Pin Tables, Honeycomb & Bed Mods
Lifting the workpiece off the bed prevents back-side burn and improves cut quality dramatically. Stock honeycomb works for most jobs; specialty bed setups handle awkward materials. Here are the four common bed modifications.
Why bed elevation matters
- Prevents back-reflections. Beam exiting the cut hits the bed and bounces UP into the underside of your part, invisible until customer return.
- Allows airflow underneath. Trapped smoke discolors the bottom edge.
- Prevents flare-ups. Vapors trapped between part and bed can ignite.
- Easier removal of small parts: they fall through honeycomb / pin gaps, easy to retrieve.
Option 1: Honeycomb table
Standard for most CO2 and diode lasers. Aluminum honeycomb sheet ~25-50mm deep.
- Pros: universal, works for almost everything, fume passthrough.
- Cons: hexagonal pattern can leave faint marks on the bottom of thin material. Crushed honeycomb is hard to repair.
- Replacement: ~$50-150 depending on size. Check Cloudray, OMTech accessories, or Amazon.
- DIY: aluminum honeycomb sheet from McMaster-Carr (~$40-80) cut to fit.
Option 2: Pin table
Array of small upright pins or strips that hold material above the bed with minimal contact.
- Pros: minimal back-side contact = cleanest cuts on thin material. Best for fabric, paper, vinyl.
- Cons: requires specific spacing for your typical work; not universal.
- Best for: fabric, paper, leather, photo prints, painted parts.
DIY pin table parts
- Aluminum pegboard (or steel + magnets).
- Aluminum L-pins or small upright dowels (~25mm tall).
- Magnetic base for removable pin placement.
- Total cost: $30-80 for typical small bed.
Option 3: Knife / strip table
Thin metal strips spaced ~25-50mm apart. Sometimes called a knife edge or comb table.
- Pros: cleaner than honeycomb on fabric; less mark-leaving.
- Cons: small parts can fall between strips and get lost.
- Best for: production fabric / vinyl / large flat parts.
- DIY: aluminum bar stock + spacers + threaded rod base.
Option 4: Aluminum slats
Heavier-duty version of knife table, wider aluminum strips for heavy parts.
- Pros: handles heavy stock, pass-through cuts.
- Cons: more bottom-side reflection than knife table.
- Best for: thick wood / acrylic cuts where you need rigid support.
Combining bed types: the modular setup
Production shops often have multiple bed inserts:
- Default: honeycomb (always installed).
- Pin overlay: magnetic / removable for fabric jobs.
- Knife-strip overlay: for large flat parts.
- Aluminum slats: for heavy / thick cuts.
- Swap in 60 seconds depending on job.
Specialty bed mods
Magnetic base for jigs
Replace bed surface with steel plate; use neodymium magnets to hold jigs / fixtures in repeatable positions. Especially useful for batch / production work on small items (tags, coins).
Vacuum table
Premium upgrade for thin material work (fabric, paper, foam). Holds parts flat against the bed via suction.
- Vacuum pump (3-5 CFM) + perforated bed surface + sealed enclosure.
- $200-500 DIY; $500-1500 commercial.
- Eliminates warp / shift during cutting.
- Production-justified upgrade, payback fast on thin material work.
Inset for galvo fiber lasers
Galvo lasers don't have a "bed" in the same sense, the working area is under the fixed head. Inserts include:
- Aluminum risers (5-15mm) under jigs to lift small parts to optimal Z.
- 3D-printed PLA jigs with magnetic base for repeatable position.
- T-slot extrusion grids for adjustable fixture mounting.
When to upgrade your bed
- Bottom-side burn marks on completed parts, primary sign honeycomb is bowed or worn.
- Honeycomb visibly crushed or sagging.
- Uneven engrave depth across the bed.
- Persistent fume issues from trapped smoke.
- Production batches needing repeatable positioning.