Cleaning cut plastic/acrylic.

[Mitchell Tutty]

I've always had a bit of a problem of the laser leaving a smokey edge after cutting laserable plastic and acrylic. I'm sure you've all experience it, and no a lot more about removing it then I do.

I've always been able to remove it to some extent, but requires a fair bit of time and a lot of elbow grease and now that I'm beginning to pick up a lot more work then I was originally it's simply no longer worth my while to spend that long cleaning every little tag/shape/letter etc that I cut. I've come to the conclusion that simply cutting without leaving the residue is not possible.

I want to stray away from the whole leaving the paper backing/masking on everything because I'm also cutting alot of intricate little things 100's of times over and it's also not worth my while peeling it all off afterwards as opposed to peeling it off from the whole sheet. I also can't put that burden on the customer as the customer base we have built from our cnc router was made from supplying everything as a finish product and would like it to continue that way, it's how we keep our customers coming back.

Anyway, I've tried cleaning using a denatured alcohol as well as dish washing liquid, I've given the DNA a flick as the dish washing liquid does a better job, but still not quite what I'm after. Now, I'm at somewhat of a stand still on what to do. I've rang my supplier of my laserable plastic and asked for what they recommend and was told a citric based cleaner, sounded easy to find it was mentioned, however not as easy as I originally thought, anybody have a recommended product?

Thanks in advanced.

[Mike Null]

Michael

I do a lot of control panel labels and name tags. The best fix I've found is to be very precise on my vector settings being careful not to over power them. Time saved in cutting could be wasted in cleaning. Be sure that you have good smoke evacuation above and below the cut.

The cleaner I use most often is 90% isopropyl alcohol. I've also had some success with Magic Eraser by Mr. Clean. I use orange cleaner for other work but it will attack certain plastics so you must use care. For cast acrylic I like dna.

[Scott Shepherd]

I'll offer up a few of my findings. We cut a lot of rowmark small parts. Things where it's maybe 100 pcs on a 12" x 24" sheet. They are engraved and then vector cut. When we got our Trotec, the factory setting for cutting that product had it taking like 8-10 passes with really light power and fast speed. I thought it was wasteful, but I tried it on a number of things. What I found was that it did take longer, but when the items came off the laser, the edges weren't even remotely sticky and all was good. So there's some merit for that tactic.

However, we don't use it, we power through it. We have found that a product in the sign business, called Rapid Remover cleans better than anything. It's an adhesive remover. However, once on there, you really need to neutralize it with a sister product called RapidTac. The workflow we have is that we bought an ultrasonic cleaner and filled it with rapid remover. Then we bought a rubbermaid container and put RapidTac in that. We put the rowmark in the ultrasonic cleaner for about 60 seconds, take it out, then dunk them in the rapidtac and then dry them off.

When they are done, they are clean and have no sticky edges at all.

Where it used to take us 30-45 minutes to clean a batch of them by hand, now takes about 5 minutes to clean 100 of them.

I have several 1000 pieces to cut this week and that's the process we'll be using (and have been using for years now).

[Mitchell Tutty]

I'm pretty confident my settings are tweaked pretty prime, in the plastic i always use two passes and still have to snap them out, as opposed to them all just falling out, which I don't mind. Also helps somewhat in cleaning in that i can wipe it as a full sheet and not just the individual pieces.

Also, I presume that orange cleaner you use is the same as my recommended citric based cleaner, which I'm going to give a try. I was advised that it might eat at the plastic also. I don't mind too much if it's going to try and attack it, I'd rather give it a light rub, and wiping it off straight away with a damp cloth or something then spend too much time using DNA or something.

Also the magic eraser just sounds like a low value for money product to me, haven't really had a look but just sounds like one of those everyday products re branded as a specific laser product and sold at 10x the price you can buy it off the shelf at the supermarket as an everyday product. But I'm very ignorant when it comes to buying things like that.

I might actually give the 8-10 passes idea a shot. For now, whilst I don't quite have the laser running flat out all day I probably could afford to spend a little more time cutting to save some manual work. I'll give it a shot.
Also, is it possible I could rub the plastic in 'Rapid Remover? Or is it really only effective with the ultrasonic cleaner, because that may be something I could give a go also.

