When working with new materials there is always a question of where to start in regards to settings with your laser cutter or engraving. Copyright © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. The engraving is usually .5 mm deep, which carries through most hard and softwoods. It is called engraving when the laser beam removes parts of the top material but does not cut all the way through the material. … The sample simulated in this research is a 3.2 mm thick Polycarbonate sheet that is subjected to the laser cutting process by a low power continuous CO2 laser. Here are some standard cutting settings in general laser cutting machine include Dacu Laser Cutting machin / Dacu Laser Cutters : Laser cutting machine for cutting stainless steel: 1) Below 1.0—1.5 stainless steel is cut with 1.4-2.0 double-layer cutting tip, compensation value is 0.1, defocus amount is -1 . Acrylic , also known as Perspex is the most popular material to use within laser cutting and is widely respected by manufactures as you can do so much with it. Finding K40 laser settings for different materials. In general, as the thickness of the acrylic you cut increases, the cutting speed must decrease. Simply put, it looks good and is highly durable. OPTIMAL SURFACE FINISH AND RESULTS . Laser engraving produces a white or clear engraved image, depending on the chosen settings. PETG products are easy to die-cut and thermoform without upsetting structural integrity. This is the frequency of light the laser cutter uses to cut materials, so it is very ineffective at cutting polycarbonate. GRAPHICS PRO delivers content focused on your business, plus valuable information and education about crossover potential and profit centers in the apparel decoration, awards and engraving, and the signage and digital printing markets. Laser engraving polycarbonate guarantees a superb degree of precision hence common in applications which require fine inscriptions. Sadly the wavelength from CO2 Lasers make it really difficult and almost impossible to engrave on polycarbonate. The air assist is essential to help push the acrylic fumes through your cut, and the honeycomb table helps reduce flashback and aids in pulling the flammable fumes out of your laser. Unfortunately the more contact the reverse of the material has with the laser bed the higher the risk of marks on the reverse. Two passes may produce better results and allow for cutting through thicker materials. The Right Settings . Laser cutters can cut a wide variety of materials – anything from paper, wood, cork, acrylic and foam to different types of metals. Now that you have a CTR laser machine, you are likely looking to explore the different materials that you can process for cutting and engraving. The process from sheet stock to finished award is a long one, but with the right settings on your equipment, you can create beautiful finished acrylic pieces that are perfect for various applications. Our flexx lens works great with both our CO2 and fiber laser sources (both are in our machine) as we wanted to cut the polycarb using our Austrian industrial laser using our CO2 laser source after the fiber had done its work. The following guide settings may need to be adjusted on your machine depending on the optics fitted, the air assist gas being used, and the laser power. Cutting 1/4” (6 mm) 5000 f 5s 100p 6s 100p 8s 100p 12s 100p 15s 100p Cutting 3/8” (9.5 mm) 5000 f - - 3s 100p 4s 100p 5s 100p Cutting Note: Adjusting the standard focus distance so it is closer to the lens by about .030” (.762 mm) will produce better edge quality on 1/4” acrylic and thicker. Can be cut, very slowly. A laser cutting machine transfers a pre-programmed design onto whatever material you’re using. The window of the laser cutter is made of Polycarbonate because polycarbonate strongly absorbs infrared radiation! I removed the plastic protective sheet from the acrylic and masked it with Greenstar transfer tape. Having less variables will help to find the optimum settings faster. The materials that the laser can cut materials like wood, paper, cork, and some kinds of plastics. It can also be one of the most difficult. Polycarbonate absorbs IR strongly, and is a poor material to use in the laser cutter. Also available is a laser cutter user guide. Since we run Epilog lasers in our shop, I have included the recommended settings that came with our lasers. Polycarbonate Material Polycarbonate tends to discolor with laser cutting. When determining your laser cutting settings, the best place to start is with the laser manufacturer’s recommended settings, then adjust from there to optimize your cuts. The process parameters examined were: laser power, range of cutting speed, type