The CO2 laser machine is the best choice for engraving and cutting acrylic materials. That’s partly because lasers can create such a stunning result. Other technologies, like CNC routers or cutting saws typically leave behind hazy or milky edge colors, requiring a secondary process to achieve flame polishing. However, the acrylic cross-section cut by the laser beam is smooth and has a polishing effect, and no subsequent processing is required.
When laser cutting acrylic sheet, thin sheet acrylic is usually easy to be cut, and good results are obtained. But sometimes when cutting thick acrylic materials, you may encounter an uneven cutting edge or surface — or even worse, your cutting kerf turning white while processing colored acrylic. Master some laser cutting tips, you can improve the skills of using a cutting machine to cut thick acrylic. The following points can be used as a reference for operating the laser machine.
1. Check the wattage of the laser cutting machine
For CO2 laser cutting thick acrylic, you’ll need a high enough wattage to get the job done. Thinner sheets, like 3mm acrylic cut beautifully on 150w or 200W, but if you’re looking to cut 25mm acrylic, you’re going to want a 250w or 400W laser.
While most operators know they need a very low air pressure to achieve that fire-polished edge, they might not be aware of how dirty that can make their lens. A dirty lens is going to give operators a whole host of problems, from poor focusing to reduced laser power. If you want to cut acrylic workpieces with polished edges, check the lenses every day or at least every other day to prevent these problems.
3. Adjust the focal length of the laser cutter
To get a laser to cut nicely through thick acrylic, it’s helpful to adjust your focal length so that the laser energy is concentrated. For instance, if you want to cut 10mm or 20mm piece of acrylic, a longer focal lens is going to spread out the focus distance and give you a straighter cut. It will make the beam a little wider, but will prevent a slanted or uneven edge.
If you’re interested in cutting thick acrylic, we can recommend a suitable configuration for you to meet your needs. ACCTEK laser cutting machine adopts a new-style high-efficiency Reci CO2 laser tube, which has a slim and stable beam compared with laser tubes of the same level. Advanced Ruida control system, with professional motion control chip, has the function of consecutively high-speed curve cutting and the shortest path selection, which largely improves your working efficiency.
If your work shop or home shop needs to process acrylic materials, then choosing a CO2 laser cutting machine is an important step to improve shop efficiency. If you have any questions, you can consult online at any time.
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