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Sample Materials 6-5
COMMENTS
There are two types of acrylic available, cast and extruded. Cast turns white or frosted and
extruded remains clear when engraved. Use extruded acrylic for paint filled engraving and cast
for regular engraving. Cast engraves better without masking. Lightly engrave the surface to
frost it with a low power setting such as the first setting listed above. If deep engraving is
desired, it is necessary to mask the acrylic with transfer tape to prevent the smoke from
damaging the clear surface of the acrylic. However, another problem with deep acrylic
engraving is that the intense heat creates a white, crusty, deposit that accumulates along the
edges of the area that was just engraved and is impossible to remove without causing damage.
Engraving lightly and without masking seems to be the better all around alternative.
If only cutting acrylic, extruded works better and is less expensive than cast. The cut edges of
extruded acrylic will appear to be more highly polished and clearer than cast acrylic when laser
cut. When cutting acrylic, it might be necessary to remove both sides of the original masking
and re-mask with transfer tape if cutting through the original masking produces flaming. The
original masking is coated with wax and will not absorb water. If cutting through very thick
acrylic, re-mask both sides with transfer tape and dampen the masking on both sides of the
acrylic with water from a spray bottle. Elevate the acrylic off the table at least 1/2 inch, re-focus,
and then proceed to cut. Elevating the acrylic will allow the beam to completely pass through the
material which allows the smoke and heat to escape from underneath. If cutting directly on the
engraving table, the trapped heat might cause the bottom edge of the cut to pit and distort. Re-
masking and dampening with water will act as a heat sink to pull the laser heat away from the
cutting area resulting in less distortion or heat effected zones (HAZ). When dampening, be sure
not to leave puddles of water. Puddles of water will reduce cutting depth significantly. For the
best results when combining engraving and cutting on the same piece, first engrave lightly and
unmasked. Then mask with transfer tape, dampen, elevate, re-focus, and cut as a second step.
Paint filling the engraved area is possible by first masking the acrylic or leave on the original
masking then engraving through the masking. Before removing the masking, brush or spray on
some acrylic based or water based paint right on to the masking. When the paint is dry, remove
the masking and the paint will remain in the recessed area of the engraving. Remember to use
extruded acrylic when paint filling and cast acrylic when simply engraving.
Acrylic is extremely flammable. Do not leave the laser system unattended when cutting
or engraving.