Engraving Tests
With PLH3D-6W engraving laser head, you can cut and engrave many types of materials. Engraving is much simpler because G-code generation requires only one pass with a properly matched speed. Many materials thicker than 0.5-1.5 mm need several passes for the laser to cut through whole depth. The exception is a foam and some soft materials which can be cut even with 10 mm step in some cases. The cutting method depends on the material structure and its density. For example, plexiglass, as well as hard plywood, are harder to cut and depending on the type they may need a few passes to cut through 1 mm of material thickness.
Information About Engraving Possibilities
Material | Cut | Mark / Engrave | Max thickness tested with a cut |
Paper |
|
|
0.1 mm / 0.003" |
Cardboard (hard) |
|
|
3 mm / 0.118" |
Cardboard (flute, wave) |
|
|
6 mm / 0.236" |
Balsa |
|
|
10 mm / 0.393" |
Plywood (soft) |
|
|
6 mm / 0.236" |
Plywood (hard) |
|
|
3 mm / 0.118" |
Wood |
|
|
3 mm / 0.118" |
Rubber (dark)1 |
|
|
1.5 mm / 0.059" |
T-Shirt |
|
|
0.5 mm / 0.019" |
Jeans |
|
|
0.8 mm / 0.031" |
Plexiglass (color)3 |
|
|
3 mm / 0.118" |
Plastic (dark) |
|
|
1 mm / 0.039" |
Artificial Leather |
|
|
2 mm / 0.078" |
Real Leather |
|
|
2 mm / 0.078" |
Felt |
|
|
3 mm / 0.118" |
Nylon |
|
|
0.2 mm / 0.007" |
Glass Reinforced Foil2 |
|
|
0.5 mm / 0.019" |
Thermal Pad (foam) |
|
|
3 mm / 0.118" |
Thermal Pad (textile) |
|
|
0.3 mm / 0.011" |
Stretch Foil (dark) |
|
|
0.005 mm / 0.0001" |
Lead Foil |
|
|
0.5 mm / 0.019" |
Kapton Foil |
|
|
0.2 mm / 0.007" |
Foam (dark) |
|
|
25 mm / 0.984" |
PCB |
|
|
-- |
Carbon |
|
|
-- |
Glass (painted) |
|
|
-- |
Metal (painted) |
|
|
-- |
Stainless Steel |
|
|
-- |
Titanium |
|
|
-- |
Aluminum, Copper, Brass |
|
|
-- |
Notes:
- There are many types of rubber. High-temperature resistant rubber is not possible to cut. The laser may leave he mark on the surface in such case.
- It depends on the density of the glass threads and their thickness.
- It depends on the color, dark colors are much easier to cut. Transparent plexiglass is not possible to cut
| Engraving Speed for PLH3D-2W 1 [mm/s] | Engraving Speed for PLH3D-6W-XF 1 [mm/s] | Engraving Speed for PLH3D-6W-uSpot [mm/s] |
|
Best Focus2 |
Square Spot3 |
Best Focus2 |
Square Spot3 |
Best Focus2 |
Square Spot3 |
Leather |
>80 |
24 |
>80 |
45 |
>80 |
60 |
Soft Plywood |
15 |
9 |
>80 |
33 |
>80 |
45 |
Cardboard |
>80 |
45 |
>80 |
>80 |
>80 |
>80 |
White Paper |
12 |
6 |
>80 |
21 |
>80 |
27 |
Black Anodized Aluminum |
|
|
>80 |
|
>80 |
33 |
Stainless Steel |
|
|
1.5 |
|
15 |
1.5 |
Notes:
- Equipped with High Resolution Engraving Lens for maximum engraving performance.
- Engraving plane is set exactly at focus plane
- Engraving plane is placed 4.4 mm / 0.173" ( for PLH3D-6W-XF and PLH3D-2W) and 1.8 mm / 0.070" (for PLH3D-6W-uSpot) from focus plane to achive symetrical square spot
Balsa |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
10 mm / 0.393" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
22.5 mm/s |
1.0 mm / 0.039" |
Wood Engraving |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
N/A |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
40.0 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Hardwood (Plywood) |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
3 mm / 0.118" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
10 mm/s |
0.3 mm / 0.011" |
5-Layers Cardboard |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
5 mm / 0.196" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
10 mm/s |
1.25 mm / 0.049" |
Binder Board |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
2.3 mm / 0.090" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
6 mm/s |
0.5 mm / 0.019" |
Black PET |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
0.3 mm / 0.011" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
25 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Fiber-Reinforced Foil – Dark |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
0.3 mm / 0.011" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
3 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Fiber-Reinforced Foil – Light |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
0.2 mm / 0.007" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
4 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Green Ortalion |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
0.1 mm / 0.004" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
150.0 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Green Pad |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
0.5 mm / 0.019" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
6 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Grey Pad |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
0.5 mm / 0.019" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
6 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Thermal Pad |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
0.3 mm / 0.011" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
5.0 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Rubber |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
0.5 mm / 0.019" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
15.0 mm/s |
0.25 / 0.009" |
Plexiglass - Green |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
3 mm / 0.118" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
2.0 mm/s |
0.75 mm / 0.029" |
Plexiglass - Red |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
3 mm / 0.118" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
2.0 mm/s |
0.75 mm / 0.029" |
Transparent Polymer |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
0.5 mm / 0.019" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
5.0 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
T-Shirt |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
0.5 mm / 0.019" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
35.0 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Tablecloath |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
0.25 mm / 0.009" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
8.0 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Jeans |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
0.5 mm / 0.019" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
8.0 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Full Grain Leather |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
1.5 mm / 0.059" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
2.5 mm/s |
0.75 mm / 0.029" |
Stainless steel - Engraving |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
N/A |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
0.5 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Stainless steel - Engraving |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
N/A |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
3 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Painted Metal - Powdered |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
N/A |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
15.0 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Anodized Aluminum - Engraving |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
N/A |
30.0 mm / 1.181" |
50.0 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Blue Sleeve - Engraving |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
N/A |
30.0 mm / 1.181" |
50.0 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Gold Sleeve - Engraving |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
N/A |
30.0 mm / 1.181" |
50.0 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Balsa |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
10 mm / 0.394" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
9.0 mm/s |
1 mm / 0.039" |
Hardwood (Plywood) |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
4 mm / 0.157" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
7.5 mm/s |
0.3 mm / 0.011" |
T-Shirt |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
0.5 mm / 0.019" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
25 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |
Tablecloath |
Material thickness |
Working Distance |
Feed Rate |
Step |
0.25 mm / 0.009" |
60.0 mm / 2.362" |
4 mm/s |
0 mm / 0" |