Avoid Melting: Pro Tips for 10mm Acrylic Cuts with CO2 Lasers

Here’s a concise, actionable guide to achieving clean, melt-free 10mm acrylic cuts with CO₂ lasers—backed by industry best practices:

1. Optimize Laser Parameters

⚠️ Test First: Run 25mm test squares to dial in settings for your machine and material batch.

2. Critical Hardware Tweaks

• Lens & Focus:
• Use a 2.5″ focal lens (not standard 2.0″) for deeper penetration.
• Set focus 0.5–1mm INTO the material surface (not on top).
• Air Assist:
• Directional nozzle within 5mm of the surface.
• Use dry, oil-free air—moisture causes clouding.
• Honeycomb Bed:
• Choose fine-cell honeycomb (≤12mm cells) to minimize back-reflections.

3. Material Prep Is Key

• Choose CAST acrylic (not extruded)—it vaporizes cleanly.
• Remove protective film before cutting (melts/sticks to edges).
• Level the bed: Ensure acrylic is flat—warping causes focal shifts.

4. Advanced Techniques

• Multi-Pass Cutting:
• 1st pass: 80% power at 15mm/s (scores surface).
• 2nd pass: 60% power at 8mm/s (clean cut through).
  → Prevents overheating in a single pass.
• Edge Polishing:
• After cutting, run a high-speed (80mm/s), low-power (10%) pass to flame-polish edges without melting.

5. Troubleshooting Melted Edges

Pro Tip: The “Crisp Edge” Formula

High Pressure + Slow Speed + Low Power
Example: 55W tube → 40W power + 10mm/s speed + 18 PSI air

Why This Works: CO₂ lasers (10.6μm wavelength) are absorbed by acrylic, vaporizing it rather than melting it—but only with balanced heat control. Follow these steps, and you’ll achieve crystal-clear edges worthy of display cases and precision prototypes.