Laser Cutter Materials

Material	Notes
Plywood	Laser ply is required. Normal plywood is not laser compatible.
MDF & LaserMDF	Dirty. Cleanup required. Use knife edge bed. Do not use honeycomb bed.
Wood Veneers
Cork
Paper
Acrylic
Styrene (sheet)	Emits heavy smoke.
Brass, Bronze, Copper	Lead-free alloys are preferred. Will not cut, but can be engraved with Cermark.
Steel	Can be engraved.
Aluminum	Anodized aluminum can be engraved. Mill finish cannot.
Slate	Can be engraved.
Silicone (thin sheets)	Anything else chars and doesn't cut.
White Delrin/Acetal	Fire hazard.
Polypropylene	It will cut up to about 2mm. Fire risk.
GPPS/Polystyrene/HIPS (thin sheets)	Foam variants are highly flammable and prohibited, dense sheets only.
Cloth/Felt/Cotton/Silk/Hemp
Non-chlorinated rubber
Leather
Depron foam	The only approved foam for laser cutting.
Magnetic Sheet
Glass/Ceramic	Engrave Only
Whiteboard/Blackboard Masonite

Material	Notes
PVC	PVC releases chlorine which combines with moisture in the air to create hydrochloric acid. The acid damages the laser and the ventilation system, and is hazardous if inhaled.
Plywood	Normal plywood glue is incompatible with laser cutting. Can release formaldehyde
HDPE (milk cartons)	Clogs the bed.
ABS	Clogs the bed, emits cyanide.
Black Delrin/Acetal	Contains black carbon which can be toxic.
Teflon	Toxic.
Nylon
Polythene/polyethylene
Lexan/Polycarbonate	Absorbs IR light, reducing laser efficiency. Yellows when cut.
Fibre glass	Unknown resin, glass particles.
Carbon Fiber
Magnesium	Magnesium fires are especially difficult to extinguish. Because of this hazard, magnesium cutting/etching is not permitted.
Asbestos laden materials	Any process that releases asbestos is forbidden by Federal and state law.

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