View Full Version : Vector Cutting 1/8" 'Laserables' Plastic ?
JB Lynn
09-05-2008, 1:15 AM
Hello :)
I hope it's 'ok' to mention a brand of plastic here? If not, just let me know?
Anyway, I have 1/8" thick plastic from the 'Laserables' series by Innovative Plastics. Trying to cut it unmasked.
I cannot get it vector cut without smoking and flaring. I regularly cut paper-masked 1/4" plastic from another supplier in one pass with the following settings on my 40 Watt Explorer Laserpro (100% power / .6% Speed / 400 DPI).
Is there a trick to this 1/8" unmasked material? The recommended settings mentioned 3.5% Speed / 70 % Power on a 25 Watt machine!!! My 40 Watt would not begin to cut with those specs! Even tried those settings with 4 passes...it didn't flare, but didn't cut through either.
BTW, machine is well-focused and works fine on ALL other materials whether raster or vector.
Thanks for any help in single pass cutting 1/16 laserable plastic!
Regards, JB Lynn :)
Joe Pelonio
09-05-2008, 8:00 AM
Are you sure it's the right material? Perhaps your supplier sent you the rotary version by mistake? I have cut both Rowmark and IPI 1/8" with no difference in settings. My only problem with IPI is that the 1/16 always comes warped.
Scott Shepherd
09-05-2008, 8:56 AM
Are you using air-assist? If not, then you should be. The difference (my best guess) is that the 1/4" you are doing is clear. The beam tends to go through clear quite well. However, when it's not clear, the beam acts quite different.
Air assist is the only solution I know of for dealing with flaring.
I cut 1/8" IPI yesterday and have another job with it today. I always apply "Transfer Tape" to it before vector cutting, and I always use air on it. Using those two methods, the surface is always fine and not burned.
Of course, the edges are sticky sticky sticky sticky. I called IPI to ask about how to best deal with the sticky, and they told me to leave it for 24 hours and it wouldn't be sticky any longer. I thought that was a funny answer, since the items I had cut, had been sitting for 48 hours and they were still sticky. I told them that and they told me to use rubbing alcohol.
I haven't tried the rubbing alcohol yet, but I have used Denatured, and the denatured makes my 1/8" IPI plastic craze on the edges, which is bad. So I'm still looking for a solution to deal with the sticky side of that 1/8" thick stuff. I wish Rowmark made more 1/8" thick so we wouldn't have to buy IPI products.
Joe Pelonio
09-05-2008, 9:37 AM
Scott, on the 1/8" I use a product called Rapid Remover by Rapid Tac, which is citrus based and does not cause crazing. I always have it here handy anyway for removing adhesive when peeling off vinyl lettering. I'm sure Keith's eraser idea or the foam sanding pad would work too.
Scott Shepherd
09-05-2008, 10:22 AM
Thanks Joe, I have some of that and never thought to try it! I'll give it a shot. I can't use the eraser, as it's an intricate shape and lots of them, so any chemical product would be excellent.
Thanks!
Dan Hintz
09-05-2008, 11:16 AM
I'm a fan of Goo Gone... citrus-based as well and available at most Borgs.
JB Lynn
09-05-2008, 12:09 PM
Hello:
First off, want to clarify, I am having trouble cutting 1/16", I mistakenly said 1/8". I do cut 1/8" with NO problems...
Anyway, the 1/16" material is clearly labelled as 'Laserables' and I've tried several different colors with the same results - just completely baffled. Don't think I have any recourse with seller since I bought this at least 1.5 years ago and just never used it. BTW, don't think it's age has any bearing since it's always been a/c stored.
About the 1/8 material? It's Rowmark 3-ply engravers plastic and always cuts fine for us in one pass!
I'm sure I could cut the 1/16" just fine paper-masked, but wanted to do combined raster/vector. Paper-masking would seriously complicate this!
I'll keep at and would welcome any other advice.
Take Care, JB Lynn
Scott Shepherd
09-05-2008, 12:47 PM
I'm sure I could cut the 1/16" just fine paper-masked, but wanted to do combined raster/vector. Paper-masking would seriously complicate this!
Take Care, JB Lynn
I do raster and vector all the time. I raster, tape, vector. Not complicated at all and gives and excellent result, not to mention it leaves a protective layer on the item that the customer can remove if they want to keep them from getting scratched up until they are being used.
Mike Null
09-05-2008, 3:36 PM
I use quite a lot of IPI laserable laminated material for name tags and cut with no problems. I do 2 passes for cutting just to reduce flaming and smoke thus reduce clean up. I use only DNA for cleaning and never get any crazing or cracks. I do not use a mask.
With most of my 1/16" name tags I use the beveler on the edges so I don't worry about stickiness.
If you're using black which engraves to gold there is much more flaming with that than other colors. I may go to a mask next time on that material.
Neal Schlee
09-07-2008, 5:02 PM
Of course, the edges are sticky sticky sticky sticky. I called IPI to ask about how to best deal with the sticky, and they told me to leave it for 24 hours and it wouldn't be sticky any longer. I thought that was a funny answer, since the items I had cut, had been sitting for 48 hours and they were still sticky. I told them that and they told me to use rubbing alcohol.
I haven't tried the rubbing alcohol yet, but I have used Denatured, and the denatured makes my 1/8" IPI plastic craze on the edges, which is bad. So I'm still looking for a solution to deal with the sticky side of that 1/8" thick stuff. I wish Rowmark made more 1/8" thick so we wouldn't have to buy IPI products.
The absolute BEST cleaner I've found for cleaning "laser haze" etc. after cutting/engraving cast plexi is:
FormicaŽ Brand Non-Flammable Contact Adhesive Solvent
It's water clear, very easy to work with (Read the MSDS, use in a well ventilated area), evaporates fast and leaves very little if any residue. It works on other plastics too, just test an area before going crazy with it.
Neal
Lasertech Alaska
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.