Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Will PTEG plastic cut good with a Laser?

  1. #1

    Will PTEG plastic cut good with a Laser?

    I have been looking for a plastic to cut templates from. On the forum someone suggested that I look for cellulose acetate butyrate and it is hard to find. I am now told that there is only one mfg. left that makes it in sheet form. My contact at Calsak Plastics says that "Vivak" is the equivilant. It is PTEG plastic and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with Vivak or PTEG on a laser.
    Thanks,
    Joe

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Cape Town, South Africa
    Posts
    3,922
    I assume you mean PETG...I use it up to about 1.5mm , it cuts very well.
    One good property is that you can bend it and use that bend as a hinge without it cracking or fatiguing quickly.
    Last edited by Rodne Gold; 01-04-2010 at 4:57 PM.
    Rodney Gold, Toker Bros trophies, Cape Town , South Africa :
    Roland 2300 rotary . 3 x ISEL's ..1m x 500mm CnC .
    Tekcel 1200x2400 router , 900 x 600 60w Shenui laser , 1200 x 800 80w Reci tube Shenhui Laser
    6 x longtai lasers 400x600 60w , 1 x longtai 20w fiber
    2x Gravo manual engravers , Roland 540 large format printer/cutter. CLTT setup
    1600mm hot and cold laminator , 3x Dopag resin dispensers , sandblasting setup, acid etcher

  3. #3

    Thanks for the input.

    Quote Originally Posted by Rodne Gold View Post
    I assume you mean PETG...I use it up to about 1.5mm , it cuts very well.
    One good property is that you can bend it and use that bend as a hinge without it cracking or fatiguing quickly.
    Rodney,
    Thanks for the input. Do you have any suggestions for the parameters for a 30w VeraLaser VL-200, speed, power, DPI? Also are there any bad fume smells from cutting PETG?
    Joe

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Massachusetts, USA
    Posts
    463
    Quote Originally Posted by Joe Peacock View Post
    Rodney,
    Thanks for the input. Do you have any suggestions for the parameters for a 30w VeraLaser VL-200, speed, power, DPI? Also are there any bad fume smells from cutting PETG?
    Joe
    I have a 60W model and for 20 mil petg I used:
    power: 30
    speed: 5
    pulses per inch: 100

    No bad smells and cuts really nicely.
    George
    ______________________________
    ULS X-660 60 Watt
    Corel X4, Wacom Intuos 3, Photograv 3, Inkscape, CAMASTER 4x4 with 4th axis

  5. #5
    When I tried PETG it cut with a rounded edge like a melted edge. I had a protective plastic cover which was impossible to peel from the edge because of that. I love to use PETG because of its clarity, like glass, I could not get real fine cuts when compared to acrylics. It is the same plastic most one time use water bottles are made of.
    Kim

  6. #6
    I've cut LOTS of PETG and in my experience it cuts pretty bad compared to acrylic. It melts opposed to being "vaporized". There is a slightly rounded kerf with a raised edge at the cut. I like it though because it has a low plasticity point and forms great.
    I design, engineer and program all sorts of things.

    Oh, and I use Adobe Illustrator with an Epilog Mini.

  7. #7

    I sense some conflicts here.

    I guess based on the comments that conflict about the problems cutting with a rounded edge that I need to get a sample and see what happens. On my templates I couldn't sell them if they have a rounded edge on the bottom.
    Joe

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •