From the course: Laser Cutting: Design for Fabrication

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Organic materials

Organic materials

From the course: Laser Cutting: Design for Fabrication

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Organic materials

- [Instructor] Some of my favorite materials for laser cutting come from organic sources. When I say organic, I mean materials that are sourced from naturally occurring raw material as opposed to being synthesized in a lab. Plant-based materials can be processed into pulp and formed into transparent sheets or solid blocks. These generally burn through cleanly. Paper, wood pulp, paper board and some kinds of cardboard are excellent choices for laser cutting due to the uniform density and thickness. Paper pulp burns cleanly and leaves crisp edges. Because of how thin paper sheet is, the curve is almost invisible. Paper sheet is great for making folded designs, layered artworks and translucent light decorations. Solid wood can be cut cleanly on the laser cutter but has many natural variations in the material. If the laser hits a pocket of sap, knotting or voids in the woods, it's hard to predict how the end result will work. Wood density is also a factor. Too dense and it will take…

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