Laser Settings for Acrylic
Acrylic (PMMA) cuts and engraves well on CO2 lasers. Cast and extruded acrylic look the same on the shelf but behave differently under the beam.
2 community settings from 2 machines. Select a material for its full settings, notes, and photos.
Acrylic engraving settings
| Material | Machine | Speed | Power | Density | Passes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matte/Gloss Acrylic (Solid Colors)Acrylic | OMTech Polar | 200 mm/s | 25% | 355 LPI | 1 |
| Acrylic SheetAcrylic | Aeon Laser MIRA 9 | 200 mm/s | 40% | 1016 LPI | 1 |
Acrylic cutting settings
| Material | Machine | Speed | Power | Passes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matte/Gloss Acrylic (Solid Colors)Acrylic | OMTech Polar | 10 mm/s | 55% | 1 |
| Acrylic SheetAcrylic | Aeon Laser MIRA 9 | 15 mm/s | 85% | 2 |
Acrylic scoring settings
| Material | Machine | Speed | Power | Passes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matte/Gloss Acrylic (Solid Colors)Acrylic | OMTech Polar | 220 mm/s | 20% | 1 |
| Acrylic SheetAcrylic | Aeon Laser MIRA 9 | 200 mm/s | 40% | 1 |
Tips for lasering acrylic
- Cast vs. extruded
- Cast acrylic engraves to a frosted white and is the better choice for engraving. Extruded acrylic engraves clear but cuts with smooth, flame-polished edges.
- Diode lasers and clear acrylic
- Blue diode light passes through clear and many light-colored acrylics. Diodes can cut dark, opaque acrylic, but not clear.
- Leave the film on
- Keeping the protective film on during cutting protects the surface from smoke residue. Peel it from engraved areas first.
- Fire risk
- Acrylic can flare up when cutting. Use air assist and never leave the machine unattended.
New to these terms? Read how laser settings work, or convert LPI and line interval with the line density converter.
Before you run these settings
Settings vary between individual machines, even of the same model: lens, focus, alignment, air assist, and the exact material all change the result. Run a small test grid on scrap from the same sheet first, never leave the laser unattended, and never cut PVC or vinyl.