Next to wood, acrylic is the most popular material to engrave using a laser
system. It engraves and cuts very easily, comes in a wide variety of shapes
and sizes, and can be relatively inexpensive. Acrylic comes in two forms,
cast and extruded.
Cast
acrylic is used for almost all engraving purposes. This is because the
frost produced provides a nice white contrast against the clear material.
Extruded acrylic remains clear when engraved but does not produce an
adequate contrast. However, extruded acrylic is ideal if you are going to
vector cut only. Extruded acrylic is less expensive than cast and also has a
lower melting point. The lower melting point produces an edge that looks
flame finished when cut.
What is the thickest acrylic that can be
cut in a single pass with a laser engraver?
Here's a good rule of thumb on the maximum thickness of acrylic that can be
cut in a single pass and the wattage of the laser needed to make that cut:
1/8" 12 Watt
1/4" 25 Watt
1/2" 40 Watt
3/4" 75 Watt
1" 100 Watt
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