Five Problems with Laser Engraving Acrylic and Their Solutions

Problems with light transmission in acrylic laser engraving are often caused by inappropriate parameter settings or differences in the materials used.It summarizes the five most common problems with laser engraving, including white marks on the surface and blurry lines, and provides practical solutions such as adjusting the power and optimizing material selection to help users improve the quality of their engravings and reduce the rate of defective items.

Problem 1: In the carved areas, the surface turned white and was opaque.

The reasons for this are many.

This is usually caused by the laser power being too high or the speed too slow, which causes the material surface to be burned too much, forming a white fog layer.This problem is especially common with thicker acrylic sheets.

Solutions.

First reduce the power of the laser (say from 60 % to 40 %), and at the same time increase the speed of the cutting.If the results are not obvious, try layering, completing the carving in two steps with lower power, to avoid a buildup of energy in a single pass.

Problem two: The degree of transparency varied.

Reasons for the decline.

If the board is not of uniform thickness or if the protective film is not completely removed, the laser will not be absorbed properly, resulting in a mottled appearance.

Solutions.

Before carving, the surface of the board is cleaned with alcohol and the protective film is removed.If the quality of the board is poor, they suggest using a uniform-density imported acrylic, such as the German-made Celcon.

Problem 3: The edges of the glass are sharp and rough, affecting the light transmission.

Reasons for the situation.

A shift in focus or a dirty lens will cause the laser beam to scatter, resulting in a jagged edge.

Solving the problem.

Every week I clean the focusing lens with special lens paper, and before carving I test the focus with scrap material.For plates thinner than 3 mm, it is recommended that the focus be set 0.5 mm above the surface of the material.

Question 4: After carving, the jade glows yellowish.

The reasons for this are as follows:

Cheap acrylic contains recycled materials or additives, which change color when heated.

Solutions.

Choose acrylic sheeting made from virgin material.Yellowed pieces may be tried by rubbing with fine sandpaper (2000 grit), then polished with a flame polisher.

Question Five: Fine patterns are blurred in the light.

The reasons are many.

A resolution that is set too low or a graphic with too many lines can cause the laser to burn the same spot repeatedly.

Solutions.

If the DPI is raised to over 500, it is recommended that complex patterns be divided into several layers.To deal with the details in the text, the team switched to vector engraving and reduced the space between lines to 0.1 mm.