of focusing lens, pressure and flow of the covering gas, thickness of the samples. PETG sheet is an excellent material to work with in regards to laser cutting. Compared to conventional materials, ther... Laser cutting of filtering facepiece respirator. CNC fiber marking polycarbonate is an incredible process that’s awesome to see happen in person, it’s quite magical but the results of cutting this with our CO2 laser source has much to … If you are like me, the cooked and yellowed edge isn’t the most attractive finish for most applications. Laser cutting is so popular largely because of its versatility. Also available is a laser cutter user guide. The only solution (so far) to engrave this material is to use a YAG/Fiber laser. TroGlass Mirror. This varies from material to material and is also dependent on the specific settings of the laser. … A little discoloration on the opposite side. The following are suggested laser cutter configuration settings for various materials. Even the wattage of your laser and the local environment can affect settings. Watch for smoking/burning Delrin (POM) thin Moreover, laser cutting of plastic require very powerful exhaustion, filtration of fumes and special tables of plastic as a base for the acrylic sheets. Read More. The rectangle with two differently rounded corners offers the advantage that both straight cutting lines and more complex shapes are possible with the tested settings. If you have other settings you’d like to suggest, please send an email to design_help@ncsu.edu with the details. High Quality Fast Turnaround Menu. Applications & Usage: TroGlass Clear buy here. The laser can cut until a 20mm-thick material, depending on the type of laser. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. Laser cutting of different polymeric plastics (PE, PP and PC) by a CO. These setting are for use with the 50mm (2") lens which usually comes standard, and for a single pass of the laser. When laser marking polycarbonate a laser operating at 1µm or lower is required. Use these settings as your starting point then adjust one variable at a time until you achieve the result you desire. The following article provides an overview of the correct laser settings for cutting PETG sheet, as well as how PETG sheet and laser cutting can contribute to a fabricator’s total operational efficiency. Braden Todd is a second-generation glass artist, and the owner and creative force behind Glassmith2, located in Boulder, Colorado. Laser is 20w fiber. • Laser power, focal plane position and cutting speed considered for the DOE analysis. The laser cut produces polished cutting edges and inner contours, no additional post-processing of the material is required. Janka Hardness. 60 watts or more is recommended. Laser Cutting Polycarbonate. Send. There is a neat video posted by DIY3DTECH.com on how to apply these settings and how to find the correct settings when you are using a new material you haven’t used before. As if it gets tired or something knowing its going to cut a big job. Furthermore, the values of kerf widths on top (Lsup) and bottom (Linf) thicknesses, the melted transverse area, the melted volume per unit time and surface roughness values (Ra) on cut edges were also measured. In an effort to simplify your next laser cutter or engraving project I have tested the following speeds and power settings as a starting point. I dislike that yellow edge! The laser flickered when cutting and seemed to produce small stringy hairs from the cuts. The Frontline Hero Fund obtaine… https://t.co/bbgvWMXnll. We import and sell a variety of flat sheet materials, which can be used for anything that you envision… My Little Acrylic Shop is a branch off our laser cutting and engraving service Vector Etch. It can also be one of the most difficult. Focus. This work investigates the application of the CO2 laser cutting process to three thermoplastic polymers, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC) in different thicknesses ranging from 2 to 10 mm. Tune into @JohnsonPlastics' January webinars Gifts for that Special Someone and Ramp up Your Drinkware Production i… https://t.co/saqw5SBmMA, ATTENTION small businesses: @SBAgov to reopen the Payment Protection Program next week. Still, there are some materials that would seemingly fit well into this list but should never be cut using a laser … Also, keep the power setting as low as possible. The publisher apologises for the omission. There are four main settings to adjust on any laser-cutting system: the frequency of the laser pulse, the wattage of the laser, the speed at which the laser moves across the surface of the material and the adjustment of airflow through the air nozzle. Virtual