You're all awesome for taking the time out to give me a hand, I just graduated school as a 17 year old and was thrown into a business with a brand new $40000 60w laser, where nobody had any experience using it, and not much time to play around before the orders started rolling in, and having to meet deadlines, make profits, and practically run this end of the business on my own has been an incredible learning curve to say the least. If it wasn't for everybody like you guys I'd of thrown a lot of unsuccessful attempts straight into the bin. So thank you all!

[David Somers]

Mitchell,

For what it is worth, Magic Eraser is a supermarket product, not made specifically for lasers. I think it is by Mr Clean. You can order it on Amazon and Google too as well. The only things I have tried it on were scuff marks on painted walls and it worked quite well and lasted a long time. My wife keeps a couple around now for various uses. Might be worth a try.

The best to you with your new business! This is a great group of folks to look to for help. Additionally, have you hooked up with some good local advisers to help you with decisions? The service corps of retired executives might be a big help if there is a chapter near you. Score.org is their web site. Good resources for a start up business. If they aren't near you you might try the Small Business Administration. sba.gov. They aren't going to be a big help directly unless you need an SBA loan, but can help you find local resources that could be. That is one of their roles. A less obvious source of help can be through your local service clubs like Lions and Kiwanis and Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, etc. They tend to attract small to medium business owners and they can be a way to make great contacts through the community to turn to for advice or as a sounding board. And also to make your services known without having other resources to do that. Word of mouth in other words. Also, if you are working with a solid credit union in some way they can often offer you advice that is not as self serving as a regular banker might be, at least at the startup level till you have a feel for where you can turn in that regard.

I am excited for you! Fingers will be crossed for a good experience, a good outcome, and that you enjoy the heck out of yourself in the process!

Dave

[Scott Shepherd]

Also, is it possible I could rub the plastic in 'Rapid Remover? Or is it really only effective with the ultrasonic cleaner, because that may be something I could give a go also.

Sure, that's how we used to do it. We'd cut 1000's of these things out, then everyone would pile around a table and we'd spray rapid remover on a paper towel and we'd wipe all the edges by hand, then do the same with rapidtac.

The ultrasonic just cleans 100's of them in a couple minutes, so it's a lot easier.

Keep in mind, this is for Rowmark engraving plastic. None of what I said works for acrylic. In fact, the products I mentioned can cause the edges to crack on acrylic.

[Dee Gallo]

Mitchel,

I just posted a fix for that suggested by the Rowmark folks: cover your surfaces with dish washing soap and let dry. Raster and cut as usual, then just wash it off. The soot and residue comes right off. I tried it on prepped wood too and it works well.

cheers, dee

[Mitchell Tutty]

Mitchell,

The best to you with your new business! This is a great group of folks to look to for help. Additionally, have you hooked up with some good local advisers to help you with decisions? The service corps of retired executives might be a big help if there is a chapter near you. Score.org is their web site. Good resources for a start up business. If they aren't near you you might try the Small Business Administration. sba.gov. They aren't going to be a big help directly unless you need an SBA loan, but can help you find local resources that could be. That is one of their roles. A less obvious source of help can be through your local service clubs like Lions and Kiwanis and Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, etc. They tend to attract small to medium business owners and they can be a way to make great contacts through the community to turn to for advice or as a sounding board. And also to make your services known without having other resources to do that. Word of mouth in other words. Also, if you are working with a solid credit union in some way they can often offer you advice that is not as self serving as a regular banker might be, at least at the startup level till you have a feel for where you can turn in that regard.


Dave

I'm operating from Victoria, Australia in an area with a lot of big business but still a reasonably small town. I don't really have the opportunity to speak to any local advisers simply because there is none, my nearest competitor is a good four hour drive away from us, and have no competition locally. I'm the first laser engraver in the area, that I know of anyway. I'm fortunate that the business has been operating a cnc for 15 years prior to our purchase of the laser, mainly produced acrylic awards/trophies to trophy shops all around the country and supplied the sign industry with various signage among other things. So, I really haven't had to do much advertising our laser as we already had a good customer base who already utilized lasers else where. But thanks for the ideas!

Thanks Dee, I'll give that a shot for sure!

[Keith Upton]

Mitchel,

I just posted a fix for that suggested by the Rowmark folks: cover your surfaces with dish washing soap and let dry. Raster and cut as usual, then just wash it off. The soot and residue comes right off. I tried it on prepped wood too and it works well.

cheers, dee

That's a timely tip Dee as I'll be starting the use of Rowmark in some of my production products here this weekend.

