![]() ![]() Laser engraving on thermosets can produce clear and high-contrast images. Thus, thermosetting plastics cannot be successfully melted without damaging the molecular structure and the material changing color. The two types of plastics have distinct reactions with laser energy.įor thermosets, their polymer chains have more connections and break down easily when heated. ![]() However, MDF does not suit laser cutting, for its glue content can result in charring or even toxic gases and fumes.Ĭommonly used plastics can be mainly categorized into two types: thermosets and thermoplastics. MDF can produce nice laser engraving results due to its smooth and firm surface. Mostly, MDF has a higher density than plywood. Medium-density fiberboard (commonly referred to as MDF) is an engineered wood made by combining wood fibers with resin binders and then forming them into panels by applying high temperature and pressure. Birch plywood is a good choice as the most popular plywood for laser engraving and cutting. It is recommended to choose a plywood that is explicitly marketed for laser use. Depending on the specific wood and glue used, the performance of plywood varies during laser processing. These properties make it an easy material for laser engraving and cutting.īut fire or excessive smoke may occur during laser cutting due to the fact that plywood contains glue. As a composite wood, plywood has a clean and light surface and does not easily deform when there are changes to atmospheric moisture levels. Plywood is manufactured from multiple layers of thin wood veneer, which are bonded together with adhesive at high temperature to make composite sheet material. Moreover, cherry is a flexible and smooth wood, making it an ideal choice for laser cutting and engraving. Products made from cherry wood are durable for use and nice-looking in appearance. The cherry wood comes with a light pink to dark brown color, straight grains, and a shiny texture. The wood of the cherry tree is considered a hardwood. The only drawback of alder is the possibility of the presence of knots, which may compromise the quality of the finished work.Ĭherry has long been a popular wood for cabinet and furniture making in the United States. The pale and inconspicuous color of alder allows for high-contrast engraved images, while its light grain doesn't take away the details of the patterns. To compensate for this drawback, thin basswood is usually processed to become plywood which tends not to warp or crack.Īs a soft and resinous wood, alder works great for laser cutting and engraving and produces a nice dark burn. However, a thin basswood is prone to get distorted under the influence of moisture. And it has a relatively high resin content, and therefore only low laser power is needed to engrave or cut a basswood. Besides, basswood features a color of creamy white or pale brown, which makes it easy to paint, stain and finish after being laser processed. The wood types that are commonly used for laser processing are as follows:īasswood is a softwood with even texture and fine grain, so laser engraving and cutting stand out on this type of wood. But you should also be careful not to burn the wood too much or catch fire. If you engrave resinous wood with laser, for example, the same amount of laser energy can produce a darker color, resulting in higher contrast. The resin content of wood determines whether the wood burns are darker or lighter. Most people prefer to use wood with a low density, for it requires only a small amount of laser power, and the processing can be fast. The primary factors affecting the laser processing results are the density, the uniformity of density, and the resin content of wood. When interacting with laser energy, partial combustion occurs inside wood. Wood is an organic material comprised of cellulose and lignin. This article will provide you an overview of commonly used materials for laser engraving and cutting, and instruct you on how to choose a proper material for laser processing.Ĭommonly Used Materials for Laser Processing 1. There are still important issues you need to care about and methods you can follow in material selection. However, you cannot grab a piece of material from somewhere and begin laser engraving or cutting right away. Adding a little design, you can recreate famous paintings on wood, cut flowers out of paper, or even produce fashion with a piece of cotton cloth. There are so many kinds of material you can use, including the most ordinary wood, paper, cloth, and leather. After purchasing a laser engraving and cutting machine, you must be eager to dive into material processing. ![]()
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