Hi All! Brand new to laser cutting, though have had a workbee running for two years now. We're looking to make product boxes in house and looking to use a laser cutter to produce the box from single layer corrugated card board. I was wondering, if anyone here who does this already, can advise on what power rating and perhaps anything else, would be good for this? Many thanks - D
Best to approach the laser diode vendors (Jtech or Optlasers) for capability questions and example, but they do have some tests published online: See Laser Cutting and Engraving Tests - Opt Lasers and Laser Engraving Applications by J Tech Photonics, Inc.
What volume of boxes and how quickly? Diode lasers can definitely do cardboard- in my experience, faster than those test pages would suggest, too- but whether you can get away with diodes or if you need a CO2 tube is dictated by your actual requirements. Either one is DIYable, depending on your skillset.
