Epilog Laser HELIX Instructions For Using Manual page 5

A note on materials
Material
PVC
Thick ( >1mm )
Polycarbonate/Lex
an
ABS
HDPE/milk bottle
plastic
PolyStyrene Foam
PolyPropylene
Foam
Epoxy
Fiberglass
Coated Carbon
Fiber
Credit: ATX Hackerspace
DANGER!
Emits chlorine gas
when cut!
Cuts very poorly,
discolors, catches
fire.
Melts / Emits
Hydrogen Cyanide
Catches fire and
melts.
Catches fire.
Catches fire.
Burns, smokes.
Emits fumes.
Emits noxious
fumes.
Cause/Consequence
Don't ever cut this material as it will ruin the
optics, cause the metal of the machine to
corrode, and ruin the motion control system.
Polycarbonate strongly absorbs infrared
radiation. This is the frequency of light the
laser cutter uses to cut materials, so it is very
ineffective at cutting polycarbonate.
Cutting ABS plastic emits hydrogen cyanide,
which is unsafe at any concentration. ABS also
does not cut well in a laser cutter. It tends to
melt rather than vaporize and has a high
chance of catching on fire.
It melts. It gets gooey. Don't use it.
It catches fire, it melts, and only thin pieces
cut. This is the #1 material that causes laser
fires!
Like PolyStyrene, it melts, catches fire, and the
melted drops continue to burn and turn into
rock-hard drips and pebbles.
Epoxy is an aliphatic resin, strongly
cross-linked carbon chains. A CO2 laser can't
cut it, and the resulting burned mess creates
toxic fumes. Items coated in epoxy, or cast
epoxy resins must not be used in the laser
cutter.
It's a mix of two materials that can't be cut.
Glass (etch, no cut) and epoxy resin (fumes).
A mix of two materials. Thin carbon fiber mat
can be cut, with some fraying - but not when
coated.