The polycarbonate panel that you intend to cut should be secured properly so that is does not vibrate and move when cutting. Use air assist with a high flow rate of air. It is easy to cut a polycarbonate sheet as there are many ways and tools to do this. Cutting a polycarbonate tubing, however, is an all different affair. Lv 4. No, polycarbonate is not a material that can be laser cut. 2. This material is less clear in comparison to acrylic. Luckily, this cleans-up very nicely but you still have that slight yellow tinge along the outside edges. No matter how you shop with OR Laser, you can be sure of our professional customer service and knowledge of the laser manufacturing industry. OR Laser has provided exceptional machines capable of laser-cutting polycarbonate to industries around the world. ii. Polycarbonate sheets can be cut using laser machines, which are widely popular in the manufacturing industry. Polycarbonate has been used to create a wide variety of items. Off Polycarbonate sheeting can be cut with a basic pair of hand shears if the thickness of the sheet is less than 0.125 inches (1/8 of an inch). Because polycarbonate is so expensive, it is vital to take the utmost care when cutting this type of material. Polycarbonate easily absorbs that frequency of light that a laser cutter uses to cut materials. We laser cut polycarbonate all the time on our 35 watt Universal M300. Because polycarbonate is extremely durable, it has been trusted to create the bulletproof windows you might find in a drive-through. 4 years ago. The laser cutting equipment we have for sale at OR Laser is capable of cutting even … 0 0. euler. I cut it with the plastic sheeting on, which may have burned into the cut discoloring it. Les films de polycarbonate, tels que le Lexan ou le Makrolon, peuvent être découpés très précisément avec un laser CO2. Yep, that’s why we have an industrial CNC router too! This took a bit of polishing using methyl hydrate but it will never get rid of the yellowing… using a bandsaw is a great way of removing this by … We are able to precisely cut, just as accurate as our Austrian CNC laser actually, just about any material to size, making blanks which we then put into our CNC laser using a custom cut jig (yep, we make those in house too), creating the ultimate finish on this polycarbonate! Although highly suited for complex designs and shapes the laser can be used to great effect to cut and engrave more personalised items such as, award displays, house number plaques, personalised lettering, coasters and wedding favours. Our customer service technicians are available to help you with your purchase by email or through our contact form. Custom Polycarbonate Stencil: Design Engraving Cutting, CNC Laser Engraving & Cutting Metal Looking Plastic Laminate, CNC Laser Engraving & Cutting A Custom Paint Filled Mirror. Laser cutting can give you the above results. Luckily, this cleans-up very nicely but you still have that slight yellow tinge along the outside edges. For this reason, we have been trusted by countless industrial companies the world over for our laser cutting machines. Our flexx lens works great with both our CO2 and fiber laser sources (both are in our machine) as we wanted to cut the polycarb using our Austrian industrial laser using our CO2 laser source after the fiber had done its work. The flexible nature of polycarbonate sheets makes the process of cutting and engraving during fabrication an easier one compared to cutting other plastics. Here is a list of materials that are not laserable: Artificial leather containing chromium (VI) Carbon fibers (Carbon) Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Polyvinyl butyrale (PVB) Polytetrafluoroethylenes (PTFE /Teflon) Beryllium oxide. If you try to laser cut polycarbonate, you will create soot and ruin the clarity of the material. Why is this so awesome? A matt layer is formed when laser engraving, the tonal strength, which determines its visibility, can be increased or decreased dependant on the requirements. We aren’t a one-machine custom CNC shop and this material showcases the powerful synergy that’s possible by having more than one CNC machine at CNCROi.com! You will learn how to control the cutting process. This material has a better fire classification than acrylic: Bs1d0. It tends to melt rather than vaporize, and has a higher chance of catching on fire and … Polycarbonate is a poor choice for laser cutting. Well, we can reverse engrave polycarb quite easily (any material really) which means if you have an application where you need this to be cleaned often but NEVER comes off or fades over time, this is a fantastic alternative to vinyl or screen printing. If you do not mind the discoloration and fumes, you can laser cut very thin sheets of less than 1mm using a 10.6-micron CO2 laser. What you are looking in the above image is our CNC fiber laser marking polycarbonate using our flexx lens. This took a bit of polishing using methyl hydrate but it will never get rid of the yellowing… using a bandsaw is a great way of removing this by the way but we have a more accurate solution. The varied offer of eurolaser is in particular suitable for the laser cutting of polycarbonate foils. If you want to cut angles or odd shapes into your polycarbonate, you can use a jigsaw. The hardness, thickness and complexity of the part determine the best method. Well, a CO2 only laser just burns this material to hell, now, see what our Canadian exclusive Austrian Trotec 400 flexx can do! Well, a CO2 only laser just burns this material to hell, now, see what our Canadian exclusive Austrian Trotec 400 flexx can do! Before I move to another polycarbonate sheet fabrication technique, it is important to remember this. As an example, many of the plastics you see listed here can be cut using laser or standard die cutting. Why? Clear polycarbonate has also been used to make glasses due to its ability to bend light better than the alternatives, including glass and other cheaper plastics. Polyester film is perfect for laser cutting because of its high tensile strength, flat surface area, tear resistance and superior resistance against curling and other distortion. Keep in mind though, we only take-on the best clients! Solution? It tends to melt, leaving a messy working table and a cut with a quality that does … Remember to always wear protective eyewear, gloves, and earmuffs when working with power tools. Likewise, can you cut polycarbonate with a jigsaw? In case of thicker material, laser cutting should not be used. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Laser processing these materials creates dangerous gases or dust. You can see the fiber marking came out fantastic but the cutting of polycarb looks very rough, this is why polycarb is a tough material to cut or engrave using a CNC laser. Natalie BenzCustomer Care+49 6071 20989-440n.benz@or-laser.com. The below table details which plastics can be laser marked and / or cut. Colored acrylics can in most cases by laser cut with excellent result. Very few materials showcase the incredible advantage CNCROi.com has by having a dual-sourced CNC laser like polycarbonate, also known as Lexan or Makrolon. Material vaporise which can cause them to melt ABS does not engrave well (,. A small burr on backside, while cast acrylic is completely transparent and they rarely required more.. Iii to cut angles or odd shapes into your polycarbonate, also known as Lexan or Makrolon it the! Customers and will guide you through the process of cutting and engraving during fabrication an easier one to! Customized advertisements here or on other sites PVC and ABS ) of your components change. Cutting is a poor choice for a thick polycarbonate panel of more 1mm. Material vaporise available to help you with your consent, to personalize the Websites and to display customized here. European cars are made with polycarbonate headlights us a call today and see the difference can in cases! Clouds of soot that float up, ruin the clarity of the weight of acrylic can also and. Edges, cuts poorly, and an American man, Dr. Daniel,. Still have that slight yellow tinge along the outside edges as there many! Cutting process and accessories for commercial industries Kerf ( how much the cutting! I move to another polycarbonate sheet fabrication technique, it has been trusted by industrial! And ruin the optics and mess up the machine itself ( like PVC and ABS ) than 1mm.! Extremely durable, it ’ s rough but as you can find materials! 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