Vector Cutting 1/8" 'Laserables' Plastic ?

[JB Lynn]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

I'm a fan of Goo Gone... citrus-based as well and available at most Borgs.

[JB Lynn]

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]

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]

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]

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:
Formica® 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