Prohibited Laser Cutter Materials
There will be consequences to cutting these materials due to the serious health & safety implications. There will be no exceptions to this list.
Type | Material | Toxic Gas | Fire/Smoke | Burns/Melts | Damages Equipment | Notes |
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Fabric | Felt, Fleece (Wool) | Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) |
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Artificial, Acetate, Nylon, Cellophane, Viscose, Rayon, Spandex, etc. | Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) |
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Food | Any |
| Both | Both |
| Even cutting approved materials results in the laser cutters being an unsafe environment for food, in addition to the damage that laser cutting food could cause. |
Metal | Any Unlisted |
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| Optics, Motion-Control System | Our C02 laser cutters can etch certain coated metals; they cannot cut metal. |
Plastic/Polymer | ABS (Stratasys 3D Prints) | Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) | Fire | Both | Cutting Grid, Bed |
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Carbon Fiber | Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) | Both | Both |
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Epoxy, Resin, Fiberglass, Ecoresin | Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) | Both | Both |
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Polycarbonate, Lexan | Chlorine (Cl2) | Both | Both |
| The window on the laser cutter is made from this due to its resistance against radiation and being laser-cut. The material will melt and turn brown instead of cutting, etching, or engraving. | |
HPDE, PETG, Tyvek, Polyester, Fleece (Artificial) | Formaldehyde (CH2O) | Fire | Both | Cutting Grid, Bed |
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Polytetrafluoroethylene (PFTE), Teflon | Carbonyl Fluoride (COF2), Fluoroform(CHF3) |
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Polyoxymethylene, Delrin | Formaldehyde (CH2O), Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) |
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Polypropylene |
| Fire | Both | Cutting Grid, Bed |
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Polyurethane | Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) |
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PVC (polyvinyl chloride), Vinyl, Pleather/Faux Leather, PVB (polyvinyl butyrale), materials containing halogens | Chlorine (Cl2), Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) |
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| Optics, Motion-Control System | Please note that the Co-op sells material that looks like acrylic but is made of PVC and styrene. There is an entire shelf of banned materials in the Co-op. | |
Self-adhesive, or material with sticky or glue backing |
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| Optics | Examples include cork tiles, thin wood laminate, acrylic tiles, and paper stickers. | |
Rubber, Elastomer | Carbonyl Fluoride (COF2),, Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) |
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Styrene, Polystyrene, foamboard, Foam Core, styrofoam, Depron foam, Gator foam | Benzene (C6H6) | Fire | Both | Optics | The main cause of laser cutter fires. Please note that the Co-op sells material that looks like acrylic but is made of PVC and styrene. | |
Wood* | Coniferous, Oily, Exotic |
| Both |
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| Examples: pine, spruce, teak. Their hardness varies, so they can't be cut consistently. |
MDF, HDF, Engineered | Formaldehyde (CH2O) | Both |
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| Extreme charring. | |
Plywood with Formaldehyde-based glue | Formaldehyde (CH2O) | Both |
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| Extreme charring. 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. | |
Adhesive/Resin-Filled | Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) | Both |
| Optics | Baltic Birch plywood is an example. |
*Some types of wood are approved, but the specific ones listed above are prohibited.
Questionable Materials
Consult with Tech Desk Staff for approval
Wood, ie. plywood with potentially flammable adhesives
Reflective materials