Equipment · Procedure
Bring the CNC laser cutter online safely and confirm it is cutting true before the first job of the shift.
Put on required PPE
Safety glasses and cut-resistant gloves before you touch the machine. No exceptions.
Verify lockout/tagout is cleared
Confirm there are no active locks or tags on the cutter from maintenance before powering up.
Power on the cutter and CNC controller
Switch the wall isolator, then the machine, then the controller. Wait for the self-test to complete.
Confirm fume extraction and water table are running
Never fire the laser without active fume extraction and the water table filled. Cutting steel without them releases toxic fumes and is a fire risk.
Home the axes and reference the table
Run HOME from the controller. The head returns to origin — listen for a clean stop with no grinding.
Load and square the steel plate
Lay the plate flat on the slats, square it to the rail, and confirm it sits clear of the gantry.
Knowledge check
Confirm the most important safety condition before cutting.
Q: What MUST be running before you start a cut?
Run the calibration test cut
Cut the 50mm calibration square at standard settings. Measure it — within 0.2mm passes.