The main reason why laser cutting is so popular is because of its versatility. Laser cutters can cut materials from paper, wood, cork, acrylic, foam to various metals. When using a laser cutting machine, we should understand the characteristics of each material and give more attention to them during actual use.

What are the materials that can be cut by laser cutting machine?

Different metals

Laser cutting machines can cut all kinds of metals, from mild steel and stainless steel to non-ferrous metals. Aluminum and other reflective metals are more difficult to cut, when a fiber laser is a better choice. Today, metals can be cut even up to 100 mm thick, depending on the power of the laser.

Wood

Laser cutting can be used on all types of wood (including plywood and MDF), but some oily woods present a risk of ignition and should be used with special care.

Paper and Cardboard

We can see some intricate and delicate laser cut wedding invitations, most likely made by laser cutting.

Plastics

Both PMMA and Lucite's acrylic are clear plastics. The use of laser cutting ensures a good edge finish and looks like cream cut with a knife.

Polyformaldehyde

Paraformaldehyde is a highly utilized plastic for engineering applications, utilizing the laser's ability to make complex cuts for gears, guide and slide elements, medical devices, food packaging, and more.

Glass

Laser cut glass and reflection, laser cut glass seems to be an impossible task. However, laser cutters can cut glass.

Laser cutting machine

What can't be cut?

It seems that the laser can cut almost anything, but this is not the case. The material is not a cut list, but a variety of plastics.

Polyvinyl chloride

PVC cutting emits acidic smell and toxic fumes, which are harmful to both the machine operator and the laser cutter itself. Therefore, PVC cutting should be done by mechanical methods.

Polycarbonate fiber

Laser cutters can try to use polycarbonate up to 1mm, but it will cause discoloration of the material.

It cannot be cut by laser. If the material is thicker, it is not only inefficient, but also the material discolors badly and causes burning.

High-density polyethylene ABS

In general, the laser is hot enough to evaporate the material, but it does not support ABS, HDPE and other materials. It tends to melt more than evaporate, leaving messy benches and poor quality cuts.

Polystyrene and polypropylene foam

Both tend to catch fire.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass is a mixture of two materials - glass and epoxy resin. Glass is known to be relatively difficult to cut alone, and it would be a nightmare to add resin to a mixture that would cause a haze.