Approved Materials List

Material  Bed Cut EngraveNotes Source 
Plywood  Honeycomb XXLaser ply is required. Normal plywood is not laser compatible.  
MDF & LaserMDF  Knife XXDirty. Cleanup required. Do not use honeycomb bed.  
Wood Veneers Honeycomb XX  
Cork Honeycomb XX  
Paper Honeycomb X   
Acrylic Honeycomb X  
Styrene (sheet) Honeycomb X Emits heavy smoke.  
Brass, Bronze, Copper Honeycomb  XLead-free alloys are preferred. Can be engraved with Cermark.  
Steel Honeycomb  X 
Aluminum Honeycomb  XAnodized or Powder Coated only  
Slate Honeycomb  X 
Silicone (thin sheets) Honeycomb X Anything else chars and doesn't cut.  
White Delrin/Acetal Honeycomb X Fire hazard.  
Polypropylene Honeycomb X It will cut up to about 2mm. Fire risk.  
GPPS/Polystyrene/HIPS (thin sheets)Honeycomb X Foam variants are highly flammable and prohibited, dense sheets only.  
Cloth/Felt/Cotton/Silk/Hemp Honeycomb X   
Non-chlorinated rubber Honeycomb X   
Leather Honeycomb X  
Depron foam Honeycomb X The only approved foam for laser cutting.  
Magnetic Sheet Honeycomb X   
Glass/Ceramic Honeycomb  X 
Whiteboard/Blackboard Masonite Honeycomb X   

Prohibited Materials List

Material Notes
PVC PVC releases chlorine which combines with moisture in the air to create hydrochloric acid. The acid damages the laser and the ventilation system, and is hazardous if inhaled.
Plywood Normal plywood glue is incompatible with laser cutting. Can release formaldehyde
HDPE (milk cartons) Clogs the bed.
ABS Clogs the bed, emits cyanide.
Black Delrin/Acetal Contains black carbon which can be toxic.
Teflon Toxic.
Nylon
Polythene/polyethylene
Lexan/Polycarbonate Absorbs IR light, reducing laser efficiency. Yellows when cut.
Fibre glass Unknown resin, glass particles.
Carbon Fiber
Magnesium Magnesium fires are especially difficult to extinguish. Because of this hazard, magnesium cutting/etching is not permitted.
Asbestos laden materials Any process that releases asbestos is forbidden by Federal and state law.

Material Sources

Delvie's Plastics
Woodcraft
Ocooch Hardwoods
TAP Plastics

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