How does laser-cutting work?

Laser-cutting uses a computer to direct the output high-power laser at the material to be cut. The material then melts, burns or vaporizes leaving an edge with a high-quality finish. The laser beam is guided by lines on a vector file (which is why lines need to meet for an object to be completely cut out and why double lines confuse the laser-cutter). In addition, the beam is angled therefore edges are not 90 degrees. These things need to be taken into consideration particularly when designing 3D objects with interlocking parts.

What have other people made using Ponoko?

Go check out the Ponoko Showroom to see the range of products people have made.

What materials can I use?

You can choose from the range of wood and ply sheeting and acrylic listed in our materials catalog. You can also access the materials catalog through your Personal Factory. We plan to expand the materials over the coming months.

How long will it take for me to receive my laser cut order?

The 'average' order is custom made and delivered in about 2 weeks, give or take a few days.

The custom making time depends on your Personal Factory plan type and the size of your order.

The shipping time depends on the shipment origin and destination.

Here's a general guide to the best case and worst case scenarios:

Can I ask for the laser-cutter to be set-up differently, so I can achieve a certain effect?

No, not at this stage.

What size restrictions are there?

You need to work within our templates. The largest size possible is 31.1 inches by 15.1 inches (790mm x 384mm). The templates can be downloaded from our 2D Design starter kits.