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Plexiglas clear cut edge

Posted by MPower 
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MPower
Plexiglas clear cut edge
April 09, 2013 10:21AM
I am looking for a laser type that will cut plexiglas (say 5mm thick) with a clear cut edge, not burned. I tested a few laser cutters and they either burn it really bad, like scortched, or they end up with a not so clean edge, sort of jagged. Hence, anybody successfully tried a specific laser type and obtained clear plexiglas edges?
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nophead
Re: Plexiglas clear cut edge
April 09, 2013 11:06AM
Are you sure it was acrylic and not something else like polycarbonate? Acrylic cuts with polished looking edges with a CO2 laser.

[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]
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MPower
Re: Plexiglas clear cut edge
April 09, 2013 11:13AM
Yeap, it was extruded plexiglas (Plexiglas XT). A bit harder to mill on my CNC, compared to expanded type, as it tends to melt quickly and you need quick chip evacuation flutes, such as the Onsrud SuperO.

Do you have a specific product link (be it ebay or other shops), that you are sure it can get me polished edges?
Thanks
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nophead
Re: Plexiglas clear cut edge
April 09, 2013 12:12PM
No but I saw some cut on a cheap Chinese 40W A4 machine retrofitted with Arduino based electronics and it came out with perfectly smooth transparent edges, no burning. It was at the Manchester hack space.

[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]
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MPower
Re: Plexiglas clear cut edge
April 09, 2013 12:45PM
Do you happen to have any photos of it? I could try to match it with the ones I find on ebay maybe.
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VDX
Re: Plexiglas clear cut edge
April 10, 2013 11:10AM
... yes, PMMA is normally 'cut' by a CO2-laser without any burning and clear (nearly polished looking) edges.

Can make later some photos of 10mm thick cuts that weren't polished or smoothed afterwards ...

Viktor
--------
Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]
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MPower
Re: Plexiglas clear cut edge
April 10, 2013 04:01PM
Thanks, that would be great. Looking forward to see the photos.
Also, it would be very helpful to see some photos of the laser, maybe I can purchase the same one.
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VDX
Re: Plexiglas clear cut edge
April 10, 2013 05:03PM
... attached are two images of CO2-laser cutted PMMA-puzzle-objects -- no afterwork or finish!
This was cut in one pass with >120Watts maybe 15 years ago.

Actually I'm reactivating one of the chinese laser-engravers with a 40W-CO2-tube you can find for 800€ at ebay ... but this types would be only OK for maybe 5-8mm thick PMMA sheets ...

Viktor
--------
Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]
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Attachments:
open | download - CO2-Igel1.jpg (263.9 KB)
open | download - CO2-Igel2.jpg (475.7 KB)
MPower
Re: Plexiglas clear cut edge
April 10, 2013 05:10PM
Yeap smiling smiley That's the cut I am looking for.

I am going to cut up to 5mm thickness, but I would like to have it capable of going up to 8mm maybe 10mm. I take it that beyond 8mm the 40W one will not go all the way through? If yes, what type I should go for then?

Talking about it, how do you exactly establish what material and up to what thickness, a specific laser type can cut? smiling smiley
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VDX
Re: Plexiglas clear cut edge
April 10, 2013 05:32PM
... the cutting depth is depending on many parameters, so can only be estimated or tested.

You can cut deeper with more passes, by moving slower, by exhausting the fumes, blowing away the liquid phase, blowing pure Oxygene in the spot to enhance the reaction and some other methodes more -- look in the specs of comparable lasers for common cutting depths/speeds in specific materials ...

Viktor
--------
Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]
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integratedjoining
Re: Plexiglas clear cut edge
April 24, 2013 04:31AM
Good post! You want to try 150watt thunder laser cutting. It really great with a clear cut edge, not burned. Try this laser. its very effective.
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nophead
Re: Plexiglas clear cut edge
April 24, 2013 05:04AM
If 40W can give a clear cut edge and 150W can, how do you get a burnt edge with PMMA and CO2 laser? It should vaporise, not burn.

[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]
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VDX
Re: Plexiglas clear cut edge
April 24, 2013 05:10AM
... either he meant clear, but geometrically 'scorched' (mostly when 'engraving' with too low power), or he tested not with PMMA but PC or this 'cheap Plexi', what's PS and not PMMA confused smiley

Viktor
--------
Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]
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