 
{{< /card >}}
{{< card title="Other" icon="outline/cheese" color="orange" >}}
- [Glass](#glass)
- [Marble](#marble)
- [Ceramics](#ceramic)
- [Plaster](#plaster)
{{< /card >}}
{{< /card-grid >}}

## Wood

{{< material-card 
    title="Birch Plywood"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem (In stock)"
    alternateSource="[Arnhemse Fijnhout handel](https://www.af.nl)"
    materialInfo="Good quality birch plywood cuts well on the laser cutter and is one of our most common materials."
    laser="CO<sub>2</sub>"
    brmvectorcut="3mm,20,50,6mm,14,70,9mm,6,80"
    brmvectorengraving="Light,35,12,Medium,30,12,Dark,25,12"
    brmrasterengraving="Light,350,15,Medium,350,20,Dark,350,25"
    images="images/birch.png, images/birch1.jpeg, images/birch2.jpeg"
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Poplar Plywood"
    recommendedSource="[Arnhemse Fijnhout handel](https://www.af.nl) <small>(We don't stock this material)</small>"
    materialInfo="Good quality poplar plywood cuts well on the laser cutter, but birch plywood is preferred."
    laser="CO<sub>2</sub>"
    brmvectorcut="3mm,15,45,6mm,10,65,9mm,7,70,12mm,5,75"
    brmvectorengraving="Light,35,12,Medium,30,12,Dark,25,12"
    brmrasterengraving="Light,350,15,Medium,350,20,Dark,350,25"
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Balsa Wood"
    recommendedSource="[Arnhemse Fijnhout handel](https://www.af.nl) <small>(We don't stock this material)</small>"
    materialInfo="Balsa is a light weight material that requires little power to cut through. Material generally is not available in larger sheet sizes."
    laser="CO<sub>2</sub>"
    images=""
>}}


{{< material-card 
    title="Hardboard"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images=""
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Cork"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images="images/cork.jpeg"
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Oak"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images=""
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Hard Woods"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images=""
>}}

## Plastics

{{< material-card 
    title="Acrylic (PMMA)"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem (In stock)"
    alternateSource="[Pyrasied](https://pyrasied.com/nl/), [Kunststofshop](https://kunststofshop.nl/) & [Flexinplex](https://flexinplex.nl/) (<small>Only cast acrylic</small>)"
    materialInfo="Acrylic is a popular material to cut and is one of the few plastics approved for laser cutting. If you mask the bottom (leave the protective film) of the material during cutting, you can get very clean cuts. Remove the protective material from the top when engraving. Material tends to stink so bagging immediately after cutting is recommended."
    laser="CO<sub>2</sub>"
    brmvectorcut="3mm,15,55,6mm,10,70,9mm,5,90"
    brmvectorengraving="Light,30,15"
    brmrasterengraving="Light,350,10,Medium,350,30,Dark,350,60"
    images="images/acrylic.jpg,images/acrylic2.jpg,images/birch.png, images/acryl3.jpeg"
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="PET-G"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem (In stock)"
    materialInfo="Cuts well, but leaves yellow/burned cutting edges. Keep the lasercutter closed for at least 3 minutes, because of the bad smell. Material also tends to stink so bagging immediately after cutting is recommended. We don't cut beyond 3 mm in thickness"
    laser="CO<sub>2</sub>"
    brmvectorcut="1 mm,25,45,2mm,25,65,3mm,15,50"
    brmvectorengraving="Light,30,15"
    brmrasterengraving="Light,350,20,Medium,350,35,Dark,350,45"
    images=""
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Polycarbonate"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="Impact-resistant material, tough to cut and will yellow at the edges; be aware of flames and keep the lasercutter closed for at least 3 minutes. We don't cut beyond 3 mm in thickness"
    laser="CO<sub>2</sub>"
    brmvectorcut="3mm,15,60"
    images=""
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="PLA"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="Pretty hard to find affordable"
    materialInfo="We produce this environmentally friendly sheet material ourselves from 3D prints and leftover filament. It is relatively stiff, but not as strong as acrylic. Easy to bend with heat."
    laser="CO<sub>2</sub>"
    brmvectorcut="≈2.5mm,30,55"
    images="images/pla.jpg,images/pla2.png"
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="EVA foam"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="[HEMA](https://www.hema.nl/kind/speelgoed/tekenen-knutselen/stickers/foam-vellen---6-stuks-15900125.html), [makersonthemove](https://www.makersonthemove.nl/) from a source of wasteflow "
    materialInfo=" Light, strong and foamy material. Cut fast to prevent flames and smells, keep the lid closed a bit longer than usual"
    laser="CO<sub>2</sub>"
    brmvectorcut="2mm,40,11"
    images="images/evafoam.jpeg"
>}}

