Laser equipment for cutting foam for planes
 

What is the right laser equipment I would need to setup my own cutting system for cutting diffrent types of foam for foamy planes.
What software is being used to control the laser cutter etc.
Anyone have some info and what I will need to do this?
I know its not cheap but thats ok, I still want to do this.</p>

RE: Laser equipment for cutting foam for planes
 

the laser is probably the most expensive type of CNC machine.you can get the same resulte from a CNC router at the fraction of the price.  there is alot of info here on CNC and on RCgroups.  there is the phlateprinter or any othere type of cutter. CNCzone.com is another forum.   there is so much info to learn about CNC

RE: Laser equipment for cutting foam for planes
 

Current laser systems today are controlled via sensing the different colored lines in a drawing. You then have to set speed and intensity based your finding out the average density to the material about to be cut or engraved. And thus you would need to have several thousand numbered and tested line colors avaiable loaded into the base computer. That is really a chore ahead.

Most laser systems today will only recognize the basic 16 colors to set their rates. I would think you then would have to contact the laser Mfgr. to get them to expand their basic software to include your extra thousands of colors. Most of the laser companies are now fighting with each other, so I woud expect they would charge you a good $100,000 for the special software, plus the cost of the laser. Maybe you can find someone to do it for less.

But right now the hot wire guys got laser milling costs beat.


Wm.

RE: Laser equipment for cutting foam for planes
 

Can the hot wire systems cut all the parts of a foamie. Ive seen they can cut large blocks and then you could slice off the parts to make
the same part a little faster out of one large block, if it can slice each part the same.

Who makes a good computer contolled wire cutting system. Looks like that is what I will need.
Ive seen a few on the net but they were manual controlled. Im looking for computer controlled.

Thanks for the help.
Im sure there must be a few to pick from. I would want one with good software,service and built well. etc.

RE: Laser equipment for cutting foam for planes
 

do a google search for phlatprinter see if thats something that might work.

RE: Laser equipment for cutting foam for planes
 

most wire system can be built. there are a few comercial ones out there.  do a search and you will get alot of info

RE: Laser equipment for cutting foam for planes
 

The phlatprinter is to much in the works for me. If they had a complete system I might be interested. I want a system
that is built and comes with software. Ive seen router systems at tradeshows in the sign making world. Doesn't
someone make a system that can do this that is already built and comes with software?
Maybe a computer contolled hotwire would be better for cutting out foam parts.
I will take a look at the commercial wire cutter systems and see what they can do. Using a router system gives you
the abitlity to cut many types of material wood, plastic, foam etc that wire cutter could not do.

Anything in the commercial world that will do what the phlatprinter is doing and more with software?

RE: Laser equipment for cutting foam for planes
 

Do a web search on "The lasers edge" Very afordable equipment with a US distributer. Cryptic but managable software included.</p>

</p>

DJ</p>

RE: Laser equipment for cutting foam for planes
 

What type of foam?  How big?  Just about any type of laser system will cut Depron, Zepron, etc.  Not sure how other foams, such as the blue or pink insulation foam, will laser cut but I imagine probably just as good.  I've only worked with laser cutters made by Universal Laser Systems but I think most of them work about the same.  The machines I've used were capable of cutting from CAD programs, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, etc. 

RE: Laser equipment for cutting foam for planes
 

Here is a interesting CNC router system I found.
http://www.pdjinc.com/ Looks pretty heavy duty.

RE: Laser equipment for cutting foam for planes
 

If you are interested, there is a man in your neck of the woods who sells laser cutters and has experience cutting foam.

John Rivrud
RC Scale all composite airplanes
http://www.rcscaleallcomposite.com
(727) 942-0997

John is in Palm Harbor, Fl.  and is a real helpful guy. He has cut some foamy dupron planes for a friend of mine and does a great job.

RE: Laser equipment for cutting foam for planes
 

Have you looked in to water Jet cutting systems. I understand there are a number of five axis systems made today, but each seems to be built in Wash. state someplace.


Wm.

RE: Laser equipment for cutting foam for planes
 

Flowcorp.com

Very very expensive compared to laser.

RE: Laser equipment for cutting foam for planes
 

Yes waterjets are real high priced. They mostly are used to cut stainless steel and other metals. The
ones Ive seen are of that type.