Acrylic

Identifying Acrylic

Acrylic is also known as PMMA or plexiglass, the scientific name is polymethyl methacrylate. It is one of the few plastics that can be processed by laser. Before processing, it is important to distinguish whether it is acrylic or other transparent plastic materials (i.e. PVC or PC) that are not suitable for laser processing. When processed on, the edges of the acrylic are sharp and clear. If you see yellowish burn marks, the material is not acrylic. However, no burn marks don’t indicate that it is acrylic.

Scratches on Acrylic

Scratches can be removed with plastic polish.

How to Clean Cloudy Acrylic

It is recommended that the film should remain on the acrylic when processing, unless engraving greyscale images. You can use an alcohol swab to clean the acrylic. Note that too much may cause other surface defects.