## Papers 

{{< material-card 
    title="Cardboard"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images="images/placeholder.png, images/placeholder.png"
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Corrugated Cardboard"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images="images/placeholder.png, images/placeholder.png"
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Ecor-1 Paper Fiber Panel"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem (In Stock)"
    materialInfo="Sustainable and affordable prototyping material made from [recycled](https://ecorglobal.com) paper fibers. Strength and stiffness are comparable to MDF. <small>Note: does not engrave well due to the uneven surface pattern."
    dimensions="1200x600mm (2.5mm)"
    datasheet="[Download (Technical)](datasheets/ecor-paper.pdf)"
    brmvectorcut="2.5mmm,25,60"
    brmvectorengraving="N/A"
    brmrasterengraving="N/A"
    epilogvectorcut="N/A"
    epilogvectorengraving="N/A"
    epilograsterengraving="N/A"
    images="images/ecor1.jpg, images/ecor2.jpg"
    
>}}

## Fabrics

{{< material-card 
    title="Cotton"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images="images/placeholder.png, images/placeholder.png"
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Leather"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images="images/leather.jpeg"
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Felt"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images="images/filt.jpeg"
>}}

## Metals

{{< material-card 
    title="Stainless Steel"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images=""
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Anodized Aluminium"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images="images/anoallum.jpeg"
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Bare Aluminium"
    recommendedSource="No recommended source since our laser is mostly used for engraving existing objects."
    materialInfo="Bare aluminium tends to engrave very well, but it is recommended to protect your work afterwards with a clearcoat or vaseline spray to prevent oxidation of the engraving. Our laser can't cut metal."
    laser="Fiber"
    brmvectorcut="❌"
    brmvectorengraving="❌"
    brmrasterengraving="❌"
    epilogvectorcut="❌"
    epilogvectorengraving="Normal, 50,100"
    epilograsterengraving="Normal, 30,100"
    images="images/aluminium1.jpg,images/aluminium2.jpg, images/bareallum.jpeg"
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Brass"
    recommendedSource="No recommended source since our laser is mostly used for engraving existing objects."
    materialInfo="Brass engraves well. Our laser can't cut metal."
    laser="Fiber"
    brmvectorcut="❌"
    brmvectorengraving="❌"
    brmrasterengraving="❌"
    epilogvectorcut="❌"
    epilogvectorengraving="Normal, 50,100"
    epilograsterengraving="Normal, 30,100"
    images=""
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Bronze"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images="images/placeholder.png, images/placeholder.png"
>}}

## Other

{{< material-card 
    title="Glass"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images="images/placeholder.png, images/placeholder.png"
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Marble"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images="images/placeholder.png, images/placeholder.png"
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Ceramic"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images="images/placeholder.png, images/placeholder.png"
>}}

{{< material-card 
    title="Plaster"
    recommendedSource="Fablab Arnhem"
    alternateSource="None available"
    materialInfo="This card is not filled yet --> placeholder information only"
    images="images/placeholder.png, images/placeholder.png"
>}}