4 Advice to Choose a textile laser cutting machine

Advantages of Laser Cutting Fabric

With their exceptional precision and power, laser cutting machines are capable of cutting through almost any material. Among their many applications, fabrics and textiles have become a popular area of use. 

SIEME Product Page

Unlike traditional cutting methods that require pressure, there is no direct contacnt between the fabric and the laser cutting machine, thus eliminating the risk of rough edges or fraying. 

Precision is key when cutting fabrics.  Laser cutting machines are software-controlled, which can minimize errors and flaws in the cutting process and guarantee the same cut every time. This level of consistency speeds up the production and produces fabric materials with intricate designs that are free from deformities and uneven edges. 

As a result, laser cut fabrics are commonly used in industries like luxury apparel which require a high level of precision.

xTool M1 Ultra

Versatile Laser Machine for Fabric Crafts

Applications of Fabric Laser Cutting

Here are some of the applications of laser processing in the textile industry:

Cutting Designs

If you try to cut silk and similar fabrics with scissors or any other mechanical tool, you will see threads coming out from the cut. However, if you laser cut such fabrics, you will get a sharp edge with no threads. It is because of the heat that the laser produces, and it binds the treads and creates a seal.

A laser cutter can accurately cut any type of design no matter how intricate it is, making it a very popular tool in the clothing and fabric industry.

laser-cut monster fleece blanket

Engraving Patterns

Laser cutters can also engrave fabrics. You can make light or dark patterns on canvas, leather, quilting fabric, denim, cotton, etc.

xTool M1 Ultra

Versatile Laser Machine for Fabric Crafts

What Type of Laser Cutter Can Cut Fabric?

You can find different types of laser cutting machines on the market, but not all of them are suitable for cutting and engraving fabric.

A  CO2 laser cutter is the best option for cutting and engraving fabric. The wavelength of CO2 lasers is in the infrared region, which can easily be absorbed by the fabric and a wide range of non-metals, making It very useful for cutting and engraving natural and synthetic fabric.

For commercial and bulk manufacturing, large CO2 lasers are suitable. But you can also get a desktop CO2 laser for cutting fabrics at home.

Diode lasers can also be used for fabric cutting and engraving, and they are quite affordable. They are available at a fraction of the price of CO2 lasers. For DIY projects, a diode laser can also be a good option.

xTool M1 Ultra

Versatile Laser Machine for Fabric Crafts

You also need to look at the features of the machine. While laser cutting on fabric, the material is prone to catch fire. Thus, the machine should have a detection or safety system. 

Best Laser Cutter for Fabric and Textile

A diode laser can efficiently cut fabric but what if you could have a machine that combines laser precision with blade versatility—wouldn't that be a game-changer?

Meet xTool M1 Ultra, the ultimate craft machine for your fabric cutting needs.

xTool M1 Ultra: The Versatile Fabric Cutter

The xTool M1 Ultra is a complete crafting package—laser cutting and engraving are just two of its four functionalities. For the laser module, two options are available: a 10W diode and a 20W diode laser. Both can easily engrave fabrics at 400mm/s, but the 20W provides deeper cuts, handling up to 10mm thickness, while the 10W can cut up to 6mm.

The blade cutting module is another highlight that comes with a set of four blades: a rotary blade, a tapered blade, a fine point blade, and a foil-transferring tip. Each one handles a different set of materials. The rotary blade is designed for cutting fabrics like cotton, denim, and linen.

Besides fabric cutting, the M1 Ultra also functions as a printing machine. You can swap the laser cutting module with a printing head to turn it into an inkjet printer – a printer that can print on multiple substrates besides paper, like wood and stone.

It also includes a module for drawing with pens. The machine comes with 8 colored pens for drawing, but it also supports other third-party pens.

Concerned about the internal workspace? The M1 Ultra offers plenty, with a working area of 300*300mm for laser cutting and engraving, sufficient for most crafting needs. It utilizes a pinpoint positioning system for mapping designs within the working area. You can mark points on the material and have the software sketch a virtual layout for design mapping.

The machine is controlled via the user-friendly XCS software, which includes all basic editing features. To simplify things for beginners, the software has a Materials EasySet library that suggests optimal cutting parameters based on the selected material and thickness.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit textile laser cutting machine.

While fire concerns with fabric laser cutting are rare, the xTool M1 Ultra comes with Class 1 laser safety. For added security, there's an optional fire safety kit, a compact add-on that can detect and extinguish accidental fires in seconds.

The xTool M1 Ultra is not just a fabric-cutting machine; it’s a one-stop solution for all your crafting needs.

xTool M1 Ultra

Versatile Laser Machine for Fabric Crafts

Tips for Getting the Best Results for Laser Cutting Fabric

Speed and Power Testing

Fabrics are quite delicate, which is why the laser can directly pass through even at low power, and you can even burn them during engraving, so getting the optimal power and speed is necessary. 

You can try a few low-power and high-speed settings and compare their results. It will help you select the right settings for the fabric. Make sure to run the speed and power test on a spare piece of fabric. Different fabrics require distinct speed and power settings for the best results.

Right Type of Fabric

All fabrics possess distinct features. Some of them are ideal for engravings, such as canvas and denim, while some do not offer significant results, such as silk. Thus, you must know which type of fabric is suitable for laser engraving and which can only be laser cut.

Laser Head Height

The thickness of fabrics is less than a millimeter in most cases. You need to adjust the height and focus of the laser properly because if you place the laser too near the laser head, there are chances of fire. Therefore, there should be a suitable distance, but do not take the laser too far as it can disturb the focus.

Proper Exhaust

Depending on the type of fabric, there can be a smell due to cutting and engraving. There should be a proper exhaust to remove the smoke and other particles away from the area. It ensures optimal cutting by removing the hot air near the object.

