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View Full Version : Can I laser engrave FRP designed for sublamation?



Dennis Solomon
05-20-2010, 6:39 AM
I need to sublamate a product and then engrave into it at a later time. This is what the customer wants, so is it safe and will it work?

Dan Hintz
05-20-2010, 7:43 AM
If FRP stands for fiberglass reinforced plastic, you're going to have issues with the fiberglass... other than that, you should be safe.

Scott Shepherd
05-20-2010, 7:44 AM
I thought the plastic used in that was PVC. I thought it was PVC and fiberglass?

Dennis Solomon
05-20-2010, 8:21 AM
Frp does stand fo fiberglasss reinforced plastic. as far as i can find out it use the thermoset process and does not contain pvc but I'm not sure.

Scott Shepherd
05-20-2010, 8:37 AM
It is a polyester polymer for whatever that means.

The MSDS is located here, in a Word document :

http://www.unisub.com/worldof/Tips/pdf-word/MSDS-FR%20Plastic%20Unisub.doc

Scott Shepherd
05-20-2010, 8:40 AM
Oh, one more thing, there is a sheet of material you can cut with the laser and dye sub. It's a masonite with the dye sub coating on the top. You can vector cut it no problem. I haven't tried to engrave it, but I would suspect it would engrave just fine, and it would be black when it engraves. You could certainly color fill that if needed.

Might be an option for you, I don't know your specific application.

Larry Bratton
05-20-2010, 8:57 AM
Polyester is safe.

Dennis Solomon
05-20-2010, 9:19 AM
thanks I'll give it a try. May life be full and fun!

Scott Shepherd
05-20-2010, 10:07 AM
"Also, we do not recommend laser cutting because of the amount of charring that occurs on the edge of the plastic."

Comes from the website of the company that makes it. So sounds like you are safe. Probably won't get any charring from rastering it.Report back, I'd like to know how it all worked out for you.

Martin Boekers
05-20-2010, 1:25 PM
Oh, one more thing, there is a sheet of material you can cut with the laser and dye sub. It's a masonite with the dye sub coating on the top. You can vector cut it no problem. I haven't tried to engrave it, but I would suspect it would engrave just fine, and it would be black when it engraves. You could certainly color fill that if needed.

Might be an option for you, I don't know your specific application.

I tried the FRP awhile back, seemed to melt if I recall, didn't spend too much time with it.

The material that Scott is talking about is called "Hardboard" with Dye Sub Vendors.

Cuts easily, I use it a bit when I want to have a colored shield or logo, then
want it to "raise of the plaque to give it a bit of "dimentionality" .

Conde sells it in 15 x 18" sheets I believe for about $6.

Marty