Laser etching acrylic and fabrication of display bases.

Using the xTool D1 10W Laser.

Feel free to like, postments or ask questions.

In the case of clear acrylic the diode laser will pass through the material because of the wave length of the laser. There are two methods I have seen used to etch acrylic. One is using a coating on the top or bottom surface of the acrylic and etching by burning the coating directly applied to the substrate. I did not care for the idea of applying any coating directly to the acrylic and having to remove it. Also I like the effect of the etching on the bottom/back side of the acrylic as it looks much better in the finished product. As a result, I use a piece of steel sheet metal that I paint with gray spray primer (can be reused over and over just sand and re-primer) and place the acrylic directly on it. The laser passes through the acrylic and burns the primer on the steel which then etches the acrylic.

Some keys to my success:

• Proper Image Prep – For basic monochrome images, like logos or single-color pictures not much needs to be done and the basic software can handle it. Complex images like photos need good processing to create quality raster files. I use an online tool imag-r to process my images (output material = Norton Acrylic). Note the output is an inverse black and white of the original and will look to have poor quality on yourputer screen but it is exactly what the laser likes for acrylic. The image will also be a mirror of the original and I just use the basic software to flip it back as I etch the underside of the material not the top surface and do not need it mirrored.
• Less is More – The space between the pixels of the image actually make them look better. So, I will adjust the “lines per CM” down. In many of the photos I adjust down to 50 lines per CM and have better clarity of faces and detail in the etching. You will need to experiment to get the best result.
• Laser Focus – Focus the laser to the sheet metal not the top acrylic surface. You are lasering the primed metal and the heat from the process is what etches the acrylic.
• Machine Settings (10W xTool D1) – For my shop and machine I use Power = 36% and Speed = 80 mm/s.
• Cleaning the Residue – I clean with a soft cloth and isopropyl alcohol. Patience and circular motion will remove and not scratch the acrylic.

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laser engraved

#Laser #Etching #Acrylic #xTool