DISCUSS Laser NO GO Material #1: PVC

Laser
#1

Team: The time has come to make some updates to the materials list.
Non-Team members: We’ve got some experienced laser users out there who are not on Team Laser. Met one in @nicksilva the other day. Please share your knowledge.

https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/Laser_Cutter_Materials

Off the top of my head…@pinewoodnut, @talkers, @tomthm, @motopilot, @PearceDunlap, @merissa, @JoshW, @gbeauw, @somecallmery, @bpamplin, @BLOOM, @Kati .

BIG TIME EDIT: I’ve revised this thread from “Let’s talk about all our No Go materials” to just one material, PVC. Click “like” if original wording is still OK.

4 Likes
#2

Working on the NEVER CUT THESE MATERIALS list.

Material: "PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride)/vinyl/pleather/artificial leather "
Danger: "Emits pure chlorine gas when cut! "
Cause/Consequence: "Don’t ever cut this material as it will ruin the optics, cause the metal of the machine to corrode, and ruin the motion control system. "

How say you? (click the Like button if no changes)

4 Likes
#3

How do you know if it’s this material? Chuck Baber showed me how to test it. Heat a bit of copper and let a tiny scrap melt on to it. Put a flame to it and if it burns green then DONT USE IT.

1 Like
#4

Pleather can be either PVC based (bad/no go) or Polyurethane based (good / good to go). User needs to know the source.

#5

Should health risks be included?

Or is it assumed the ventilation system mitigates that risk? (Is the ventilation system still manually controlled?)

1 Like
#6

We can add that it is dangerous to human health. Ventilation comes on automatically for the Thunders; manual for Zing.

#7

The greatest difficulty in reading the Material Safety Data Sheets is the quantity of toxic gases released is not specified. Is it a negligible amount? Is it low enough that ventilation out is good enough? Or are we killing our neighbors? or is it so toxic it damages us\laser bits.

#8

The Zing only works if ventilation is on.

2 Likes
#10

I’ve read online about some Makerspaces that do not allow MDF due to the glue material being a big ‘unknown’.

#11

I like the discussion option with frosty cold beverages. :smile:

I also propose that we contact a few places that do laser cutting/etching for a business and get their opinions on various materials. It seems that they should have a good handle on what is OK, what is OK but could be messy/dangerous in some cases, and what is not OK. I’ll find and contact at least one and let you know what I find out.

PVC = not OK. that’s one’s easy. Some various sample materials on a do not cut board would help with identification.

4 Likes
#12

I vote for an in person discussion as well this is a great start but may get complicated and hard to follow as in pvc if it’s not OK to cut then it’s not OK to etch and not be in our lasers is my thoughts.

Joshua

#13

Here is an example, the academic community is also assisting in studing these items.

ISAM Makerspace Emerging Safety Items.pdf (386.4 KB)

3 Likes
#14

all ventilation systems have leaks (else you couldn’t smell it) - so burning something that creates noxious gases should not be done.

#16

Plus, in the case of chlorine gas, the materials may be bad for the innards of the printer, as well as being harmful if inhaled.

Examples:

  • Chlorine gas is corrosive, and could damage optics, wiring, and/or metal in the laser. FWIW, optics might be immune to chlorine - can’t recall for sure.
  • ABS puts out black smoke when burned, which could cloud optics, which could then overheat and break. Not to mention the schmutz coating the inside of the exhaust system.