Large Laser Cutter Vote R2

Sponsors

• Andrew Camardella
• Ray Doeksen
• Burton Kent

History

• Mailing List Announcement:
• Officially Proposed:
• To be Voted on: 8/2/2016
• Passes

Background

The Epilog laser is one of the most used machines at PS1. Occasional wait times and high usage rates suggest that a second laser would be a welcome addition to PS1. The Epilog laser while very precise and accurate, suffers from:

• Low wattage - It's only 35 watts
• Small cutting area - 12"x24"
• High replacement cost - spare parts are expensive

This proposal seeks funding for a new laser cutting/engraving system to accomplish the following:

• bridge the gap between current cnc and laser capabilites at PS1
• improve throughput of laser jobs - less wait time from 2 machines and overall faster cutting
• more wattage - means being able to cut/engrave faster and through thicker materials
• larger cut area

After much research and consideration, the 150w BOSS LS-3655 is a machine that matches all the above criteria. They have proprietary software that controls the laser called LaserWorks V8 which has direct output to the machine from AutoCAD and Corel Draw. The machine has a display that show the current job running.

Boss Laser's support has been very responsive, answering any questions and providing information on their machines and options.

The total machine cost is $14,947 and includes:

• 150w laser tube
• ventilation system
• fan cooled water chiller

The additional funds are for infrastructure

• run exhaust venting up to roof - blower is included in the price of the machine
• electrical supply - outlets and wiring
• compressed air hookups - from the shop
• access panels and materials - we'll have to move the laser through the sliding shop door into lounge 2.0, create access panels through the front vestibule, and move it into the CNC area.

Should any budget remain, spare parts and/or rotary attachments may be purchased.

Language

Authorize the Board of Directors to spend up to $17,500 on a laser cutter/engraver and associated accessories and infrastructure. Authorization to buy, or enter into a financing or lease agreement, expires 6 months after the vote is accepted.

Results

Vote passes on August 2, 2016, 46 in favor, 0 opposed, 2 abstaining