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Thread: Laser Cutting PETG & Acetate

  1. #1

    Question Laser Cutting PETG & Acetate

    I'm almost positive it would not be good to laser cut PETG and Acetate, am I correct in assuming this? I'd be concerned about damaging the laser or even worse my lungs. It would probably be difficult to cut on a rotary if it's only 0.02" thick, right?
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  2. #2
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

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  3. #3
    Just a note on PETG, I've never tried cutting it with the laser but I've gone through almost a spool of it on my 3D Printer. It has to be printed at 245-250C so while not as hot as a laser cutting it there are still some fumes put off but not bad. If you decide to cut it make sure to vent it properly. I guess I should hook the 3d printer up to the laser exhaust and run it on low but I haven't bothered yet.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Null View Post
    That MSDS is for liquid ethyl acetate (AKA acetic acid). Try this one, which is for cellulose acetate: http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=956 . That's in powder form, so the comments about ingestion and inhalation obviously don't apply to the cellulose acetate sheet we're talking about here.
    Quite a bit less dire, in fact the warnings/etc look a lot like what you see on an MSDS for acrylic, which all of us cut on a regular basis.
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  5. #5
    Lee
    thanks for the correction.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

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

  6. #6
    Ok, thank you for the responses. Sounds like my customer is looking for me to laser cut PETG and not acetate. He was just suggesting that as an alternative to PETG. I might try cutting a few pieces out to see how it cuts and how bad it smells. I do have decent ventilation.
    Epilog 35 Watt Mini 12" x 24"
    New Hermes V3400
    Kwikprint 55
    CorelDraw 2017, Illustrator, Photoshop

  7. #7
    It's been a while since I ran PETG but as I recall it had a tendency to melt. Maybe lower power and more than one pass will 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

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