Laser Engraving Acrylic 101: Beginner’s Guide to Laser Engrave Acrylic

Acrylic, a super-material in laser engraving, is known for its versatility, clarity, and strength. A robust replacement for glass, acrylic is easy to process, making it one of the best materials for laser cutting and engraving.

If you’re just starting with laser engraving acrylic, you can utilize this material to create intricate and exquisite works of art. Use acrylic to create custom LED signs, personalized keychains, and more. With different colors and finishes, there’s no limit to what you can make with acrylic for laser engraving!

How Does Laser Engraving Acrylic Work?

Laser engraving acrylic works when the laser beam emitted by the machine heats the acrylic. The intense beam melts the surface, creating precise engravings or cuttings. A software system guides the laser on a predetermined path, allowing you to customize and control your laser engraver/cutter.

What Is the Best Acrylic for Laser Engraving?

The best acrylic for laser engraving is cast acrylic due to its frosted finish after engraving. The highly aesthetic, contrasting engravings on cast acrylic make it the best choice for laser engraving.

Cast acrylic is formed by pouring liquid acrylic into molds. Cast acrylic offers superior optical clarity and high-quality finishes. When engraved, it produces a frosted surface, making it ideal for applications requiring a smooth and visually appealing finish.

In contrast, extruded acrylic is made by pressing acrylic through rollers. Though more cost-effective and easier to cut, it yields a matte result and is better suited for uses where edge quality is not critical.

Acrylic sheets are available in various colors, including blue, red, and gold, and come in various finishes, such as clear, matte, or shiny. This diversity allows you to choose the best aesthetic for your projects.

The ideal thickness for laser engraving depends on the type of acrylic and your laser machine's capabilities. For cast acrylic, a minimum thickness of 1/8 in (3 mm) ensures designs stand out, while a maximum thickness of 10 mm may require a powerful laser, such as 100W, to cut effectively. Conversely, extruded acrylic generally has lower thickness tolerance but requires less laser power than cast acrylic of the same thickness, making it more energy-efficient for certain applications.

What Type of Laser Engraver is Best for Acrylic?  

CO2 laser engravers are the best choice for acrylic. CO2 lasers can effortlessly cut and engrave both clear and colored acrylics due to their 10,600 nm wavelength, which is easily absorbed by acrylics. These machines offer significant optical power that grants them the ability to engrave and cut materials, making them ideal for small businesses or busy hobbyists.

On the other hand, diode laser engravers can also engrave acrylic. Lasers such as diodes cannot, however, engrave clear acrylics without a masking layer. If you’re using a CO2 laser engraver, you won’t need to mask the acrylic to laser it. A CO2 laser engraver is the best choice for those looking for a robust, all-around acrylic cutter and engraving machine.

How Do You Laser Engrave Acrylic?

We'll demonstrate the process using our 60W CO2 laser machine. However, we offer a wide range of CO2 laser machines with varying power levels to cater to diverse needs. Beyond acrylic, our machines excel at engraving and cutting wood, leather, fabric, stone, glass, and more. From compact desktop models to advanced industrial models, we have the perfect solution for both hobbyists and businesses alike.

With thousands of satisfied customers across the US and Europe, we OMTech have earned a reputation for exceptional service and support and helped countless individuals and businesses thrive. We keep investing and upgrading our machines to provide users with better products. Check out our new series Pronto 80W and 130W today!

Get you machine ready and let's get started!

Step 1. Choose your acrylic

For this project, we utilized cast acrylic with a thickness of 1.5 mm. To get a good contrast, we used a modified acrylic with a white film and red under layer. Once the machine starts engraving, the red film is revealed, creating an aesthetic contrast to emphasize the etching.

Step 2. Remove the plastic cover

Acrylic typically to come with a plastic cover to protect the surface from scratches. Make sure to peel this layer off before engraving and cutting, as it will curl and melt during the process.

Step 3. Choose your design and import it

Once you decide on a design to engrave, import it into your laser engraving software of choice. We like to use Lightburn software due to its user-friendly interface. We chose to create a simple nameplate, which we compiled in Lightburn using the textbox and shape tools.

Step 4. Set your power and speed

We utilized our reliable OMTech 60W CO2 laser machine for this project. Remember that every machine will perform differently, even machines of the same power. What works for us might not work for you, so play around with your settings to get the best results for your product.

We set two fill layers at a speed of 100 and at a power of 25 to increase the clarity of the engraving and reduce the amount of lines visible. We also set the line layer to a speed of 10 and a power of 60. After that, we framed the design to make sure it aligned with our material and pressed start.

Step 5. Clean off your product

Clean off the laser engraved acrylic with a cloth and some water to remove the dust and debris. Avoid using alcohol to clean acrylic, as it can damage the surface. Admire your finished product, or, if the results are less than optimal, adjust your settings and try again. Remember to utilize a robust air exhaust system when engraving acrylic, as the fumes are mildly irritating and strong smelling.

Questions You May Have When Laser Engraving Acrylic

1. Do you have to mask acrylic to laser?

No, you don’t have to. However, masking acrylic helps to get better results. It avoids damage to the surface and makes it easier to clean. It helps to prevent "flashback," which is when vaporized material redeposits on the back of the acrylic, creating unwanted marks.

2. What wattage laser to engrave acrylic?

It depends. The ideal wattage for laser engraving acrylic mainly depends on the thickness of the acrylic.

• For thin acrylic (up to 3mm): A 30-40 watt laser is often sufficient for engraving.
• For medium thickness acrylic (3-6mm): A 40-60 watt laser is generally recommended.
• For thick acrylic (over 6mm): A laser with 80 watts or more might be necessary.

3. Do you take the film off acrylic before laser cutting?

Yes, it is recommended. The film can melt and stick to the acrylic, creating a messy and less professional finish. What’s worse, it can catch fire sometimes.

4. Are the fumes from laser cutting acrylic toxic?

Yes, although the fumes created by laser cutting acrylic are low in toxicity, they can lead to health issues when you are exposed to the fumes for a long time.

Elevate Your Acrylic Game with OMTech!

Laser engraving acrylic offers a versatile and aesthetically pleasing for various creative projects like custom nameplates to clear puzzles. With its clarity, strength, and variety of colors and finishes, acrylic is a favorite choice among both beginners and seasoned creators.

No matter the type of acrylic you’re utilizing, the possibilities are endless. Ready to elevate your acrylic laser engraving projects? Explore the capabilities of OMTech CO2 laser engravers today and unlock your creative potential! With reliable, robust models like the OMTech Polar Desktop and the OMTech Pronto laser engraver, there’s a machine designed specifically for you at OMTech.