Introducing the application process of laser engraving on common materials

As an emerging processing technology in the 21st century, laser technology has been widely used in various industries due to its many characteristics. It occupies a place in all aspects from food, clothing, housing and transportation to social and urban construction. Laser engravers are everywhere; there are countless materials used for laser engraving. Today LONGER will take stock of several common materials and their laser engraving technologies for your reference.

Acrylic (plexiglass)

Acrylic laser engraving Acrylic is particularly widely used in the advertising industry. Laser engravers are available in a variety of shapes and sizes and are relatively inexpensive. Generally speaking, plexiglass adopts back carving method, that is, it is carved from the front and viewed from the back, which makes the finished product more three-dimensional. When back engraving, please mirror the graphics first. The engraving speed should be fast and the power should be low. Plexiglas is easier to cut, and an air blowing device should be used when cutting to improve cutting quality. When cutting plexiglass larger than 8mm, large-size lenses should be replaced. (Note: Operators are not allowed to leave when cutting plexiglass, as there may be flames during cutting.)

Wood

Wood is one of the most commonly used materials for laser processing. Light-colored woods such as birch, cherry, or maple take advantage of laser vaporization well, making them more suitable for engraving. Each wood has its own characteristics. Some are denser, such as hardwood, and require more laser power when engraving or cutting. The depth of laser cutting wood is generally not deep, within 20mm. This is because the laser has less power. Slowing down the cutting speed can cause the wood to burn. For specific operations, you can try to use large-size lenses and use repeated cutting methods.

Density veneer panel

It's a wooden pallet that we often use to make sign liners. The material is high-density board with fine wood grain on the surface. Lasers can engrave on these materials, but the engraved patterns are uneven and dark in color, and generally require coloring. Under normal circumstances, learning the correct design and using 0.5mm two-color plates for inlay can achieve better results. After engraving, just clean the surface of the density board with a damp cloth.

Double color board

Double color board is an engineering plastic composed of two or more layers of colors specially used for engraving. Its specifications are generally 600*1200mm, and a few brands have specifications of 600*900mm. The effect of laser engraving will be very good, with obvious contrast and clear edges. Be careful not to be too slow and don't cut through it in one go. Just three or four times is enough so that the edges of the cut material are smooth and there are no traces of melting. When engraving, the power should be just right and should not be too high to avoid melt marks.

Galvanized copper plate

Typically, copper cannot be laser engraved. But now there is a material with a special paint film attached to its surface. The laser completely vaporizes the paint film on the surface, exposing the copper underneath. Usually, manufacturers will polish or specially treat the copper plate before electroplating so that the exposed area after engraving can be smooth enough and can be preserved for a long time. If the copper surface has not been treated, a protective film needs to be applied after using the laser engraving machine to prevent oxidation and surface contamination over time.

Microfiber

The most common types of microfibers are made from polyester, polyamide (nylon), and/or a combination of polyester and polyamide. It is a durable laser engraved fabric that produces beautiful results. Using high speed and low power, users can quickly burn off even the slightest layer on top, resulting in engravings with tremendous contrast. To avoid completely burning the fabric layers, we recommend testing various samples until you find the right settings.

Leather and synthetic leather

Synthetic or "faux" leather has proven to be an excellent fabric for carving. When laser engraved, this material creates an almost dimpled look that is very classy and sophisticated. Leather is flexible and durable. It is a material that can definitely withstand laser engraving. And many leathers have back stickers. After laser engraving and cutting, they can be placed directly in many places as exquisite decorations.

Cotton cloth

100% cotton, tightly woven to create a subtle yet elegant sculptural effect. It's important to note how tight the threads are - the tighter the threads, the better the engraving will be. Make sure the cotton is tight enough to withstand the power of the laser. Generally speaking, we can engrave the desired pattern on pure cotton clothing, which requires:

• Generally speaking, higher speeds and lower power settings are required. The idea is simply to quickly burn off the top layer of fabric to create sculptural contrast.
• Use strong materials that are tightly bonded. Loose knits, such as those in terry cloth, are more susceptible to scorching than engraving.
• Fabrics that do not engrave well include terrycloth (robes, towels, etc.) and stuffed animals (bathroom rugs, toys, etc.). In most cases, the threads are not tightly woven and tend to burn rather than burn. Sculpture.

Non-woven fabric (felt)

Nowadays, more and more people are using laser engraving machines to cut felt to create exquisite decorative objects. For example, the Christmas bag below was cut using LONGER B1 30W. In the eyes of young people, this is as fashionable as Christmas stockings. To make a beautiful felt bag, take advantage of the laser's color mapping feature. You can set up various vector lines to cut the two lasers into the fabric, or just kiss-cut the fabric to reveal the color underneath. After cutting the fabric, you can DIY this ornament.

Conclusion

Have you tried cutting or engraving these materials? Using laser engraving machines to turn ordinary raw materials into exquisite handicrafts one after another is what we are all doing. I look forward to seeing what you post!

Remember, if you maybe need some help with your creations or if you might have some questions about LONGER laser engraving, we are always available for you to get into contact with us. You can either email our expert team with the email sales@longer3d.com, or check out our other contact information here. A member of our LONGER team is always available and more than ready to assist you with any enquiries or issues you might come across.