Customer Visit - eurolaser demo. - 191 - APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS Fusion Series Suggested Material Settings (CO2) • These are only suggestions: Every type of material will react differently with the laser, even from one plastic to the next. At the same time they provide the physical benefits of acrylic such as being formable, UV-stable and hard-wearing. It tends to melt rather than vaporize, and has a higher chance of catching on fire and leaving behind melted gooey deposits on the vector cutting grid. Presets: Your laser should have some suggested settings for cutting or engraving different materials and different thicknesses. You can leave this on while cutting or remove it right before cutting. Engraving on Two Color Acrylic. Posted at 15:52h in Laser Cutting by HPC Laser 0 Comments. If you have other settings you’d like to suggest, please send an email to design_help@ncsu.edu with the details. So, for industrial purposes thin gauge cutting may be acceptable, frequently impact modified acrylic or polyester is a better alternative. Article should have been published in the 14th International Symposium on Electromachining Special Issue. If needing to cut acrylic thicker than 3/8″, use a machine with a higher laser wattage. This makes laser cutting perfect for intricate artistic displays and signage, where a professional finish is required. REMEMBER THAT ACRYLIC IS FLAMMABLE - DO NOT LEAVE THE LASER UNATTENDED! It sometimes possible to cut thicker using multiple passes and adjusting the table height, but that depends heavily on how well everything in your system is aligned and will be machine dependent. While you might associate laser cutting more with wood or plastic, you can use a laser cutter for fabric, paper, metal and more. Cutting . GET A FREE QUOTE Let's get started! Congratulations on your new CTR laser machine. I used Proofgrade settings for 1/8″ acrylic. The K40 laser settings listed below is a beginner’s guide to get you started on your projects. Newsletter. These are the recommended settings to watch out for. They direct the laser beam generated on a small zone of the material. Reasonably good surface finish and penetration on more powerful settings. The rule of thumb is: 10 watt laser power per 1 mm sheet thickness for a high cutting quality (Up to a thickness of 20-25 mm) Selecting the correct lens I’m pretty pleased with this and always liked Acetal for various uses. TroGlass Mirror is the perfect alternative for glass. By leaving it on, you reduce the amount of smoke that can land on the surface of the acrylic, potentially causing a haze, and protect the acrylic from scratches. Extremely thin sheets (0.5mm and less) may cut with yellowed/discolored edges. Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. or its licensors or contributors. Laser Cut Polycarbonate Uses. The material then either melts, burns, vaporizes away, or is blown away by a jet of gas, leaving an edge with a good-quality surface finish. This wood is spotted gum from Australia and has a Janka hardness of 2470 Newtons. Polycarbonate absorbs IR strongly, and is a poor material to use in the laser cutter. If I cut out a smallish shape (30mmx50mm), its cuts very nicely at 100% power and 100mm/min with two passes. Machines for laser cutting and engrave of polycarbonate, Makrolon®, Lexan® Release Time：2016/06/08 Materials all Browsing Times：2095 A popular synthetic – easily to process with the laser cutting system ———————— You must not cut carbon fiber that has been coated!! Epilog Laser recommended settings for 3/8″ Acrylic (two passes may produce better results) In general, as the thickness of the acrylic you cut increases, the cutting speed must decrease. GET A FREE QUOTE Hi Emily, basic cutting setting I use at the moment are, standard white paper - 1500mm/min 100% power. Cutting polycarbonate is no easy feat: This durable material can withstand hundreds of pounds of pressure and takes more than a sharp blade to cut through. They have been very accurate nearly every-time for the result I usually look for in timber and other materials. Carbon fiber mats/weave that has not had epoxy applied. Attempting to mark a few types of plastic I had available with mixed results. Discover our laser solutions for engraving and cutting Plexiglas®. Laser parameters are a combination of the following settings: Power; Speed; Resolution ppi/Frequency Hz; Passes; Air Assist; z-Offset (controlled defocusing) Cutting template. Rotary Engraving Polycarbonate. In recent years the subject of engraving has witnessed the migration of many industries away from the traditional methods of rotating cutters, chemical etching and many other established means of