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Thread: Advice on cutting 1.5mm white/black required...

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Advice on cutting 1.5mm white/black required...

    I'm testing using a piece of Trotec 1.5mm Material, which I presume is Rowmark Lasermax. It's the first time I've used this material since getting my machine in March, so not used to engraving or cutting two colour stuff.

    Engraving is ok if I first remove the plastic covering, as when I left it on definition was affected. However when I cut with power/speed adjusted to just get through it cleanly, there is quite a flame and it leaves a lot of black smoke residue on the white surface. This is completely unacceptable to my client, is there a better way to cut? Should I make multiple passes? Am I doing something wrong...

    Any advice appreciated.

    image.jpg
    Last edited by Steve Crawford; 10-01-2014 at 8:00 AM. Reason: To add image
    Cheers, Steve

    --

    Trotec Speedy 300, Rated at 89.8 watts.
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  2. #2
    Steve, the default values for laminate materials works well if you don't want to mask that before cutting. It cuts using like 8 or 10 light passes, really fast. I don't do it that way, but we engrave, apply paper mask, then cut. The multiple passes version does work well and burns really clean and doesn't leave a sticky edge at all either. It should be preloaded in your material database.
    Lasers : Trotec Speedy 300 75W, Trotec Speedy 300 80W, Galvo Fiber Laser 20W
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    Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.

  3. #3
    Steve

    That amount of smoke residue is fairly common. Be sure you use air assist when cutting --if you have it. I find that I can clean that residue quite easily with isopropyl alcohol. I buy the 90% version and we can get it at the drug stores here.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  4. #4
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    Steve, here is how I do it.

    Engraving only - Protective film off
    Cut only - Protective film on
    Engrave & cut - Two stage process
    1 - Remove the film
    2 - Send raster job only / engrave only
    3 - Take the sheet out and apply transfer tape to prevent smoke damage
    4 - Send cutting job

    To minimize the flaming use two passes for cutting.
    Trotec Speedy 300 - 60w, with Quatro CSA-626 fume extraction
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  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Thanks so far guys... Applying a transfer mask or sheet after engraving is not really an option, neither is cleaning the material afterwards as I'm potentially making hundreds of items per sheet and cleaning each one would be far too time consuming to make it viable. So I'll look into the multi pass cutting. Scott I think I might have overwritten that materials setting inadvertently. Could someone tell me what the Job control settings are for 1.5mm Lasemax please?
    Cheers, Steve

    --

    Trotec Speedy 300, Rated at 89.8 watts.
    Atmos Duo, Rotary Attachment, Corel Draw 7

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Crawford View Post
    Could someone tell me what the Job control settings are for 1.5mm Lasemax please?
    I'm showing their default setting to be 10 power 1.25 speed, 10000 Hz, 10 passes.

    We engrave a lot of things like that. That's why we use an Ultrasonic cleaner to clean them. We can drop 100 of them in a tank, less than 2 minutes later, take them out, dip them in a neutralizer liquid, and pat them with a paper towel and they are super clean. Takes a couple minutes to do 100 or so.
    Lasers : Trotec Speedy 300 75W, Trotec Speedy 300 80W, Galvo Fiber Laser 20W
    Printers : Mimaki UJF-6042 UV Flatbed Printer , HP Designjet L26500 61" Wide Format Latex Printer, Summa S140-T 48" Vinyl Plotter
    Router : ShopBot 48" x 96" CNC Router Rotary Engravers : (2) Xenetech XOT 16 x 25 Rotary Engravers

    Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.

  7. #7
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    If you are getting a flame on the top surface, your air-assist is either turned off or not set up correctly.
    Epilog Legend 32EX 60W

    Precision Prototypes, Romsey, UK

  8. #8
    If you use a light tack tape, you can put it in a bucket of water and it should remove easily.

    I'm with Mike though, if you have a flame chances are the air assist isn't functioning properly.
    Martin Boekers

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  9. #9
    I cut .060" Lasermax in one pass at 100P, 1%S and 1000hz. That's with a 45 watt machine. I have a small amount of cleaning to do.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  10. #10
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    I cut a lot of the 1.5mm Encore/Trotec White/Black & Black/White & Yellow/Black I use 35 power, .8 speed 1000Hz one pass on my 60 watt SP100, cleanup is minimal. I have used Goof off to clean for over 5 years now. it is citrus based but seems to have no adverse effect on the surface.
    Are you sure it is laserable material, I have accidently tried to cut rotary plastic and it will soot up with heavy smoke.
    2017 Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt, rotary attachment, vector grid.
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