* General guide only, there are many crossovers and caveats, please contact us for more details.
Marking, Engraving & Laser Cutting Plastic
Plastic laser engraver machines are extremely fast, long-lasting, accurate and reliable.
Arrange an online demoPlastics revolutionised manufacturing, quickly gaining popularity for being lighter, cheaper, more versatile, and easier to work with. Today, plastics are found in practically every industry, from food and healthcare to automobiles and infrastructure.
Today, laser marking technology has become critical in plastic part manufacture and is used extensively in throughout the world.
Laser Engraving Plastic
Laser engraving machines are particularly flexible for many types of plastic, being able to mark serialised data, identifiers on-the-fly, branding and of course cutting parts to, well… laser precision. Due to the flexibility and reliability of the technology, more and more companies have begun to offer laser marking plastic services.
Laser Cutting Plastic
Higher intensity lasers can be used to cut plastic, these are typically found in the form of CO2 systems and can be used to cut a wide variety of types, from ABS to polyamide, polycarbonate, PET, PVC and the rest.
How it works
The laser is employed to boost the temperature of an incredibly thin layer of the plastic, causing it to melt and form a modified surface upon solidification. Localised evaporation of the fabric causes carbonisation and a change in colour to the surface of the part.
Different types and intensities of laser can be used to achieve different effects. For basic laser marking plastic the laser induces the polymers within the plastic to make a walled foam structure, which stands out from the fabric with its elevated surface and lighter colour. If colour change or alternate results are required, a higher-frequency laser can create a molecular change within the polymer, leading to different results.
Plastic Laser Engraver Uses
Our systems are used on everything from housings of electronics, tools and gear parts, various sorts of packaging, automotive parts, electronic components, computer circuit boards, identification and merchandise tags, buttons, keyboards and sensors.
Plastic Type Suitability
With the variety of products the range of applications available for lasers on plastic items is virtually endless and encompasses its many forms. Make resilient marks on Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE or PET), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene or Styrofoam (PS), polycarbonate, polylactide, acrylic, acrylonitrile butadiene, styrene and nylon.
Videos & Examples
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Meta C 60w Fiber laser engraving green powder coated bottle
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Meta C 60w Mopa Fiber laser engraving automotive part
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Meta C 75w CO2 laser engraving powder coated bottles
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Meta C 75w CO2 laser engraving a ceramic mug
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Meta C 60w MOPA fiber laser engraving tools on 1 2m conveyor feed
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uMeta laser engraving the inside of rings
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uMeta laser marking a high quality photo to a keychain
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Meta C MOPA fiber laser marking plastics
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uMeta laser engraving steel and aluminium with some depth