Hello All,
What do you guys think about cutting plain nylon fabric, like nylon webbing?
The base nylon fiber has an MSDS similar to wood and many other organic substances that burn, indicating that irritating, toxic fumes are released in fires, including traces of cyanide: US_Paracord_MSDS1.pdf (212.8 KB)
Please note that this analysis does not apply to nylon coated with various waterproofings, like PU and DWR – those coatings have MSDS of their own.
Kind Regards,
Jason
My personal opinion as a chemist/materials scientist would be that it would be fine. (Nylon - Laser Cutting and Engraving Nylon | ULS). I was looking at the list of materials allowed at DMS and my personal opinion is that the risk profile of polyamide (nylon) is similar to polyimide (kapton) which is approved (same trace cyanide possibility).
We would need the laser team to weigh in on whether this is allowed but my recommendation would be that it should be.
I can’t find a reason not too be able to cut it.: it’s not on any list that says watch out. Don’t do it!
However will it just melt or burst into flames?
If you wish to cut it? It should be supervised because it an unknown…
We don’t want another fire in any of our lasers…
From the link I posted earlier:
Laser cutting of nylon with a CO2 laser produces a clean edge with minimal melting along the cut path. Laser engraving of nylon is also possible with a CO2 laser and results in a clean mark with limited melt-back at the point of ablation.
I’m pretty sure I’ve cut nylon before but I can’t remember 100%. At lower laser power it is possible to sinter/melt. I’ve done selective laser sintering of nylon powders to make conductive composite materials before. Hope that helps.
You don’t remember for sure. Best be safe than sorry…
I have cut it before. It cuts with a clean edge and it doesn’t burst into flames.
I am not trying to clear materials with #Laser that I don’t know cut well; all of the materials I’ve mentioned are regularly laser cut as part of manufacturing performance outerwear. I just want to work with the space a cooperative way that also aligns with our available ventilation and existing practices.
You don’t remember for sure. Best be safe than sorry…
I mentioned I previously worked on using a laser cutter to 3D print nylon and nylon graphene composite objects using selective laser sintering. This involves carefully choosing laser settings to tip nylon powder over its melting point to make a sold object. I think I’d know if it was going to melt into goo or burst into flames.
I may or may not have cut pieces of nylon but I’m not just guessing here.
And you have a problem with me saying that? Really? Be safe than sorry?
@GreenOrbs as you must becoming aware of by now, many members at the space assume they are more knowledgable than they really are. A couple of issues we are dealing with are if people actually know what the material in hand is, and if the packaging for a given material is actually truthful. In a manufacturing setting you will know the supplier and have a relationship. In the DMS world people buy crap off of Alibaba, Facebook, and Craigslist, the cheapest vendor. Material misrepresentations are common place. We have to restrict materials at times until we have proven performance from samples. It is outrageously expensive when we have a Laser fire. It just isn’t worth the risk to try and support every use case and most all materials without reasonable assurances of source and chemistry.
Again, thank you for sharing your knowledge.
No problem, happy to share where I can.
I felt that the opinion I provided was reasonably complete including providing my background, a link to what I view as an authoritative source which stated that it could be cut with good results, the chemical rationale as to the safety profile of the fumes, as well as mentioning that I had previously lased this material as part of my research. I recognize that there are often other considerations which is why I made sure to mention that the ultimate decision was up to laser in my first post.
I consider you a Laser material SME in our shop. The wild cards will always be the members knowledge, vender misinformation, and the actual material.
The same issue happens on a regular basis in the woodshop. Members are sold materials that aren’t really what they thought they were purchasing. Sometime the seller is ignorant, other times fraudulent. Sometimes with heart breaking results. Think high dollar wood slabs for live edge tables that weren’t dried as marketed. Hundreds of dollars in materials are lost after the slab begins to dry after being flattened, but ends up twisting.