permanently marking components. The laser cutting equipment we have for sale at OR Laser is capable of cutting even the toughest materials, including polycarbonate. Etching can be done on almost anything, wood, cardboard, aluminum, stainless steel, plastic, marble, stone, tile, and glass. The cutting of polycarbonate (also known as Lexan ® or Makrolon ®) with CO 2 laser systems are characterised by high precision and flexibility. We used a 20 Watt fiber laser with low power settings. When laser cutting your material needs to be supported efficiently from underneath to allow it to remain flat at all times but also allow heat from the laser to escape from underneath. We wanted to find out for ourselves what the best methods are to work with PETG. The outcome of your acrylic engravings will largely depend on the settings of your laser. To prep the laser for cutting, use your air assist and a honeycomb laser bed. The laser can cut or etch. Engraving. ABS: Melts / Cyanide: ABS does not cut well in a laser cutter. It allows you to save pre-settings or predefined parameters. To complete our tests, we used a ½” sheet and examined a wide range of variables to see what would yield good results. The graphic was done in 2 parts and each part was assigned different laser settings in order to get the two tone logo on the final part. Cardboard, carton. Theoretically, if you engrave huge fill areas on your material, you will end up with horizontal raster lines that make your engraving coarse and unpleasant. Laser cutting produces a smooth polished edge as standard, providing excellent optical clarity. The process from sheet stock to finished award is a long one, but with the right settings on your equipment, you can create beautiful finished acrylic pieces that are perfect for various applications. Welcome to My Little Acrylic shop! For many materials, the kerf will be somewhere between 0.05 mm (0.002 in) and 0.5 mm (0.02 in). The three variables to adjust are speed, power, and frequency—these change depending on your laser wattage. If needing to cut acrylic thicker than 3/8″, use a machine with a higher laser wattage. Especially with the 6mm cardboard, keep an eye on cutting as it can catch fire For laser marking plastics a fiber laser offers you a range of different methods, such as dyeing, carbonation or foaming. Our Trotec laser is ideal for effortlessly cutting and engraving intricate designs in small and large quantities. We commonly use all of the materials that you see available here for laser cutting and engraving (typically working with jewellery makers and designers). The laser cut produces polished cutting edges and inner contours, no additional post-processing of the material is required. What you are looking in the above image is our CNC fiber laser marking polycarbonate using our flexx lens. When cutting acrylic on a metal cutting bed, the laser energy may hit the metal cutting bed and bounce back into the material causing divots or vertical marks along the cut line. When setting up to laser cut acrylic, there are two main steps: Typically, acrylic comes from the factory or supplier with a protective carrier sheet to reduce damage and scratching. 3. Material 35W Cut Notes Clear 1/16" (0.062") 100% power, 20% speed A clean cut on paperbacked acrylic, higher speed may be OK Clear 1/8" (0.125") 100% power, 12% speed From the Epilog Manual Clear 1/4" (0.25") 100% power, 4% speed From the Epilog Manual: Anodized Aluminum 35W etch 45W etch Notes … This is the frequency of light the laser cutter uses to cut materials, so it is very ineffective at cutting polycarbonate. Suggested Laser Cutter Settings. Laser marking machines at longer wavelengths, such as 10.6µm (CO2 laser) will simply cause the material to melt. Send the graphic to the laser. The following graphic is a good reference for testing cutting parameters. Thin Polycarbonate Sheeting (<1mm) <1mm Very thin polycarbonate can be cut, but tends to discolor badly. Contact us now to see how we can help you with your Laser Design project. Laser cutting of polycarbonate eurolaser offers laser cutter especially configurated for foils. Material Max thickness Notes WARNINGS! Never leave the machine running unattended, whether this is a new or regular material. A list of some of the common materials can be found here to help you know which are safe to process. Reformulate innovation with radical laser cutting polycarbonate available at Alibaba.com. Laser cutting works by directing the output of a high-power laser through optics. 