[Mike Avena]

Sure, that's how we used to do it. We'd cut 1000's of these things out, then everyone would pile around a table and we'd spray rapid remover on a paper towel and we'd wipe all the edges by hand, then do the same with rapidtac.

The ultrasonic just cleans 100's of them in a couple minutes, so it's a lot easier.

Keep in mind, this is for Rowmark engraving plastic. None of what I said works for acrylic. In fact, the products I mentioned can cause the edges to crack on acrylic.

Scott,

Do you mask the pieces before cutting ? I have been doing all mine with mask, then using the rapid remover (I usually stack 5-10 pieces and wipe the edges on a soaked scotch brite pad) I really like the ultra sonic idea. I had never thought of that. Any suggestions on mfg / model ? Thanks!

[Kev Williams]

I used to swear by denatured alcohol, but now I use Klean Strip odorless mineral spirits from Home Depot. (I mention the brand because it works, and I don't know if other brands will!)

I tried mineral spirits not long ago by accident, and was very pleased with how will it deals with plastic soot and goo. Rowmark, plex, works on all plastic I've tried. I particularly like how it cleans up the red soot from rastering red/white Rowmark. And best I can tell it doesn't attack plastic.

[Scott Shepherd]

Scott,

Do you mask the pieces before cutting ? I have been doing all mine with mask, then using the rapid remover (I usually stack 5-10 pieces and wipe the edges on a soaked scotch brite pad) I really like the ultra sonic idea. I had never thought of that. Any suggestions on mfg / model ? Thanks!


We do, we engrave it, mask it, then cut it. I don't have a recommendation on the ultrasonic cleaner. We bought a cheap, small one to test with, it worked fantastic. I've never seen edges so clean, and all the little details we couldn't get with a paper towel, we're suddenly bright white. It was amazing. We used the little one for a year or so, which only held about 20-30 little pieces at a time (I think we paid $40 for it), and then I found one on Craigslist one day that was quite a bit bigger. It's a cheap, chinese made one that's all stainless steel. It also has a heater built in too. I wouldn't want to be cleaning these things by hand ever again.

In fact, it makes me want to get an even bigger one now to use it for other things. It's one of the best purchases we made for helping out with many things. I use the thing daily for a variety of things.

[Mike Avena]

We do, we engrave it, mask it, then cut it. I don't have a recommendation on the ultrasonic cleaner. We bought a cheap, small one to test with, it worked fantastic. I've never seen edges so clean, and all the little details we couldn't get with a paper towel, we're suddenly bright white. It was amazing. We used the little one for a year or so, which only held about 20-30 little pieces at a time (I think we paid $40 for it), and then I found one on Craigslist one day that was quite a bit bigger. It's a cheap, chinese made one that's all stainless steel. It also has a heater built in too. I wouldn't want to be cleaning these things by hand ever again.

In fact, it makes me want to get an even bigger one now to use it for other things. It's one of the best purchases we made for helping out with many things. I use the thing daily for a variety of things.

Thanks Scott! I guess I'm doing some shopping today.

[Scott Shepherd]

Thanks Scott! I guess I'm doing some shopping today.

We started with the cheap jewelry cleaner one from Harbor Freight for $39 or so.

Just for reference, it takes less than 3 minutes in the rapid remover to get it clean. You might find a better solution to use. That's just where we ended up. We tested about 4-5 different solutions and none of them did as good. I'm sure there's something great out there but we haven't found it yet.

[David Somers]

Scott,

What sizes are you talking about please?

Thanks!

Dave
TGIF!! Woohooooo!

[Khalid Nazim]

I recently had to engrave and cut 3mm clear cast acrylic invites. The engrave did not need cleaning but the edges had a slight residue on it. I used WD40 to remove the residue and then Novus 1 to clean the invite. This was really successful for my application.

Regards
Khalid

[Mike Null]

Earlier Steve (Scott) made reference to cleaning Rowmark. I use IPI plastics for the most part and there are other brands as well. All have their own formula and different characteristics. For example I haven't had any luck cleaning with mineral spirits.

The point is that whatever you are using may react differently to chemicals others are reporting success with. I keep just about everything on hand just in case.

A word to the wise--avoid acetone on plastics.