Approved Laser Cutter Materials

A receipt may be required to verify the material if it doesn't have a label. If you grab unlabeled materials from the Material Exchange, we may not allow you to laser cut it. For example, not every piece of clear plastic is acrylic, and there are many clear plastics that are prohibited.

TypeMaterialMax ThicknessVector
(cut or etch)
Engrave
(raster)
Laser CuttersNotes
FabricLeather, Suede1/8"YesYes1&2Must be chromium-free.
TwillEngrave-Only
Yes1&2
Other*
Yes
1&2No plastic coated or impregnated cloth.
Glass
Engrave-Only
Yes1&2
MetalAlumamarkEngrave-Only
Yes1&2
Anodized AluminumEngrave-Only
Yes1&2
Brass (Painted)Engrave-Only
Yes1&2
Stainless Steel with Cermark CoatingEngrave-Only
Yes1&2Cermark can be sprayed onto stainless steel, brass, aluminum, copper, nickel, glass or light-colored stone/tile before being etched to leave behind a permanent dark black mark.
PaperBristol
Yes
All
Chip
Yes
All
Corrugated Cardboard
Yes
AllYou must watch the cuts on this material, as it may catch fire.
Matboard
Yes
All
Museum Board
Yes
All
PlasticAcrylic, Lucite, Plexiglas, Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)1/2"YesYes1&2Extruded acrylic will cut better. Cast acrylic will engrave better.
StoneMarbleEngrave-Only
Yes1&2
WoodCorkEngrave-Only
Yes1&2
Plywood** NAUF1/4"Yes
1&2Be weary of any flammable adhesives used in the plywood. Due to the highly flammable nature of plywood, we require that you watch your entire cut. Utility Birch plywood can be cut, but Baltic Birch plywood can't. Wood naturally has trace amounts of formaldehyde, we require that any plywood have a formaldehyde-free glue, such as a soy-based glue. The plywood must conform to OSHA-PEL-TWA 0.75ppm.
Solid*1/4"YesYes1&2Balsa, Bass.

Certain materials, such as acrylic, require a paper masking for the best results.

*See the Tech Desk for assistance with this material.

**MUST have no added formaldehyde (NAUF) (look for soy-based glue)