Laser Cutting Carbon fiber sheet

[Jimmy L Taylor]

Has anyone ever tried cutting any carbon fiber sheet? I have some very thin sheets I need to cut out. 0.023 thick. I have a Epilog 60 watt Helix. What would everyone suggest as a starting point as far as speed power and Frequency?
Thanks
Jimmy

[Bruce Volden]

I've only read of the severe charring associated with laser cutting this material. Perhaps searching carbon fiber will give you the info??

Bruce

[Neal Schlee]

I doubt you'll be able to cut this material. I raster engrave serial numbers on helicopter ski pads made of CF, the laser only removes the resin and does not seem to affect the CF, and this is a 120 watt system running at 1000dpi.

Neal
Anchorage, AK

[Kim Vellore]

It is Carbon fiber, another form of charr so I doubt it will cut it. It needs very high temperatures to burn so laser would not cut it. Kim

[Dan Hintz]

20mils is relatively thin, so if you go really slow you can cut through it... but you won't be happy with the edge. CF does not lend itself well to laser cutting at such low wattages. You'd be better off CNCing whatever it is.

[matthew knott]

There was a laser just up the road from me that was used for cutting carbon tubes (bazooka launches) and it need about 400 watts and slow, and watch the dust that comes of them, its conductive and plays havoic with the electronics in the machine, this one regulaly went BANG and was described as cross between a bomb and lighting strike , but it was running at 25000Volts, just something to thing about with extraction.
Thanks
Matt

[Jimmy L Taylor]

I did some testing. I can cut it fine, ran 100 power and 15% speed on my 60 watt. It works but as a few of you stated the edge is rough...I guess ill figure something else out.