Editing Instructions:Little Blue Laser (Epilog Helix 8000) (section)

== Safety ==
===Fire===
In case of fire:

# Briefly open the lid to cut off the power. See if the fire continues on its own or if the laser beam is fuelling it.
#If the fire does not continue on its with the laser off, press the stop button on the control panel and adjust your settings
#If the fire does continue on its own:
## If it is safe to do so, remove any burning workpieces and extinguish them outside of the laser (smothering, water, fire extinguisher)
## If it is not safe to remove the workpiece, use the fire extinguisher in the laser.

Things that can cause fires:

* Passing over the same spot in vector mode when cutting certain materials (eg wood)
* Improper work surface (always use vector tray or pin grid when cutting)
* Trying to cut multiple layers of fabric or paper at the same time
* Debris in the debris tray
* Cutting non-suitable materials
* Laser is out of focus

===Materials===
Certain materials can increase the risk of fire or emit fumes that can harm users or damage the equipment. Please refer to the list in the blue book in the laser room until the appropriate information is uploaded to the Wiki. Generally, anything that contains chlorine (PVC, vinyl) is not allowed. 

Note that PETG sheets are not included in the table but are approved for cutting at North Forge. Non-chromium-tanned leather is also okay.

If you do not know the chemical information of the material you want to use, do not use it. If you do know what it is but it is not on the list, please post in the laser channel on Slack to request approval. The [[SDS]] is often useful for deciding whether a material is okay to cut because it can contain information about the fumes released when the material is burned.


===Equipment Damage===
====Thin Materials====
Thin materials can greatly increase the risk of fire or equipment damage. Do not cut multiple layers of paper or fabric due to increased risk of fire. When cutting thin materials, be careful of small cutout areas - when fully cut out, the material can be blown by the air support and contact the lens, causing a blowout.

====Autofocus Disabled====

DO NOT ENABLE AUTOFOCUS - MANUAL FOCUS ONLY. Enabling auto focus in software will damage the lasers!  If autofocus is enabled, the bed will rise and crash into the X axis gantry.

====Raster Speed Problems====
When using raster mode, high speeds will cause the motors to wear out prematurely. North Forge policy is to keep speed below 80%. Note that the existing tables may suggest speeds above 80%; in that case you will need to adjust them manually:

# Find the recommended values in the speed/power table
# If the suggested raster speed is greater than 80%, set the speed to 80%.
# Subtract the same percentage from the power as you did for the speed. For example, if the recommended speed/power is 100/80, subtract 20 points from the speed to get to 80 and 20 points from the power to get 60. The adjusted speed/power is 80/60.
# If the suggested power is already less than 20 points, set the power to 5 and the speed as close to 80% as possible. For example, if the recommended speed/power is 100/15, the adjusted speed/power is 90/5


=== Housekeeping ===
Members must break down their materials before discarding them. Blunt sharp edges that may puncture the bag. TIP: Use the laser to break down any waste materials. Empty the garbage when it is more than 3/4 full and put the bags in the bin near the elevator/paint booth.

When done, always check the debris tray for small pieces and empty if needed. Small pieces can be ignited by the laser during vector cutting.