How to Laser-Cut Metal Signs: A Guide to Laser-Cutting Metal

Embarking on a laser-cutting journey is like cultivating a garden—it requires patience, precision, and practice before you can reap the benefits. Just like you should prepare ahead before planting, garnering the knowledge before you laser-cut metal is essential for achieving the best results. 

Before you start, ensure you have all the necessary supplies and equipment. Make sure your workspace is orderly and clear of dust and debris, which can interfere with your fiber-laser metal cutting machine. Once you have all your tools on hand and everything is in working condition, you’re ready to start.

Prepare the Laser Cutting Design

It's best to start with a simple design when crafting custom laser-cut metal signs, especially when creating business signs. One of the most critical aspects of effective signage is ensuring it can be read easily. While it may be tempting to use complicated and fancy fonts, doing so can hinder your sign's legibility. Instead, opt for straightforward, easy-to-read fonts that won't confuse the eye.

Another essential consideration when creating your custom sign is ensuring that the sizing of your words, numbers, and graphics is appropriate for the sign's dimensions. It's also important to remember the distance between your sign and those viewing it to ensure everyone can easily read it up close and far away.

Selecting the right metal cutting software is as important as choosing the laser cutter machine. Since you will be doing the design work and editing on your computer, the program you opt for should be user-friendly, with all the features you need to create stunning customizable signs. It would help if you familiarized yourself with the following standard terms used to describe the various software options:

• CAD (computer-aided design) programs assist users in creating the layout for their projects. 
• CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) programs give the users control over the machine used in the fabrication process.
• Control software facilitates coded communication between the computer and the laser cutter. 
• Nesting is a feature of software programs that groups images to speed up cutting time and reduce material waste.

Investing in a single software program that can handle all these functions is more cost-effective than purchasing multiple programs. Cypcut software is an excellent option for beginners and experienced professionals, offering CAD, CAM, control, and nesting functionality. 

Perform Pre-Cutting Checkup

Before you start cutting, ensure your fiber cutter is set up and working properly. This includes setting up the gas tanks for cutting, checking the water cooler system for optimal circulation, and other diagnostic checks. 

Once you have concluded that your system is functioning properly, perform some test cuts on the same material you’ll be utilizing for your project. By using the same material with the same thickness, you’ll be able to witness the accuracy and precision of the fiber cutter and adjust settings accordingly to achieve your desired results. 

Fiber cutters like the OMTech FC-510 can cut metals like carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and more. Keep in mind that the higher the wattage of the fiber cutter, the deeper it can cut. For example, a 4kW fiber cutter can cut up to approximately 2/8” thick brass. 

Load the Material into the Fiber-Laser Cutter

First, check the software to make sure your design is correctly displayed on your computer. You’ll want to confirm that the design on the software matches how you want the final product to look before starting the laser-cutting metal process. 

Once the design display is verified, don proper safety equipment like safety goggles and turn on the metal laser cutting machine. Activate the software’s nesting function to determine the area of your cut and optimize precision and efficiency. Then, place the metal sheet onto the machine’s working bed. 

Align the Workpiece 

Use the laser guiding system to adjust the position of the workpiece until it’s precisely aligned to where you want the pattern to be. The fiber-laser cutting software will automatically adjust the settings according to the properties of your selected material. This helpful feature helps you guide the metal-cutting laser to your intended target. Remember that the design will not transfer properly if you do not align the workpiece. 

Configure the Laser Settings 

If you have previous test results from prior metal laser-cutting projects, use these as a reference to fine-tune your settings. Adjust the speed and power of the laser to ensure your cuts are up to your standards. OMTech fiber cutters utilize Cypcut, a laser software designed for the seamless control of your laser cutting machine.  

If you want to achieve deep, precise cuts, lessen the laser speed and increase the laser power. Also, if your cuts appear jagged and rough, adjust the width of your laser beam for smoother results. Remember to keep a record of these settings for future projects, so that you can easily refer back to them when needed. 

Start Laser Cutting

Make sure to keep all body parts clear of the laser path before starting your laser-cutting machine for metal. Always avoid looking directly at the laser for extended periods, even when wearing safety goggles. 

Monitor the Laser-Cutting Machine

Watch your OMTech fiber-cutter machine closely for signs of abundant sparks or ignition. When laser metal-cutting, some sparking is guaranteed, but keep a fire extinguisher accessible at all times as a safety precaution. We recommend having a laser dust collection or fume extractor machine to decrease workplace hazards. 

Once the cutting process is complete, examine the cuts to determine if another pass of the laser is necessary. If your cuts are not as deep or defined as you would prefer, you can perform another pass to achieve your desired results. Once the cutting process is complete, power down the machine in the reverse order that you turned it on. 

Post-Processing Your Custom Laser-Cut Metal Signs

Upon completing your laser-cut metal sign, use a soft cloth and rubbing alcohol to clean the metal. Be careful, as the freshly-cut sign may still be hot. Make sure to use gloves when handling laser-cut metal panels. 

The laser-cut sheet metal might also come out with sharp edges or rough surfaces, so use fine sandpaper to remove any roughness. If you are planning on painting your laser-cut sign, confirm that the surface is rough enough for paint adherence but smooth enough for the final texture. 

Safety Hazards When Laser Cutting Metal

It is crucial to note that when you are engraving metal, you may also create toxic dust as a byproduct. Laser dust becomes more common when working with softer materials. Still, it can also occur with hard metals when you operate your machine at high power. Wearing your safety goggles can help prevent these contaminants from entering your eyes. Still, investing in other PPE (personal protective equipment), such as masks and gloves, could also be helpful. If you are exposed to pollutants routinely, consider purchasing a ventilation system designed for laser engraving to keep your workspace and surrounding air free of dangerous particulates, vapors, and fumes.

Create Custom Metal Signs with OMTech Metal Fiber Cutters! 

Whether you’re using your laser-cutting machine for metal signs or to create other custom, metal products, harness the power of fiber-laser metal cutting with OMTech! Our wide variety of metal-cutting laser machines allows you to laser-cut metal signs with ultimate precision and accuracy. Models like the OMTech FC-105 and OMTech FC-44 offer industrial results at affordable prices. Turn your business into a flourishing production with OMTech fiber laser cutters for metal!