Turn Off Air Assist

Air assist is ideal for laser cutting, but when it comes to cutting fabric, you might need to turn it off. Due to the blow of air, the cut pieces of the fabric can leave their place. These pieces can also stick to the laser head and start a fire. Thus, it is better to turn off the air assist. If you are using air assist, then make sure to secure the fabric using tape, magnets, or anything else.

Conclusion

Laser machines can cut and engrave fabrics better than any other mechanical tool, as there is no point of contact. They ensure perfect results without fraying the fabric or harming it in any way. Thus, it is the perfect choice for textile industries, tailors, and designers. You can go for CO2 laser machines; these are available in various sizes and power ranges. They can work well on almost all types of fabrics. The next option could be a diode laser machine. It is quite affordable and can cut and engrave various fabrics with perfection.

There’s a reason why - outside of the various experiments by hobbyists and others - you don’t see any low-cost semiconductor-based laser cutters or engravers.

The main reason is cost per watt.

If you start to price out what it would cost using semiconductor lasers (either monolithic or combined beam) to get the same wattage as a gas tube laser, you quickly find that gas tube lasers are much cheaper per watt - at least currently.

Furthermore, there’s a question of what wavelength to use - which will effect your choice of what laser to use. As noted by Sam’s Laser FAQ on Carbon Dioxide Lasers:

“Unlike the other lasers producing visible or short near-IR light, the output of a CO2 laser is medium-IR radiation at 10.6 um. At this wavelength, normal glass and plastics are opaque, and water completely absorbs the energy in the beam. The 10.6 um energy is ideal for cutting, engraving, welding, heat treating, and other industrial processing of many types of materials including (as appropriate): metals, ceramics, plastics, wood, paper, cardboard, fabric, composites, and much much more.”

This is why you see such cutters and engravers use a CO2 laser tube - it’s the proper tool for the job in the majority of cases.

In fact - I would highly encourage you to read the entirety of the Sam’s Laser FAQ as it will likely answer all of your questions on lasers, usage, and safety.

Basically - you are likely to spend more money on trying to create a semiconductor-based laser cutter or engraver - and the results will likely be disappointing - than if you spent the money on a proper laser cutter/engraving machine.

Something you need to ask yourself is “what is my goal?” - is your goal to experiment and learn about how to build a laser cutter (even if it doesn’t work or works poorly)? Or is your goal to be able to actually process materials for a project using a laser cutter?

If the former, then continue to play - just be aware that you may spend a lot of money, time, and effort - but if this is worth it for the learning experience to you, then go for it. If, however, your goal is the latter - then trying to build your own laser cutter is not likely the best choice; you would be better off spending the money on a pre-built device. There are many options available, for fairly low costs (depending on how much you plan to use them - none are really low cost if you don’t plan on using them fairly often).

There’s always the small and low-cost (under ~$500 USD now) Chinese laser cutter/engravers; just note that while these are low cost, then can be very finicky to get working from what I understand; here in the States, we have a company in Las Vegas (Full Spectrum Laser) that imports them, does the “re-work”, then resells them at a higher price (basically making sure things work properly for the end buyer).

The next step up - while still giving a DIY option (to an extent) - is this kit - which honestly I think is the best “bang for the buck” - if you are willing to spend the time putting such a kit together.

Beyond this, you are looking at machines by companies like Universal Laser Systems - the “name brands” in laser cutting/engraving - and they have prices to match. But they do have top-quality equipment.

Something to note when it comes to laser cutters that use CO2 lasers (mainly the water-cooled tubes; the ULS systems acutally use (I believe) an RF excited tube that is air-cooled - which is a different tech) - is that the more you use the tube, the longer it’s lifespan - so if you decide to go down the route of building your own laser cutter using a tube, purchase the tube last; also if you purchase a pre-made machine, use it often to get the maximum life out of the tube. In other words, tubes for CO2 lasers have a shelf-life, and they pre-maturely fail the less they are used.

Also - if your goal is materials processing - then you might also look into a CNC router; while not as fast as a laser cutter, it can typically do the same kind of work, provided you don’t mind the wider kerf - that is, the width of the cut (I think of a laser cutter as a CNC router with a very small kerf).

Finally - note that whether you use a laser cutter or a CNC router - you are going to have to deal with a “mess” - in the case of a CNC router, it’s a bunch of “dust” that you’ll have to vacuum up and keep clean. In the case of a laser cutter - you have to deal with smoke and gasses created by the “cutting” process. You need to have some way to ventilate the machine, possibly scrubbing the gases (mainly for smell), and also deal with not letting the gasses/smoke get on the lens/mirrors of the machine (so you usually need a compressed air-source as well directing a jet of air at the exit aperture). Also with a laser cutter or engraver - never walk away from the machine while it is in operation (this especially includes homebrew builds). The material being cut or engraved can catch fire - so you need to be able to watch for that and take measures if needed, to put it out. Also - never cut PVC in a laser cutter - it’ll release chlorine gas (poisonous). Never cut styrene (or foam board) - it’ll easily catch fire.

I’m going to stop here - I’ve almost written a book. I don’t have a lot of experience with laser cutters (I’ve only used one - a ULS 60 watt job at my local TechShop), but I have studied the heck out of things (up to and including homebrew CO2 lasers - which you want to stay away from if your goal is to make a cutting machine); ultimately, if I do get a machine of my own, it will either be one from that company in Vegas, or that kit I mentioned. But then again, my goal has been to have a machine to cut things - not to learn how to build them. Your goal(s) may be different, but you need to consider them first.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website mixed co2 laser cutting machine.