Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Laser "route" Printed Circuit Boards

Michael Fagan wrote:

> Yes, this is doable, but the issue is that "small" is about 50 watts.

50 W is great for cutting plastic. I don't think it will do a DARN
thing to any
metal unless you just set it there for a minute. Applying a black
coating to the
metal may help it absorb energy, but shiny copper is just about the worst
POSSIBLE surface to absorb IR. Also, copper is a GREAT heat conductor, and
you want the heat to stay put for cutting. I think you need a MUCH
more powerful
laser, and possibly a much more difficult wavelength to burn away
copper. Once
you've pierced the surface, the burning epoxy behind it may help absorb
the IR,
so you can cut the power back a bit, or just up the feedrate.

You should be able to do some web research on what you CAN cut with a 50W CW
CO2 laser, there are a lot of outfits selling them. I think they all
recommend them for
plastic, paper, rubber stamps, and similar materials, which are probably
something like
100 times easier to burn than copper.

Jon