Plastic and rubber
Plastics such as acrylic, POM and many other similar materials can be laser cut and engraved. Extremely precise cuts and detailed engravings are possible.
Applications
- Plastic parts and products
- Engraving and marking of parts and machines
- Marking of buttons and switches
- Personalization of products and packaging
- Signs
- Trophies
Plastics suitable for laser treatment
- Acrylic (plexiglass, PMMA) can be cut up to 10 mm. Extremely precise engraving is possible.
- POM can be cut and engraved.
- Polyester, PET and PP can be marked and cut, if thin enough.
- PET- ja polyester films can be cut easily. Small details may not be possible because of the slight melting/distortion of the material.
- Polycarbonate (Makrolon, Lexan) can be cut up to 1mm. Slight molten marks may appear on the cut surface. Engraving and marking is not possible.
- Deep engraving can be done on silicone. Silicone carpets can also be cut.
Plastics unsuitable for laser treatment
- Any material that contains PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is unsuitable for laser treatment. This includes many synthetic leathers and films available in the market. PVC foam is also unsuitable for this purpose.
- Polystyrene and polypropylene are unsuitable, since they melt a lot during laser treatment and are a fire hazard.
- ABS cannot be cut. Can be marked and engraved.
Cutting and engraving acrylic, PMMA and plexiglass
Acrylic is a material that is very suitable for laser cutting and engraving. Cutting acrylic with a laser produces clean and polished edges. Engraving is possible in great detail. The engraving appears white in cast (GS) acrylic.
- Both cast (GS) and extruded acrylic (XT) can be laser cut well. Engravings with good contrast can only be made with cast acrylic.
- Can be cut quickly and precisely with laser.
- Acrylic is supplied with protective film on both sides. Cut marks are not visible in the material. For engraving, the film must be removed before laser processing.
Examples:
