Help with Cut, Score, Engrave settings for .05" Acrylic

[ptc]

I’m struggling to find optimal settings for .05" clear acrylic

[evansd2]

Use a good testing routine, as described here:

Has anyone been cutting 0.37-0.40 material?

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You’ll have it dialed in very quickly.

In fact since engraving is a priority for you, you might like @rbtdanforth’s variant on this:

Engrave and Cut 1/4" Mahogany tips?

This is the test I run on every new wood species and often on several to test what I want to actually use. but this first test runs the engraves at twice the number noted and then comes back and makes the cuts at the numbers noted and then cuts off the piece at two passes at 125 all full power. [evans%20tests] Watching closely while it is done allows me to put a wet cloth on after it cuts in the case where it starts to make charcoal,this is the Zebrawood piece after sanding it as the cut is de…

[dklgood]

There are a couple of setting suggestions in the Google doc for .05" acrylic. Have you tried those?

Glowforge Settings & Links

[ptc]

I did, but they didn’t work…thanks though!

[ptc]

Thank you…I was being lazy, but I took your advice and got settings that will work…For Cutting .05" Acrylic I’m using 400/100 and for Scoring 400/25

[bansai8creations]

Be sure you’re using cast as you should not try to engrave extruded, though cutting may be OK, though even cutting extruded is not recommended by GF (or other users).

But there are also so many manufacturers of acrylic (cast or otherwise), that one setting that may be perfect for one brand may not work as well with another…

But also if it’s a really dense pattern, and fairly thin sheet, the heat from the laser actually can cause some melting, and as it melts and recools could be affecting your design–maybe…

I work with thicker stuff, so I don’t have a setting range to recommend for that thin of acrylic… but alas, hope you have enough stock to keep testing to find the settings that give the results you want on your sheets. Good luck!

[evansd2]

@ptc

I was being lazy

I know that feeling for sure.

@ptc

I took your advice and got settings that will work

Awesome!

Once you setup a good test job in the UI, you can just load it up for other materials too. It becomes really easy to just run a quick test on a material and get your rock solid answer immediately, no waiting for someone to maybe come through with settings that might work.