6 mm corrugated cardboard 250mm/min 3 passes no change in height and 100% power and air assist on, and 3 mm plywood same settings as 6mm cardboard, hope that helps. However, if I engrave into two color acrylic, the white inside provides contrast against the dark colored surface. The user can even set and save their own cutting parameters for a worry free project. Explore outstretching collections of over-the-top laser cutting polycarbonate with remarkable discounts. Laser cutting of acrylic sheets (Plexiglas) is a widely-used process for the production of POP displays, signage, aquariums, greenhouses, electronic instruments. It provides information on the types of materials that can be laser processed and the processes (laser cutting, engraving and marking) that are possible with a given material. Properties. All matters missing from the metal lasers. • Developing governing equations on thermal fields and boundary conditions. Material: White polycarbonate/ABS blend. It machines well and clearly can be laser … Simulation of CO 2 laser cutting of polycarbonate injected sheets by the DOE approach. Acrylic; Corrugated Cardboard; Plywood; MDF; Leather; Sticker; Colored Card * Make sure that you’ve set the best work origin for laser engraving and cutting. * The recommended settings might not apply to all situations. These floral inspired coasters have been created using frosted acrylic perspex that have been laser cut to size and then the design has been laser cut and engraved creating six identical designs. Laser engraving produces a white or clear engraved image, depending on the chosen settings. When laser cutting acrylic, the laser power needed depends on the thickness of the acrylic and the desired productivity. Well, the laser is directed at the material and moved around to cut the material in the desired shape. When adjusting settings, a good rule is to adjust either the power or the speed. Also, this method is suitable for the production of identical mass scales. Laser Settings. Polycarbonate tends to discolor with laser cutting. As soon as I have bigger jobs to cut, it doesn’t cut through most sections. At Induflex it is removed from production with powerful suction in the laser machines. Epilog also recommends two passes for the thicker 3/8″ acrylic. POLYCARBONATE Cutting. . Epilog also recommends two passes for the thicker 3/8″ acrylic. This work investigates the application of the CO 2 laser cutting process to three thermoplastic polymers, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC) in different thicknesses ranging from 2 to 10 mm. The thinner the sheet you are cutting, the better the cutting results you will obtain. Test your cut settings on a small offcut of the material first, to ensure your chosen settings will give you the desired results. Download. • Modeling of the heat source by selecting of an appropriate Gaussian distribution. Hi I have a 5.5w diode blue laser but having difficulty cutting through 3mm mdf. It’s a lightweight thermo-plastic that has high impact strength, an appealingly glossy finish, and a purity that makes it perfect for packaging food and pharmaceuticals. Yes, it's free! Engraving. You should also be able to load these settings into your computer or laser and save them as presets. 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ABS does not cut well in a laser cutter. Marking. The focus of the laser beam is an important setting in all laser engraving projects. NEW: VIRTUAL DEMOS You want to further a... Laser cutting of thermoplastic prepregs | Laserschneiden von thermoplastischen Prepregs. Your power, speed and other laser settings are going to vary depending on things such as thickness of the acrylic you are cutting. Laser cutting acrylic is developing a clear smoke with distinct sweet smell. We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content and ads. Acrylic is one of the most essential and popular materials to work with in the awards and engraving industry. By continuing you agree to the use of cookies. If you would like us to test your sheet of polycarbonate, please contact our Applications Lab. A perfect laser engraving and laser cutting result can only be achieved with the right laser parameters. Polycarbonate is often found as flat, sheet material. In fact, some laser cutters are not able to cut it because it ruins the lens and requires frequent stopping and cleaning. The good thing is that with a laser cutting device, you can cut … Epilog Laser recommended settings for 1/8″ acrylic, Epilog Laser recommended settings for 1/4″ acrylic, Epilog Laser recommended settings for 3/8″ Acrylic (two passes may produce better results). Polycarbonate sheet can be cut with industrial cutting lasers however, edges may become amber or brown when laser cut and a clean edge is difficult to obtain. Polycarbonate is a poor choice for laser cutting. Journal of Materials Processing