Trotec Laser Inc.
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Phone: (734) 927-6300
E-Mail: usa@troteclaser.com
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Laser Cut Silhouette
Request a demoSearching for a unique gift or decoration idea? This tutorial will teach you how to create your very own paper silhouette artwork.
Preparation
Required Material:
- 1 Sheet Laser Paper Orange-Red
- 1 Sheet Laser Paper Slate Gray + self adhesive
- 1 Sheet Laser Paper Blue + self adhesive
- 1 Sheet Laser Paper Dark Blue + self adhesive
- 1 Sheet Laser Paper Black + self adhesive
- Covering material
Machines Used:
- Speedy 360, 80 Watt
- 1.5" lens
- Honeycomb vacuum table
Use any of the laser machines in our Speedy laser engraver series. We used a Speedy 360 for our silhouette.
Tip:
For delicate and detailed cuts we recommend using the 1.5" lens.
Step by Step
Step 1: Design
Import your own graphics and edit the silhouette design as needed. Then, send the 5 assorted graphics to your Trotec laser machine with the following criteria:
| Process mode | Resolution | Cut line |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 500dpi | none |
| Halftone | Others |
|---|---|
| color | Enhanced geometries, Inner Geometries first |
Step 2: Laser Process the Paper
Organize your mix of colored paper sheets in their correct order, according to your design. Place them flat in your Trotec laser machine. Cover the remainder of the working surface to allow for a strong vacuum. Parameters may vary by laser machine model and beam strength.
Laser Parameters: Engraving
| Black | Engrave CO2 | 40 | 70 | 500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Color | Process | Power % | Speed % | ppi/Hz |
| 1 | ON | 0mm | High Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passes | Air Assist | Z-offset | Advanced |
Laser Parameters: Cutting
| Color | Process | Power % | Speed % | ppi/Hz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Cut CO2 | 15 | 1 | 1,000 |
| Passes | Air Assist | Z-offset | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ON | 0mm | - |
Step 3: Assembly
Choose one color for the backing plate. Next, arrange the colored sheets in the correct order, in line with your design. If you are following our design, use the orange paper as the backing plate, and then place the remaining colors in the following order:
- Slate grey
- Blue
- Dark blue
- Black as finishing
Trotec Materials
Are you interested in using our tested LaserPaper for your applications? Try it out for yourself. LaserPaper was produced especially for laser processing, along with our additional laserable materials. With this comes high laser machine contrast, clean cut marks, and impressive results. LaserPaper proves to be high-quality and is available in a variety of different colors that way your next invitation, brochure, greeting or business card will stand out.
Inspiration
- Cut spacers from thin TroLase ADA, and stick them in between the individual paper sheets to further emphasize the depth of the finished product.
- To illuminate your creation, substitute the orange base plate with white LaserPaper Synthetic and stand the picture upright in front of a lamp.
- Depending on the context of the design, you can use the laser cut silhouette as a gift card.
