Account for Kerf

[Axeman]

I'm wondering if there is a way to setup the cut jobs to account for kerf. I have some cut jobs where the box is set to fit exactly 3mm square into it (which is to fit my 3mm MDF/wood). Unfortunately, the kerf goes 50% on both sides of that line...making the hole about 3.28mm square which screws up all the "cut to fit tight" designs that I have.

[Tech_Marco]

How thick of the material being cut? If it is not very thick, you may consider using a "beam expander" as it would provide a very fine line for engraving and cutting.

Or, you may want to change your current focus lens to a longer focus lens. Assuming you have 50.8mm installed, try 63.5 or 68.5mm instead. But changing to the longer focus point lens may lead to power lost.

Marco

[Axeman]

I just thought of it, I'll just lift the whole cutter up to try out my 100mm lens and see how that does. I'm not sure if that will drop my kerf or increase it though...but it will probably help make cutting more even.

I cut up to 1/4" so would a beam expander still give me a tiny kerf? How much of a drop does it make?

[Axeman]

Well, some reading that longer focal point makes a more even deep cut but way bigger kerf.

I'll try blowing up the DXF just enough to see if I can account for Kerf that way. Would be a really nice thing to have in the software in a future update though...just a setting to say "kerf = x" so that it actually cuts just outside of the vectors instead of the manual DXF manipulation or adding a beam expander.