Hello,
can someone help me with the creation of a laser template/jig?
I have a Monport W30 MOPA fiber laser.
I would like to engrave different sized stainless steel/silver stamps.
There are probably no ready made templates so I need to make one myself. Does anyone have any ideas? Something like:
I don’t know where to start and I don’t know what options there are.
I use scrap cardboard to make my jigs. Do you have an Amazon box laying around?
Cut the flap off, pin it in place on the machine.
Draw your part, then outline by about .5mm
Only the outline, cut out hole in cardboard to be your jig. Add a little bubble shape to at least one edge to allow your finger to get under the part while in the jig.
The only repeatable position that I know of is the center of the workspace. I cut holes that will hold the coin with the fiber then all coins of that size will be registered at the center.
The drawback, there is no corner or other method I know of to produce different sized cutouts for the center. What I’m saying, is with my way, you have to do all of one size then move to the next size. Since they origin at the center. I know of no way to actually jig something for multiple sized pieces.
Give the others a chance to reply… maybe they have a better approach.
This works great for my c02 or my diode. This does not work for galvo unless you have a UV or Co2 galvo
Thanks for the tips. I’ll give cardboard a try. Or maybe with acrylic glass?
Fiber laser will not cut cardboard, if you have a co2 or diode laser to create jigs. I make all my jigs from MDF on a CNC.
Again, the issue comes up on how you move the jig from the co2 to the fiber and maintain registration in both places.
I do it all the time… No issues. measure twice, cut once
How do you do this? I’ve only been able to do this on my co2 and I can make one on the fiber, but the way I’m doing it requires the same setup… in other words once I move the jig it’s useless.
I can do this on my co2, but haven’t found a workable solution for the accuracy required for a double sided pcb using both machines.
I am a diode guy - but the way I would approach it is to use three alignment “witness” holes that would pass through the media/jig material and into the work-table on the fiber machine.
Am I crazy? - it may not be to the resolution you need for PCB etching, but for my jewelry work it should be sufficient.
The OP question was for registering simple steel tags, cutting a template on the cnc is how I usually do stuff like this. My G2 fiber has a removable base plate. I cut mdf templates for cards and such and pop them into the hole…
this mtehod may not require the accuracy of a double sided PCB. The trick is setting your Rest Pos in the galvo setup so your workspace is the same as the template.
This is exactly what I need, but for small pieces of metal (circles, hearts etc.).
Unfortunately, I don’t have a diode laser or a CNC milling machine.
Could it work with a fiber laser and acrylic sheets?
