Materials

We design and fabricate laser cut acrylic letters, store fixtures and displays, public directional signs, exterior signs, and art installations for small and medium size offices and retail stores. Below are descriptions of many materials and their abilities to be laser cut.

Abs	Acetal	Acrylic	Anodized Aluminum
ABS is an amorphous thermoplastic blend and cuts cleanly as a film.	Acetal cuts cleanly in thin gauges, and also engraves nicely.	Acrylic is a great material to cut which gives smooth and clean edges that have a flame-polished look.	Anodized Aluminum can be laser engraved and etched. This kind of marking is common.
Cardboard	Corian	Depron	Fiberglass
Cardboard is widely used for prototyping and pilot production and cuts cleanly with lasers. Laser cutting allows fine cutouts and intricate shapes.	Corian, Avonite, Fountainhead, these materials all engrave beautifully and are frequently color filled. We can also cut through this material with a frosted edge.	Depron is a lightweight durable foam used for building large-scale models, indoor flyers, gliders, etc. Great for structural supports and one-piece fuselages. Depron is one of the materials that can be cleanly cut with lasers.	Fiberglass type mixes and specialized materials like glass steel and its competitors, char significantly when laser cut.
Flouropolymers	Hypalon	Ivory	Kapton
Fluoropolymers, thin gauges cut cleanly, ideal for Teflon gaskets, many fluro-elastomers mixes also cut nicely. We do a variety of to print gaskets in these materials.	Hypalon has outstanding resistance to most chemicals; heat and oil are among the most important characteristics.	Laser etching ivory produces a clean and clear image.	Kapton and many other specialized performance plastic films cut very nicely with lasers.
Linoleum	Melamine	Neoprene Rubber	Nylon
Linoleum cuts cleanly with lasers and is frequently used by interior designers and in some printing processes.	Melamine, which falls into the Phenolics category, does engrave nicely with lasers.	We laser cut Neoprene rubber for many different customers. Neoprene is one of the best all-purpose elastomers where resistance to ozone, sunlight, oxidation and many petroleum derivatives are of prime importance.	Nylon cuts very well and in the case of fabrics, the cut edges do not fray after they are heat sealed with the laser.
Paper	Petg	Phenolics	Polycarbonate
Laser cutting paper allows for very intricate shapes and fine details beyond the capabilities of hand cutting and even Diecutting.	PETG produces toxic fumes, we generally opt for polyester instead.	Most varieties of Phenolics cut very well, especially in thin gauges. Some charring occurs though which needs to be removed. In many instances, this is cost effective versus milling.	Polycarbonate tends to discolor with laser cutting. So, for industrial purposes thin gauge cutting may be acceptable, frequently impact modified acrylic or polyester is a better alternative.
Polyester	Polyethylene	Polypropylene	Polystyrene
Laser cutting Polyester: We love it! Polyester cuts cleanly with sealed edges.	Laser cutting Polyethylene is done on a case-by-case bases. Thin gauge HDPE has its place for stencils, but we prefer ABS for the same application.	Laser cutting Polypropylene is similar to polyethylene (see polyethylene).	Polystyrene cuts farily cleanly with lasers and is frequently used for architectural models. This is a great material to laser cut highways, roads, bridges,etc.
Polysulfone	Polyurethane	Pvc, Pvc Foam Board	Rubber, Silicon Rubber
Polysulfone chars and is not a particularly friendly material to cut with lasers.	Polyurethane is a friendly material for the laser. Numerous types of gaskets and foam parts are easily cut with our lasers.	Although these materials can be cut with our lasers, we avoid it as the process produces chlorine gases which is not good for the machinery or people, so we stay away from PVC.	Rubber, as most elastomers cuts nicely.
Textiles	Vinyl	Wood and Veneers	Wovens and Nonwovens
We laser cut Cotton, Wool, Mohair, Nylon, Silk, Denim, Leather, etc. We can even cut compound materials like textile / plastic at high speeds for the automotive industry. Many fabrics have the notable advantage of melting the textile fibers during the laser cutting process so that they cannot fray.	Laser Cutting Shapes has developed a laser cutting process to kiss cut vinyl cleanly. Vinyl with adhesive back is applied to a hard surface and laser cut with low power. We selectively peel the vinyl and leave the desired pattern on the surface.	Laser Cutting Shapes can laser cut Wood stock up to 5/8" thick as well as the thinnest of Veneers. We can laser cut the most intricate inlays that you can think of, allowing for some impressive woodworking tricks.	Laser Cutting Shapes can cut woven and nonwoven material to exact sizes. Just as with most textiles, the resulting edges are sealed and resist fraying.