Engrave on 1/2" clear acrylic

[amagallanez]

I have been searching for the best setting to only engrave on 1/2" clear acrylic. Does anyone have any ideas where I can fin this?
Thanks

[bill.m.davis]

I would start here:

https://community.glowforge.com/search?q=engrave%20acrylic%201%2F2%22

Looks like some good possibilities!

This one stands out:

Any newer tips on Inventables 1/2" Acrylic (Engrave and Cut)

I did a bunch of tests today with a 2" square to see what results I could get. I still do not love the overall cut. The top half of the cut looks great to me but as the laser cuts through the bottom half it gets ridges. I tried: .50, 120 speed, Full Power, 3 passes… results? flame for first run, one spot still slightly connected, edges mainly smooth will slight ridges .50, 130 speed, Full Power, 3 passes… results? Not all the way through the material .50, 115 speed, Full Power, 3 passes… re…

[dwardio]

@amagallanez

best setting to only engrave on 1/2" clear acrylic.

Engraving should be a piece of cake – I’d start with the PG settings for engraving Thick (1/4") clear acrylic and adjust if necessary.

[gewubs]

I believe that other than focus, there would be no appreciable difference from 1/4" for engrave.

[rbtdanforth]

@gewubs

there would be no appreciable difference from 1/4" for engrave.

I have been engraving a lot of acrylic lately, and with thicker stuff you may want to do deeper engraving, especially with 3d engraving. I have found that increasing speed as high as 2500 along with increased LPI gets the depth without dropping power. When going slower I get a less detailed rougher cuts, that warp the plastic as the surface heats more.

[gewubs]

absolutely - otherwise why use 1/2"? I was getting at the fact that the material is homogeneous and should perform in similar fashion

[mark14]

@gewubs

why use 1/2"?

to stop the bullets?

[gewubs]

Well, you must run with a tough crowd Should have said “Why engrave 1/2” ?"

[bansai8creations]

Don’t be afraid of trying multiple passes, either–especially if you want to increase the LPI, you may have better result doing multiple faster runs with lower LPI and then don’t move the material or position of the artwork, but just change the LPI and try 1 pass and it should clean up the etched areas nicely… and if needed, repeat.