Difference between revisions of "Laser Cutting Acrylic"
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| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
====Extruded Acrylic==== | ====Extruded Acrylic==== | ||
Created by extruding molten acrylic pellets through a machine. | Created by extruding molten acrylic pellets through a machine. | ||
| − | *'''Pros''' | + | *'''Pros of Extruded Acrylic''' |
**Cheaper than cast acrylic | **Cheaper than cast acrylic | ||
**Better tolerances | **Better tolerances | ||
**Easier to bend and form | **Easier to bend and form | ||
**Easier to flame polish edge | **Easier to flame polish edge | ||
| − | *'''Cons''' | + | *'''Cons of Extruded Acrylic''' |
**Easy to crack | **Easy to crack | ||
**Engraving produces grey frost | **Engraving produces grey frost | ||
| Line 21: | Line 21: | ||
====Cast Acrylic==== | ====Cast Acrylic==== | ||
Created by pouring molten acrylic pellets into a mold. | Created by pouring molten acrylic pellets into a mold. | ||
| − | *'''Pros''' | + | *'''Pros of Cast Acrylic''' |
**Produces better results when engraving (white frost) | **Produces better results when engraving (white frost) | ||
**Comes in many colors | **Comes in many colors | ||
| Line 27: | Line 27: | ||
**Higher optical clarity | **Higher optical clarity | ||
**More scratch resistant | **More scratch resistant | ||
| − | *'''Cons''' | + | *'''Cons of Cast Acrylic''' |
**Expensive (your kid might not be going to college) | **Expensive (your kid might not be going to college) | ||
Revision as of 15:46, 8 August 2024
Overview
Acrylic is a type of plastic that can be easily cut and formed to be used in many applications.
Safety
ALWAYS keep a close eye on the machine when cutting acrylic due to its flammability.
Two Main Types of Acrylic Sheet
Extruded Acrylic
Created by extruding molten acrylic pellets through a machine.
- Pros of Extruded Acrylic
- Cheaper than cast acrylic
- Better tolerances
- Easier to bend and form
- Easier to flame polish edge
- Cons of Extruded Acrylic
- Easy to crack
- Engraving produces grey frost
- Lower optical clarity when compared to cast (still very high)
- Less scratch resistant
Cast Acrylic
Created by pouring molten acrylic pellets into a mold.
- Pros of Cast Acrylic
- Produces better results when engraving (white frost)
- Comes in many colors
- Machines better than extruded acrylic
- Higher optical clarity
- More scratch resistant
- Cons of Cast Acrylic
- Expensive (your kid might not be going to college)
Cutting/Engraving
| SUBSTRATE | 250 DPI RASTER ENGRAVING SPEED / POWER |
400 DPI RASTER ENGRAVING SPEED / POWER |
500 DPI RASTER ENGRAVING SPEED / POWER |
VECTOR CUTTING SPEED / POWER / FREQUENCY |
| Acrylic | 100 / 100 | 100 / 80 | 100 / 60 | ⅛ (3 mm) – 15 / 100 / 5000 |
| ¼ (6.4 mm) – 5 / 100 / 5000 | ||||
| (multiple passes may allow cutting of thicker materials) | ||||
Tips
- If engraving, try to use cast acrylic as it will produce better results
- When vector cutting, use masking tape on the backside of the piece to protect against flair up scorch marks as the laser hits the cutting grid
For Additional Help
Search the PPM Wiki — include Content pages as well as Multimedia.
Contact Us if you cannot find your answer here on our Wiki or if you notice any information that is outdated.
Pikes Peak Makerspace (PPM) is dedicated to supporting our maker community in their creative processes by providing shared space, shared tools, materials, software, and a knowledge base to turn their ideas into reality.