Universal Laser Systems X-600 Safety, Installation, Operation, And Basic Maintenance Manual page 47

There are two types of acrylic available, cast and extruded. Cast turns white or frosted and extruded
remains clear when engraved. Use extruded acrylic for paint filled engraving and cast for regular
engraving. Cast engraves better without masking. Lightly engrave the surface to frost it with a low
power setting such as the first setting listed above. If deep engraving is desired, it is necessary to
mask the acrylic with transfer tape to prevent the smoke from damaging the clear surface of the
acrylic. However, another problem with deep acrylic engraving is that the intense heat creates a white,
crusty, deposit that accumulates along the edges of the area that was just engraved and is impossible
to remove without causing damage. Engraving lightly and without masking seems to be the better all
around alternative.
If only cutting acrylic, extruded works better and is less expensive than cast. The cut edges of
extruded acrylic will appear to be more highly polished and clearer than cast acrylic when laser cut.
When cutting acrylic, it might be necessary to remove both sides of the original masking and re-mask
with transfer tape if cutting through the original masking produces flaming. The original masking is
coated with wax and will not absorb water. If cutting through very thick acrylic, re-mask both sides
with transfer tape and dampen the masking on both sides of the acrylic with water from a spray bottle.
Elevate the acrylic off the table at least 1/2 inch, re-focus, and then proceed to cut. Elevating the
acrylic will allow the beam to completely pass through the material which allows the smoke and heat
to escape from underneath. If cutting directly on the engraving table, the trapped heat might cause
the bottom edge of the cut to pit and distort. Re-masking and dampening with water will act as a heat
sink to pull the laser heat away from the cutting area resulting in less distortion or heat affected zones
(HAZ). When dampening, be sure not to leave puddles of water. Puddles of water will reduce cutting
depth significantly. For the best results when combining engraving and cutting on the same piece,
first engrave lightly and unmasked. Then mask with transfer tape, dampen, elevate, re-focus, and cut
as a second step.
Paint filling the engraved area is possible by first masking the acrylic or leave on the original masking
then engraving through the masking. Before removing the masking, brush or spray on some acrylic
based or water based paint right on to the masking. When the paint is dry, remove the masking and
the paint will remain in the recessed area of the engraving. Remember to use extruded acrylic when
paint filling and cast acrylic when simply engraving.
Acrylic is extremely flammable. Do not leave the laser system unattended when cutting or
engraving.
MATERIAL SETTINGS GUIDE
COMMENTS
Section 5-5