Heat shrink film in Aura

[cynd11]

I just happen to have a nice supply of different heat shrink films (I believe it’s polystyrene), including the Grafix Gold specified in one of the Featured Designers offerings (it’s this one). So I thought I’d give it a go in the Aura. Turns out it cuts like butter! Speed 60, power 2, one pass.

So I went ahead and tested the others in my stash so you don’t have to:

Black cuts great using the same settings. Opaque white and inkjet printable white barely tickled the surface. I could get partway in by cranking the power to 10 but the result was not pretty and not usable in my opinion. The clear and the sanded clear were not touched at all. So I would conclude that your film might be cuttable if there is substantial coloring embedded in it, but not otherwise.

[rvogt]

Thanks for posting this. Helps in knowing what to try and not waste resources!

[tjones]

Did the shrinking occur as you cut it? Or was that achieved afterward?

[cynd11]

You have to shrink it later in an oven or with a heat gun.

[evansd2]

could you shrink it with the laser? What about a really defocused engrave? Think you could heat it enough without ablating it?

[cynd11]

I would say even if you could, that would not be an efficient tool for the job. The best results for heat shrinking come from even application of heat and I don’t see how you could do that with the tiny dot of a laser.

[evansd2]

Efficiency shmefficiency

Just curious what you could do… maybe some unique tricks to be pulled off.

I wonder if you designed something and selectively shrink parts of it could you make a 3d shape? Like cause it to fold up on itself?

Seems like shenanigans are possible maybe stupid shenanigans but still might be fun.

[cynd11]

Hey, go to town!

[evansd2]

I don’t have any to try with, and I’m out of town away from my laser. I was nominating you!

[cynd11]

Heh heh