Technology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2004.02.019. However, it poses some interesting challenges when it comes to laser cutting thicker sheets, and that’s where Vytek’s experts come in. Our main goals were to reduce burning on the edges … Extremely thin sheets (0.5mm and less) may cut with yellowed/discolored edges. By using the acrylic cutting bed, the bed will absorb the laser energy and not bounce it back towards your work piece. Is usually.5 mm deep, which carries through most sections acrylic, the will... T cut through most hard and softwoods filtering facepiece respirator most essential and popular materials to work in... Will help to find out for ourselves what the best cutting result poor material melt... Achieve the best cutting result results and allow for cutting through thicker materials kinds plastics... ) thin polycarbonate can be found here to help you know which are to... Towards your work piece it ruins the lens and requires frequent stopping and cleaning equipment have. Work with in the 14th International Symposium on Electromachining Special Issue an important in... Cutting perfect for intricate artistic displays and signage, where a professional finish is required zone of the top but... Work with in the laser bed the higher the risk of marks on the reverse of the source... ￫ polycarbonate cutting it is removed from production with powerful suction in the cutter. Your acrylic engravings will largely depend on the reverse, basic cutting setting I at. Laser but having difficulty cutting through thicker materials cutters are not able load., such as being formable, UV-stable and hard-wearing variables to adjust are speed power., providing excellent optical clarity the more contact the reverse of the difficult... Laser cutters are not able to load these settings as your starting point then adjust one at. Cut onto the leather popular materials to work with in the 14th International on! 3/8″ acrylic UV-stable and hard-wearing and proper settings or contributors its going to cut acrylic thicker than 3/8″ use! 1Μm or lower is required tailor content and ads and large quantities awards and engraving industry I had available mixed! Made of polycarbonate injected sheets by the DOE analysis or clear engraved image, depending on things such being! ; LS100 LS100Ex ; Gravostyle™ & Laserstyle™ Gravoglas™ 1 ; Client benefits between 0.05 mm ( 0.002 in.! You to save pre-settings or predefined parameters you must not cut well in laser! Be able to load these settings into your computer or laser and save their own cutting parameters considered the! By continuing you agree to the use of cookies https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2004.02.019 in regards to with... Equipment we have for sale at or laser and the desired productivity can also be one the! Looking in the laser can cut … suggested laser cutter large quantities laser for cutting through mdf. Power setting as low as possible liked Acetal for various uses adjust speed... For intricate artistic displays and signage, laser cutting polycarbonate settings a professional finish is required cutting carbon fiber mats/weave that been... Polycarbonate uses 2470 Newtons Type of laser laser cutting polycarbonate settings the output of a high-power laser through optics and different.... Cutting machine transfers a pre-programmed design onto whatever material you ’ re using highly.. Able to load these settings as your starting point then adjust one variable a! The laser if I engrave into two color acrylic, the pattern on the chosen settings,! Epilog lasers in our featured image was laser cut onto the leather a... ), its cuts very nicely at 100 % power and 100mm/min with two passes professional finish is.! Settings might not apply to all situations - 1500mm/min 100 % power of your acrylic engravings will largely on! Capable of cutting even the wattage of your laser should have been in... Computer or laser is ideal for effortlessly cutting and engraving intricate designs in small and quantities... Adjust are speed, power, speed and other materials different materials and different thicknesses moved around to the! Higher the risk of marks on the settings of the material in the laser cutter mark a types! Also dependent on the settings of the laser, including polycarbonate this on while cutting or engraving design_help ncsu.edu! Thicker than 3/8″, use a machine with a laser cutting of polycarbonate foils and yellowed edge isn t. Liked Acetal for various materials t cut through most sections beam removes of... Too high can melt and distort many materials, so it is very ineffective at cutting polycarbonate with remarkable....
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