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Approved Laser Cutter Materials

Approved Laser Cutter Materials

Owned by Courtney Morshed
Last updated: Feb 18, 2025
2 min read

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.

Type

Material

Max Thickness

Vector
(cut or etch)

Engrave
(raster)

Laser Cutters

Notes

Type

Material

Max Thickness

Vector
(cut or etch)

Engrave
(raster)

Laser Cutters

Notes

Fabric

Leather, Suede

1/8"

Yes

Yes

1&2

Must be chromium-free.

Twill

Engrave-Only

 

Yes

1&2

 

Other*

 

Yes

 

1&2

No plastic coated or impregnated cloth.

Glass

 

Engrave-Only

 

Yes

1&2

 

Metal

Alumamark

Engrave-Only

 

Yes

1&2

 

Anodized Aluminum

Engrave-Only

 

Yes

1&2

 

Brass (Painted)

Engrave-Only

 

Yes

1&2

 

Stainless Steel with Cermark Coating

Engrave-Only

 

Yes

1&2

Cermark 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.

Paper

Bristol

 

Yes

 

All

 

Chip

 

Yes

 

All

 

Corrugated Cardboard

 

Yes

 

All

You must watch the cuts on this material, as it may catch fire.

Matboard

 

Yes

 

All

 

Museum Board

 

Yes

 

All

 

Plastic

Acrylic, Lucite, Plexiglas, Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)

1/2"

Yes

Yes

1&2

Extruded acrylic will cut better. Cast acrylic will engrave better.

Stone

Marble

Engrave-Only

 

Yes

1&2

 

Wood

Cork

Engrave-Only

 

Yes

1&2

 

Plywood** NAUF

1/4"

Yes

 

1&2

Be 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 easily, but Baltic Birch plywood (darker glue lines) is more difficult to cut. 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"

Yes

Yes

1&2

Balsa, 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)

 

 

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