A Quick Look at Kerf
Here's a ~90 second look at kerf to help you start getting your head around it. Once you do, you'll find it really easy! I'll come back soon with a more detailed tutorial.
Intro to kerf (the short version):
When the laser cuts, it cuts down the center of a line. As it cuts, it removes around 0.005" of material. As it makes it's way around a square, for example, it removes that amount on each side, ultimately making the square ~0.01" SMALLER than what you designed it to be. An example of this would be a tab that fits into a slot.
OR if you're cutting a slot for something to fit into, it cuts that slot at ~0.01" LARGER than you intended it to be.
So if you're making a tab and a slot that are to fit together snugly, start by making the tab 0.01" larger OR the slot 0.01" thinner in height (or width, depending on which direction the material is oriented).
ALWAYS make a test slot or two first because you'll often discover that 0.01" isn't exactly what you want, but it is a great place to start.
** I'll have a more detailed tutorial soon!
--Mark
BigBlueLaserDesigns