The Guide to Leather Designing With Laser Cutting Machines

Posted by Steven Glassner on November 11th, 2019

Laser cutting and engraving started in the 90s. Even today, people use it for its fine accuracy and ease of use. If you are a designer, then these machines help you turn your designs in reality. It provides you the opportunity to start your own company and work independently, or if you don’t wish to invest much in these machines you can submit your designs to other laser cutting companies who might help you in bringing them to reality.

Many designers use laser cutting and engraving as it gives them the freedom to curate their own designs. 

One can use this laser cutting machine in different fields like jewelry designing, medical devices, fabric designing, leather designing, etc. 

In this article, we will see how laser cutting can be useful in leather designing and how it overcomes the limit of the manual cutting, machine cutting, punching presses, etc. 

Advantages: 

1. No risk of physical damage to the leather as the cutting tool is light. 
2. Laser cutters are precise. They make it easier to carve intricate designs easy on the material. 
3. We can cut a variety of materials using a laser cutter. 
4. They are affordable compared to other machines.
5. Their spare parts are easily available including the best ones like Mazak parts, TRUMPF parts, etc.

 Disadvantages:

1. When carving the design on the material one needs to have experience and expertise in using the laser machines.
2. The laser machine produces fumes as it burns and vaporizes the materials. So, it is advisable to perform laser cutting in a ventilated area or a place with an exhaust system.
3. Thick materials are difficult to cut and they require low speed.

There are many different types of laser machines available in the market. So, to help you make the right decision, we’ve listed a few factors you must consider before making the purchase.

• Speed

It depends on the type of material, thickness, and power of the laser. If the laser is high powered then it increases the speed of the laser in direct proportions. Also, depending on the material and its thickness, the impact on the speed of the laser varies. 

• Power

Leather is a flexible and durable material. It requires a sufficient amount of power to vaporize. The CO2 laser machine would be perfect for leather designing as it has a power of 40 Watts and above. This is the recommended amount of power for thick materials like leather.  Hence, if want to work with leather material then you need to consider a high-powered laser machine. 

• Working Space 

Large laser cutters are expensive. But, in the long run, it will help you save more leather. With large laser machines, you can make strategic cuts and create more objects with just a single sheet. So, while purchasing you need to understand your requirements and purchase accordingly.

• Machine Parts

When opting for a laser machine, make sure they have top-class laser parts like Mazak parts, TRUMPF parts, etc. Among these parts, TRUMPF parts are compatible with almost every machinery making it a long-term investment for you.

But what if you want leather-cut designs without investing in a laser cutting machine?

Well, we do have a solution for that too. There are few online stores that can help you with cutting and engraving leather. You have to create your designs and give them to fabricators. These fabricators turn those designs into reality keeping your requirements in mind.

Here we’ve listed a few websites which can help you with leather engraving:

• LaserCut Finland: If you are a designer in Finland or Europe then this is the perfect choice for you. It is a Helsinki based studio that provides services at a low cost. 

• LaserCuts: It’s a US-based company. They provide laser cutting services on different types of materials like acrylic, vinyl, leather, plastic rubber, ceramic. 

• Ponoko: They serve business owners, designers, entrepreneurs, etc. They provide remake guarantee, same-day delivery option and many more. Just provide them with your designs and they will do the rest of the work.

• American Laser Cutter: This LA-based company will help you with almost any type of laser cutting and engraving. It is the only company in LA that engraves on metal. Additionally, they sell laser cutting machines as well. This shows they are experienced and can guide you if you are a start-up business.
  

As the saying goes, “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works!” - Steve Jobs. But these designs become more special when it turns into reality.

So, what are you waiting for? Get started with your designs today.