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without causing damage. Engraving lightly and without masking seems to be the better all around
alternative.
If only cutting acrylic, extruded works better and is less expensive than cast. The cut edges of extruded
acrylic will appear to be more highly polished and clearer than cast acrylic when laser cut. When cutting
acrylic, it might be necessary to remove both sides of the original masking and re-mask with transfer
tape if cutting through the original masking produces flaming. The original masking is coated with wax
and will not absorb water. If cutting through very thick acrylic, re-mask both sides with transfer tape
and dampen the masking on both sides of the acrylic with water from a spray bottle. Elevate the acrylic
off the table at least 1/8 inch, re-focus, then proceed to cut. Elevating the acrylic will allow the beam
to completely pass through the material which allows the smoke and heat to escape from underneath. If
cutting directly on the engraving table, the trapped heat might cause the bottom edge of the cut to pit
and distort. Re-masking and dampening with water will act as a heat sink to pull the laser heat away
from the cutting area resulting in less distortion or heat effected zones (HAZ). When dampening, be
sure not to leave puddles of water. Puddles of water will reduce cutting depth significantly. For the
best results when combining engraving and cutting on the same piece, first engrave lightly and
unmasked. Then mask with transfer tape, dampen, elevate, re-focus, and cut as a second step.
Paint filling the engraved area is possible by first masking the acrylic or leave on the original masking
then engraving through the masking. Before removing the masking, brush or spray on some acrylic
based or water based paint right on to the masking. When the paint is dry, remove the masking and the
paint will remain in the recessed area of the engraving. Remember to use extruded acrylic when paint
filling and cast acrylic when simply engraving.
Summary of Contents for ULS-25
Page 3: ...3 APPENDIX E SOFTWARE ANOMALIES E...
Page 14: ...14 Sample Exhaust System Layouts...
Page 62: ...62...
Page 82: ...A APPENDIX A WARRANTY...
