Laser Training

Get Access to Use Laser

The laser is one of the things at Noisebridge you need training before using it.

To get properly trained, post on the slack channel '#laser' the following:

  <Name> wants laser training and is available <input availability>. Their email is <email>. If a trainer is available please contact them. Please thumbs up this message if you will handle this.

If you don't have access to slack, ask around the space for someone who has access.

Visit http://tegitur.com/lazer_safety page to get a head start on the training before hand (not mandatory before the training unless otherwise specified by the trainer).

Purpose

This is a safety training required for using the laser at Noisebridge. The training does not cover the complete workflow of creating and importing a design.

This is the only required laser training.

Training Outline

1. The Laser Is Dangerous
   1. Laser beam can start a fire
   2. The laser head (black thing that moves around) doesn't have sensors to prevent hitting things (your hands / side of the bed)
   3. Laser beam cannot be looked at directly unless through the protective cover
   4. Laser can emit poisonous fumes if the wrong materials are cut
2. How To Be Safe
   1. ALWAYS WATCH THE LASER BEAM CUTTING YOUR WORK!
   2. USE REASONABLE SPEED/POWER SETTINGS
   3. DON'T CUT UNAPPROVED MATERIALS!
3. How to Put Out a Fire
   1. Push the estop
      1. to turn the machine back on after the estop was hit, flip the power switch on the right side of the machine off and then back on
   2. Open the lid
   3. If it's smallish, try and squirt it out with the water squirt bottle sitting on the right hand side of the machine
   4. If that doesn't work, use the halotron fire extinguisher to the right of the laser cutter. Aim it at the base of the flame
4. Demonstrate Workflow - Perform a cut (from a logged out user screen with no programs open)
   1. Unlock the screen
   2. Load the laser training .rld file (the power and speed settings should be wrong)
   3. Open the page on the wiki
   4. Check power and speed settings are correct for your material (the file should have incorrect power and speed settings to force this step)
      1. Name the file BAD or something so people normally using it don't use the wrong settings
   5. Turn on the laser and check the chiller (CRITICAL STEP)
      1. The chiller is water cooling
      2. The chiller must be turned on whenever the machine is on. It must be below
   6. Download the file to the machine
   7. Place and focus the material
      1. Carefully open and close the lid (it's not a gym machine yo)
   8. Use the laser cutter control panel to run the file
      1. Frame the item
      2. Janky power button
         1. Check the power button with a very brief tap of pulse button if it won't damage your material
   9. Remove the material
   10. Power down the laser (room switch only)
   11. Clean out the catch tray beneath the cut bed
5. The laser is run on donations
   1. Calculated to cost $5 per hour of cutting time based on repairs
   2. Please put cash in the metal bin on the wall
6. Review
   1. What do you check when the laser first turns on?
      1. The chiller must be on.
   2. What materials are you allowed to cut?
      1. Only stuff in the laser manual.
   3. What are you supposed to do while the laser is cutting?
      1. Watch the laser.
   4. Who is allowed to use the laser cutter?
      1. Only people listed on the Laser Manual wiki page
   5. Who is allowed to train people to use the laser cutter?
      1. Only the laser trainers listed on the Laser Manual wiki page