Anyone tried Engraving Polypropylene?

[Eddie Castaneda]

Has anyone tried to burn Polypropylene? I been trying to engrave Pelican Cases and I only get one to try it on. Any Ideas Gents?

[Mike Null]

Eddie

If I recall accurately, the last time I tried it the poly tended to melt rather than engrave. I did get an image but it was a bit ragged. I would suggest lower power and more than one pass.

Here is the Synrad applications page with some info. http://www.synrad.com/Search/search.php?zoom_query=Polypropylene&zoom_per_page=10&zoom_and=0&zoom_sort=0

[Eddie Castaneda]

Mike You have been a really big help!!! Thank You!

[Richard Rumancik]

Eddie - have you tried it yet? If not try to experiment on other items that you know to be polypropylene. For recycling they will often be marked 5 in a triangle with PP below. In my experience polypropylene engraves like a block of wax - meaning not very well. Not unexpected, as the polyethylene and polypropylene molecules are not very far from wax. It even smells like wax when lasered.

[Joe Hillmann]

I don't know if I have ever tried polypropylene but most plastics that only melt with a co2 mark very well with a yag.

[Eddie Castaneda]

Richard I did try on a small section of the case, but just like you said it melted pretty quick. I'm going back to the drawing board see what else I have in house I can test it on!

[Scott Challoner]

Eddie, your signature says you have a Flex. Are your results with CO2 or Fiber?

[Eddie Castaneda]

Scott the setting I used were for the CO2

[Scott Challoner]

I can't say I know much about fiber lasers, but I thought that apart from being able to mark metals without a product like Cermark, they are also supposed to be better for plastics that don't mark well with CO2. I certainly could be wrong, but I think I would play with the fiber. At least give your Trotec rep a call and see if they can point you in the right direction. Just my $.02

[Eddie Castaneda]

I had tried the Fiber and I kinda melted the Plastic but then again I was 25% power.

[Greg Facer]

I did some engraving with Polyethylene, not the same but similar issues....masking tape on the top made the result acceptable, otherwise was not too pretty. I think the tape helps dial down the power a little (this is on an 80w chinese tube) and stops the melt/splatter that the plastic produces from re-sticking and making a mess.

[Dan Hintz]

With fiber, frequency has a huge effect on mark visibility... I think you need to revisit that.

[Lisa Hiemstra]

Eddie

If I recall accurately, the last time I tried it the poly tended to melt rather than engrave. I did get an image but it was a bit ragged. I would suggest lower power and more than one pass.

Here is the Synrad applications page with some info. http://www.synrad.com/Search/search.php?zoom_query=Polypropylene&zoom_per_page=10&zoom_and=0&zoom_sort=0


I have a 40w Universal. I used 45/92/400 and it marked it quite nicely. I do Pelican cases all the time for the Police.

[Bert Kemp]

I have a 40w Universal. I used 45/92/400 and it marked it quite nicely. I do Pelican cases all the time for the Police.


you know this is 4 year old post

[Scott Shepherd]

you know this is 4 year old post

6 year old post!

[Mike Null]

But still relevant.

[Dennis McLeod]

Yep, just googled Laser polypropylene, and this is the first link i knew I could trust....