In this article
- List of Laser Cutting Materials
- Which materials are suitable for cutting with the machine
- Conclusion
Laser cutting material list
You may feel at a loss when you are new to laser cutting, so what materials can we cut with a laser? How to set the parameters when cutting different materials? Here is a list of laser cutting materials.
Wooden material
Wood is one of the most commonly used cutting materials. Almost all cutting machines can cut & engrave wooden material, a relatively inexpensive material for engraving. Also, the requirements for laser engraving machines are low. Diode cutters with power greater than 10W can easily cut wood. The wood includes cypress, elm, rubberwood, oak, walnut, basswood, cherry, pine, etc.
*Significant smoke is generated when cutting hardwood materials (walnut, oak, cherry, etc.).
The most suitable woods for laser cutting
| Type | Features | Cut Thickness（max） |
|---|---|---|
| Hardwood | Suitable for carving high contrast carvings | 10mm |
| Cork | Suitable for cutting | 10mm |
Acrylic
Acrylic is a type of plastic and is also one of the most suitable Laser Cutting Materials. Because it does not produce toxic gas during the cutting process, and the cutting edge is smooth.
| Type | Features | Cut Thickness（max） |
|---|---|---|
| Acrylic | Suitable for cutting, smooth cutting edge | 8 mm |
This material is rarely produced during the engraving process Plastics are synthetic materials and come in various types that behave differently under laser treatment.
While some plastics produce flame-polished edges when cut with a laser, others produce toxic fumes or can cause fires.
Acrylic is the most suitable plastic for laser cutting and engraving applications.
Plastics
Plastics may produce toxic fumes during the cutting process and may melt during the cutting process due to high-temperature edges. So it is difficult to cut plastic, and we need to set the cutting parameters. If bite melting occurs, reducing the focus parameter and increasing the speed is recommended.
| Type | Features | Cut Thickness（max） |
|---|---|---|
| Polyethylene | Produces toxic gases | 8 mm |
| Polypropylene | Difficult to operate, need to control the engraving parameters | 8 mm |
| High density polyethylene | Cannot be cut, melts easily and catches fire | ❌ |
| Fluoropolymers | Good cutting effect | 8 mm |
| Polycarbonate | Generates a lot of smoke when cutting | 8 mm |
| Polyimide | Unsuitable for cutting | ❌ |
* Avoid engraving polyethylene plastic (it may produce large amounts of toxic gases during the cutting process).
Delrin/Aci plastic
This is a high-strength engineering plastic that has excellent performance in many areas. It is used frequently in many automotive and industrial fields. It is also Laser Cutting Material that is very good for engraving, which is excellent. And you can make reliefs on this material to give 3D effects.
| Type | Features | Cut Thickness（max） |
|---|---|---|
| Delrin/Aci plastic | Produce formaldehyde and other toxic gases, easy to catch fire | 8 mm |
Melamine
This is a high-strength engineering plastic that has an excellent performance in many areas. It is used frequently in many automotive and industrial fields. It is also Laser Cutting Material that is very good for engraving, which is excellent. And you can make reliefs on this material to give 3D effects.
| Type | Features | Cut Thickness（max） |
|---|---|---|
| Melamine | Easy to cut, but easy to produce harmful gases | 6 mm |
MDF
Many home decoration cabinets and flooring currently use MDF, an alternative to wood panels. It mainly uses glue to stick wood chips together and then extrudes them to make the desired panels. In contrast, MDF can increase the weight-bearing and durability of the panels and is easy to cut. However, its disadvantage is that the heat during the cutting process will release harmful gases such as formaldehyde. So it must be well protected during the cutting process.
| Type | Features | Cut Thickness（max） |
|---|---|---|
| MDF | Easy to cut, but easy to produce harmful gases | 6 mm |
Mylar
Mylar is a translucent, soft film chosen for many table mats. It does not contain any plasticizers, so there are no toxic fumes during the cutting process. Overall, it is a good laser cutting material.
| Type | Features | Cut Thickness（max） |
|---|---|---|
| Mylar | Suitable for cutting | 5 mm |
Rubber
Rubber is non-slip and waterproof, and resistant to wear and tear, so it is used in gloves or rainproof shoes. The material generally comes from the sap of rubber trees and is non-toxic. However, when the temperature exceeds 200°C, the rubber starts to melt, so great care is needed during the cutting process.
