Is this possibly with black acrylic?

LightBurn Hardware Compatibility Ortur Lasers
1

We’ve thought about getting into etching for a while now and I really like the look of Ortur gear (master 2 - 20W)

What I’m wondering though is how I’d actually do one of the tasks I have for it in the workshop. I’ve got a lot of panels to replace on equipment, these are thin plastic with LEDs behind illuminating the writing for each switch and I was thinking I could replace them with acrylic.

I’m just not sure how to ensure the LEDs would be visible without fully cutting through the plastic. Am I missing something really obvious? Be brutal please if I am! We’d want to use black acrylic to match what’s there already. I’d post a photograph but I’m not allowed to travel just now (COVID) so can’t get to the shop.

As I said I’m probably being daft. I actually thought of cutting one in black and layering on a second thin clear one on top.?

2

Hi, I bought myself an Ortur 2 20w just before xmas, great little machine(lots of mistakes)
thoroughly enjoy it.
As for the acrylic, you can buy it in different tints from very light to non-see through.
Just a thought.

3

I do not believe you can cut acrylic with a Diode laser. This is certainly true for clear (as you cannot even engrave on clear acrylic with the wavelength of the Diode laser). Tinted, you may be able to heat it up enough to mark it I guess and maybe melt it enough to cut.

4

The only thing I’ve been able to cut is 1mm black acrylic, and the edges were melted and rough.

For acrylic, you really need a CO2 or fibre laser.

5

I am able to cut red or black acrylic with my diode laser Emblazer. I think the sheet is about 3 mm.

6

Cleanly? With a polished edge?

Pic?

7

Wonder if they were using air assist to help?

I don’t even have one yet - just doing lots of reading etc but seems there’s a huge number of variable involved which can individually mess with success or failure rates!

8

I just got my Emblazer a few weeks ago and you are correct in that there are a lot of variables that can affect a raster burn or cut through. I started a matrix of speed, power, etc to try each material to get an idea of what works. It is significantly affected by color of the material as well as the material itself.

The software comes with suggested rates for materials but it is only a starting point.

Coming from 3D printing, this is a whole lot harder!

But I am retired and have a lot of time even before Covid, so it is fun to learn.

Right now, I am working on using a gray scale to see if I can calibrate the results of a photo print to really look like the “preview” for at least one white wood material that I can buy easily.