Links

Materials

Selecting a Fab Lab Material

For updated Material Options, see Fab Lab Materials List at:

For more information of Metal Laser Cutting materials see:

Sheet Materials
Rotary Materials
Own Materials

Compatible Sheet Materials

Metal laser material sample tags
The table below details the sheet materials that can be processed using the Metal Laser Cutter. Please acknowledge not all materials listed are stocked by the Fab Lab and the maximum cut thickness is to be a guide only. Non-stocked / Outside materials will need to be tested to determine the machines capability.
Maximum cutting area of the Kern LaserCell is 1300 x 1270, therefore sheet material must fit within these dimensions. Most of the sheet metal we stock comes in 1200 x 1200 sheet size or smaller.
Metal
Max Thickness
CUT
ENGRAVE
Fab Lab Supplied?
Mild steel
4 mm
Yes
Yes
Yes
Stainless steel
2 mm
Yes
Yes
Yes
Aluminium
1 mm
Yes
No
Yes
Brass
0.6 mm
Yes
No
Yes
Plastics, Polymers & Fabrics
Max Thickness
CUT
ENGRAVE
Fab Lab Supplied?
ABS
25.4 mm
Yes
Yes
NO
Acrylic
25 mm
Yes
Yes
*Up to 3 mm
Felt
Yes
Yes
NO
HIPS
Yes
Yes
*Up to 2 mm
Leather
6.4 mm
Yes
Yes
NO
Mylar
6.4 mm
Yes
Yes
NO
Neoprene
Yes
Yes
NO
Nylon
12.7 mm
Yes
Yes
NO
PETG
25.4 mm
Yes
Yes
NO
Polycarbonate
9.5 mm
Yes
Yes
NO
Polyester*
6.4 mm
Yes
Yes
NO
Polypropylene
Yes
Yes
*Up to 0.6 mm
Rubber
9.5 mm
Yes
Yes
NO
Vinyl* (Non PVC)
6.4 mm
Yes
Yes
NO
Stone
Max Thickness
CUT
ENGRAVE
Fab Lab Supplied?
Ceramic
-
NO
Yes
NO
Corian
12.7
Yes
Yes
NO
Granite
-
NO
Yes
NO
Glass
-
NO
Yes
NO
Limestone
-
NO
Yes
NO
Marble
-
NO
Yes
NO
Mirror
-
NO
Yes
NO
Slate
-
NO
Yes
NO
Wood Products
Max Thickness
CUT
ENGRAVE
Fab Lab Supplied?
Cardboard
50.8 mm
Yes
Yes
*Up to 3 mm
Paper
Yes
Yes
*Up to 300 GSM
Hardwood
25.4 mm
Yes
Yes
NO
MDF
25.4 mm
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plywood
25.4 mm
Yes
Yes
Yes
Softwood
30.5 mm
Yes
Yes
NO
For an in-depth guide to cutting sheet materials using the Kern LaserCell see Sheet Cutting:

Compatible Cylindrical Materials

The Kern LaserCell's rotary unit is able to hold cylindrical stock up to 750mm long by 101.6mm in diameter. Therefore any tubular material in longer than 750mm needs to be cut down to size prior to job submission and material delivery.
Metal
Max Thickness
Max Diameter
CUT
ENGRAVE
Fab Lab Supplied?
Mild steel tube
1.6 mm
101.6 mm
Yes
Yes
Yes
Stainless steel tube
1.2 mm
101.6 mm
Yes
Yes
Yes
Non-Metal
Max Thickness
Max Diameter
CUT
ENGRAVE
Fab Lab Supplied?
Cardboard tube
8 mm
100 mm
Yes
Yes
No
Plastic pipe (non PVC)
100 mm
Yes
Yes
No
Timber Dowel
-
100 mm
No
Yes
No
For and in-depth guide to cutting cylindrical materials using the Kern LaserCell see 'Rotary Cutting'Compatible Cylindrical Materials
The Kern LaserCell's rotary unit is able to hold cylindrical stock up to 750mm long by 101.6mm in diameter. Therefore any tubular material in longer than 750mm needs to be cut down to size prior to job submission and material delivery.
Metal
Max Thickness
Max Diameter
CUT
ENGRAVE
Fab Lab Supplied?
Mild steel tube
1.6 mm
101.6 mm
Yes
Yes
Yes
Stainless steel tube
1.2 mm
101.6 mm
Yes
Yes
Yes
Non-Metal
Max Thickness
Max Diameter
CUT
ENGRAVE
Fab Lab Supplied?
Cardboard tube
8 mm
100 mm
Yes
Yes
No
Plastic pipe (non PVC)
100 mm
Yes
Yes
No
Timber Dowel
-
100 mm
No
Yes
No
For and in-depth guide to cutting cylindrical materials using the Kern LaserCell see 'Rotary Cutting'

Own Materials

If you would like to cut a material we don’t already stock, come and see us before you buy your material. You will need to provide a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and a sample piece of material so we can test if the material is safe and possible to process. Please see "Alternative Materials and Safety" page for more information.

WARNING: Common Non-Compatible Materials

While a wide range of materials are suitable for laser cutting, some must be avoided for health and safety reasons. Materials not listed on the approved materials list should be discussed with staff before purchase.

PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)

When PVC is cut with a laser, the thermal process produces hydrochloric acid and toxic fumes. These gases can cause damage to our machines and be unsafe for our machine operators. For this reason we do not allow PVC to be processed with our laser systems.