| Type | Features | Cut Thickness（max） |
|---|---|---|
| Rubber | Beware of melting | 5 mm |
Paper
Our usual boxes, greeting cards, etc., are all paper. Paper is characterized by the tendency to catch fire or burn at the cutting edge. We can reduce edge scorching by applying a protective film to the paper or adjusting the cutting parameters.
| Type | Features | Cut Thickness（max） |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | Easy edge burn | 20 mm |
*Corrugated paper is recommended to be cut with a higher power machine
Pressboard
Pressboard is more similar to MDF. The extrusion of wood chips glues together MDF. Pressboard is held together by the extrusion of a small piece of wood. The biggest difference between the two is that Pressboard does not produce toxic gas during the cutting process, and the operation process is safer.
| Type | Features | Cut Thickness（max） |
|---|---|---|
| Pressboard | Smooth cutting surface, suitable for cutting | 20 mm |
Fabric
We can engrave our unique logo on our fabric, but it is important to note that it may generate a lot of smoke during engraving.
| Type | Features | Cut Thickness（max） |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric | Tend to produce a lot of smoke | 17 mm |
Leather
You can make all kinds of leather products, such as wallets and belts, and it is easy to make intricate engravings on leather using the laser cutter. You can practice on cheap fabrics first and then cut expensive leather.
| Type | Features | Cut Thickness（max） |
|---|---|---|
| Leather | Suitable for cutting | 10 mm |
*Engraving synthetic leather with vinyl content is not recommended because toxic fumes may be released during the cutting process.
Matte Board
Matte Boards are most commonly used for photo backs, and we can save time and cost by using a laser cutter to cut them ourselves.
| Type | Features | Cut Thickness（max） |
|---|---|---|
| Leather | Suitable for cutting | 10 mm |
Fiberglass
Fiberglass is not recommended for engraving because of the carbonization on the surface during the engraving process. However, the cutting process has less impact and is a widely used Laser Cutting Material.
| Type | Features | Cut Thickness（max） |
|---|---|---|
| Fiberglass | Suitable for cutting | 10 mm |
Food
You read it right. This is also a very common Laser Cutting Material. We have Halloween pumpkin lights, chocolate, bread, and other food above the logo. We can choose to use laser engraving. For specific engraving, ingredients can consult our engineers, and they will give you professional answers.
Material not suitable for Laser Cutting?
The above Laser Cutting Material may not cut well, but there is no doubt that they can all be laser cutting. For co2 laser cutting machines, many materials cannot be Laser Cutting. The following materials we absolutely can not try.
PVC
The first material we should never laser cut is PVC because this material will produce chlorine gas during the cutting process, and contact with this gas will cause serious damage to our skin, eyes, and other organs. When the concentration reaches a certain level, it will cause pneumonia. Therefore, we are determined only to cut PVC with absolute safety protection.
ABS
When the material is cut by laser, toxic gas will be produced and can cause death. Therefore, we should never try to cut ABS.
HDPE
The melting point of HDPE is very low, so it is very easy to melt and stick to the laser head during the cutting process, and the higher temperature will also cause a fire. Cutting HDPE damages the machine and can even cause a fire, so using this laser cutting material is not recommended.
Polycarbonate
The laser beam of co2 does not work on this material, so cutting this material can not use a laser cutting machine.
Part of the foam
For our fragile or valuable items, courier companies will use foam boxes to protect them. But we must pay attention to the PS and PP material foam. We firmly do not use laser cutting. Because their melting point is extremely low, a contact beam will melt instantly. And adhering to the honeycomb plate or laser head is difficult to clean.
Coated carbon fiber
If the carbon fiber has a coating, then its coating will release various toxic fumes. These fumes are very harmful and can cause respiratory diseases.
Epoxy
Epoxy is very flammable and produces toxic fumes during the cutting process.
How to choose the right cutting value for laser cutting material
To avoid burn marks or other problems with laser cutting material, you have to set a suitable engraving parameter. If the power is too high, it will burn the material. If the power is too low, it will not be cut through.
However, gweikecloud can auto-focus, automatically identify the material and its thickness and then recommend the right parameters for cutting that material. This can help you save a large part of your energy. Of course, the parameters recommended by the machine are not 100% optimal. How to set the specific needs of our practice?
Conclusion
This article will help you confidently choose your engraving material. And easily choose the right engraving parameters. If you have more questions, please join our Facebook group and discuss with our engineers and other laser engraving enthusiasts!