Laser Cutting Glossary

Plastic material (PMMA/Plexiglas) widely used in laser cutting. Produces translucent, polished edges. Only colored acrylic cuts well with diode lasers; clear acrylic requires CO2.

System that blows compressed air onto the cutting point. Reduces charring, cools the cut zone, and expels generated gases. Significantly improves cut quality in wood.

Darkening and carbonization of material at cut edges. Normal in wood, but the amount depends on power, speed, and material type.

Type of laser using a carbon dioxide tube to generate infrared light (10,600nm). Most common type for cutting wood, acrylic, and organic materials.

Essential precision measuring tool for measuring actual material thickness and kerf test cut results. Typical precision: 0.01mm.

Type of laser using semiconductors to generate visible light (400–500nm). More compact and affordable than CO2. Modern 20–40W models can cut 3mm MDF and wood.

Dots per inch — engraving resolution. Higher DPI means more detail but longer engraving time. For photo engraving 300–600 DPI; for text and vectors, 200–300 DPI is sufficient.

Vertical lens position where the laser beam is narrowest and most powerful. Incorrect focus can double kerf and drastically reduce effective cutting power.

Mandatory ventilation system to expel gases and particles generated during cutting. MDF releases formaldehyde; acrylic releases acrylic vapors. Both are harmful to health.

Interlocking system between panels using rectangular "fingers". The most common joining method in laser cut boxes. Requires kerf compensation for correct fit.

Work surface with honeycomb structure. Allows smoke to escape and prevents material from resting on a solid surface that would reflect the laser.

Width of material removed by the laser cut. Ranges from 0.1mm to 0.3mm depending on machine, material, and settings. Must be compensated in the design to achieve precisely fitting finger joints.

Most popular laser cutter control software on the market. Compatible with most CO2 and diode machines. Imports SVG files and allows managing layers, power, and speed.

Most commonly used laser cutting material for its consistency, low cost, and ease of cutting. Contains formaldehyde resins — requires adequate ventilation.

Empty space on the edge of a finger joint panel that receives the tab from the adjacent panel. The alternation between tabs and notches creates the interlocking joint.

Number of times the laser traverses the same cutting path. Thick materials may require 2 or more passes. Each pass adds accumulated heat and may increase charring.

Board made from thin wood layers glued in alternating directions. Stronger than MDF. For laser cutting, use "Baltic birch" or "laser grade" — construction plywood has fillers that impede cutting.

Percentage of the laser's maximum power applied during cutting or engraving. Higher power removes more material. Together with speed, determines cut depth.

Fit between pieces that go together with firm hand pressure without needing a mallet or glue, and stay immobile. The target fit for laser cut boxes with well-compensated finger joints.

Operating mode where the laser sweeps the area line by line (like a printer) to remove surface material without cutting through. Used for text, images, and textures.

Standard vector file format for laser cutting. Contains mathematical paths that the cutter follows with infinite precision, without quality loss when scaling.

Velocity of laser head movement during cutting. Lower speed means more exposure time and greater cut depth. Measured in mm/s (CO2) or mm/min (diodes).

Rectangular protrusion on a finger joint panel that fits into the slot of the adjacent panel. Tab depth equals material thickness.

Operating mode where the laser follows a vector path to cut through the material completely. Unlike raster, it doesn't sweep the area — it only follows design lines.