Tips on Laser Engraving on Acrylic
Laser systems can engrave a variety of different materials, such as wood, plastic and metals. But acrylic is still the most popular due to the classic look, detail and clarity of the final product. This is primarily due to the unique features of manmade acrylic materials. However, there are still many tricks involved with using a laser to engrave acrylic that can greatly increase the aesthetic value of your finished product.
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Type of Acrylic
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Certain types of acrylic are best suited for certain jobs and products. This is primarily due to the process by which the acrylic material was made. For example, cast acrylic materials, which are made from a liquid acrylic poured into a mold, are best for engraving gifts, awards and plaques. On the other hand, extruded acrylic, which is formed into sheets by a large printing press like machine, is best suited for letters and signs.
Mirroring
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The most popular method of engraving acrylic awards and plaques is done by engraving the backside so the engraving can be seen through the acrylic. Thus the text being engraved must be mirrored so it can be read properly on the front surface. Most sketching software will include a mirror tool that can easily flip the entire graphic. For example, Corel DRAW's mirror tool can be accessed by pressing Alt + F9.
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Trial
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Most engravings are never perfect the first time. There are numerous trial runs before a final product is created. Placing a polyester mask over the top of the acrylic and engraving at very low power is a great way to practice before engraving onto real acrylic. For example, you may consider using 5% power and 100% speed on a 30-Watt laser system when practicing on a polyester mask. This will enable you to get the graphic just right before attempting it on a piece of acrylic.
Horizontal Lines
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Horizontal lines look coarse when engraving large fill areas. This problem can be easily remedied by enlarging the spot size of the focused laser. When a laser is focused, the spot at the focal point is tiny. By moving the acrylic away from the focal point, you will increase the size of the laser spot. This can be accomplished by lowering the table by .02 inches. This will increase the size of the laser spot enough to create a smoother engraving.
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References
- Photo Credit laser image by serge simo from Fotolia.com
