MEAM.Design - Laser Cutting - List of Approved Materials and Cutting Parameters
The following materials are approved for cutting. If what you want to cut is no listed here, you must check with the shop staff before using the laser (a list of specifically forbidden materials can be found at the bottom of the page). Note that the settings listed as raster etch should provide a relatively light engraving. To vary the depth/strength of the engraving, adjust the laser power or speed accordingly.
These settings are for the ULS X660 Lasers.
*If you are using another laser (PLS 4.75), please refer its particular cutting parameters.
Plastics
| material | thickness | power | speed | PPI | notes |
| ABS (a.k.a. Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) | 1/16" | 80 | 4.5 | 850 | material properties |
| 1/8" | 80 | 3.7 | 850 | ||
| 3/16" | 80 | 1.4 | 850 | ||
| 1/4" | 80 | 1.6 | 850 | ||
| 1/3" | 100 | .7 | 1000 | ||
| 3/8" | 100 | .4 | 1000 | ||
| Acrylic (Polymethyl Methacrylate, PMMA, Lucite, Plexiglass) | 1/16" | 100 | 2.3 | 1000 | material properties
Acrylic is probably the ideal plastic for laser cutting. The edges are sharp and clean, and it can be cut relatively quickly. It is usually a good idea to leave the adhesive paper on the bottom side of the material, but especially when etching, you will want to remove the paper from the top surface. |
| 1/8" | 100 | 2.0 | 1000 | ||
| 1/4" | 100 | 1.2 | 1000 | ||
| 5/16" | 100 | .7 | 1000 | ||
| 1/2" | 100 | 2 pass @ 1.5 | 1000 | ||
| vector etch | 4.0 | 4.0 | 1000 | ||
| raster etch | 40 | 100 | 500 | ||
| Delrin (Acetal) | |||||
| Mylar | |||||
| Nylon | |||||
| Perforated Plastic | .003" | 60 | 100 | 1000 | |
| PETG | 3/32" | 60 | 2 | 1000 | |
| Polycarbonate (a.k.a. Lexan) | Yes, it can be cut, but the edge finish is just horrible (melted, burnt, non-sharp) | ||||
| Polyester | .002 (film) | 50 | 20 | 1000 | |
| 1/8" (cloth) | 100 | 20 | 1000 | ||
| Styrene | |||||
| Vinyl |
Wood-Based
| material | thickness | power | speed | PPI | notes |
| Balsa | 3/16" | 25 | 3.3 | 250 | |
| vector etch | 80 | 11 | 500 | ||
| Cardboard | 2-ply | 40 | 3 | 1000 | These settings are for standard corrugated fiberboard, more commonly called "cardboard" |
| vector etch | 9 | 4 | 500 | ||
| raster etch | 28 | 20 | 250 | ||
| Foamcore | top layer only | 23 | 3.2 | 200 | You only want to cut through the top layer of paper using the laser. If you try to cut all the way through, two things can and will happen: 1. the foam near the cut will vaporize, leaving a relatively deep void area along the cut, and 2. the bottom paper can ignite. |
| Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF) | 1/16" | 100 | 6 | 1000 | You'll see that the cut edge has a burnt appearance after cutting - this is normal.
A note on raster etching: The settings on the left are 1 of many variations in speed and power. Feel free to play with different settings for different effects. An example is that a higher speed and higher power will cut material away faster and not burn the MDF; conversely a lower speed and lower power will show a deeper burnt color. |
| 1/8" | 100 | 4.0 | 1000 | ||
| 1/4" | 100 | 1.2 | 1000 | ||
| 3/8" | |||||
| vector etch | 2.0 | 4.0 | 1000 | ||
| raster etch | 20 | 100 | 500 | ||
| Paper | bond | 8 | 15 | 1000 | As you'd expect, paper is flammable, and care should be taken to avoid ignition! |
| vector etch | 50 | 100 | 1000 | ||
| raster etch | 15 | 80 | 500 |
Other
| material | thickness | power | speed | PPI | notes |
| Anodized Aluminum | etch only | ||||
| Carbon Fiber | 2x2 Twill | 100 | 1.0 | 1000 | |
| Ceramic Cloth | 1/4" | 100 | 6.0 | 1000 | |
| Ceramic Fiber | 1/16" | 100 | 20 | 1000 | |
| Fabric | |||||
| Felt | 3/64" | 25 | 15 | 1000 | |
| Gingerbread | .36" | 100 | 1.3 | 1000 | |
| Glass | etch only | ||||
| Leather | |||||
| Peel Ply | 95 | 100 | 1000 | ||
| Sandblasted Aluminum | etch only | 100 | 4-5 | 500-1000 | Aluminum can only be etched on the lasers and must first be coated in LMM-6000 before cutting. You must obtain permission to etch metal on the lasers and may only do so after obtaining the material and having it coated. The etch settings can vary depending on what finish you are looking for but I suggest lower power and higher speeds for a crisp etch. |
| Silicone | 1/16" | 100 | 2 | 1000 | |
| Stainless Steel | Etching Only! | 50 - 90 | 10 - 30 | 500 | Steel can only be etched on the lasers and must first be coated in LMM-6000 before cutting. You must obtain permission to cut metal on the lasers and may only do so after obtaining the material and having it coated. The etch settings can vary depending on what finish you are looking for but I suggest lower power and higher speeds for a crisp etch. |
| Vegetable Fiber | 1/64" | 100 | 40 | 1000 | Values are for water-resistant vegetable fiber. McMaster #9453K103. |