Miguel Jacinto
Customer support
Phone: +1-855-838-1144
E-Mail: canada@troteclaser.com
Contact form Laser Engraving
Laminates
What are laminates?
What are laminates?
Laminates are 2- or 3-ply plastics. They are made of a core layer of modified acrylic which has been coated with a thin top layer. The engraving process reveals the color of the core material.
Laser engraving laminate is popular as it is well suited for both interior and exterior applications and available in many colors with different effects. Laminates, such as in the form of laminate sheets, are often used for signage such as dataplates, signboards, control panels, nameplates or industrial markings. Trotec's laser machines can work with flexible laminates as well as with rigid laminates.
Impressions
Application examples for laminates
Lasers help you create long-lasting markings and engravings, these durable markings on unusual shapes make your final product interesting and high quality. From engraving a simple rectangular shield onto laminate sheets, to complex contours and signs, production of a single piece or a small series is possible with a Trotec laser system.
- Door signs
- Dataplates
- Nameplates
- Advertising signs
- Object signpostings
- Labels
- Switchboards
Why should I buy a laser for engraving laminates?
The laser beam is a universal tool for material processing, so there is no need for tool or grinding costs for milling cutters or drills. During processes like mechanical engraving, materials such as laminate sheets, are often clamped in place or fixed with a vacuum. This extra step is unnecessary in the laser production process and saves time and money.
Function and advantages of laser technology
Efficient and cost-effective engraving
- Complex contours and markings with unusual shapes can be produced efficiently
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- Speedy series: The fastest laser engravers available on the market with a maximum processing speed of 3.55 m/sec and an acceleration of 5 g
Non-contact processing
- No time-consuming fixating of materials in comparison to other processing methods
- No warping of the material
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- Multifunctional table concept for easy handling
Simple high-quality digital manufacturing
- Designs are created in your usual graphics program and sent to the printer via the printer command
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- JobControl® laser software: Simply intuitive. Work efficiently.
Fine tools
- Small fonts and fine details can be engraved
- One tool for all tasks
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- Ideal optics and optimal beam performance
No tool wear
- No wear of the laser beam from material processing
- No costs for new tools
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- CeramiCore laser sources with a particularly long service life
"I would like to thank Trotec for the kind and exceptional service I have received since leasing my laser machine last fall. I really do prefer to do all my product purchases through your outlet."- Deanna Dunne-Watkins - Owner of Lazy DM Imprints Laser Engraving -
"James Minchau was most helpful in showing us how to use the Rayjet using different materials, and settings which are preset in the system. The quality of product it can produce is excellent and the ease of use is very refreshing. We only wish we had bought one sooner!"- Janine Miller - Owner of Inner City Signs Ltd. -
"We love our Speedy 100 laser engraving machine! We use it to engrave and cut all of our plastic safety labels and student tool tags. We've had the unit for 2 years, never had any issues with it. Works great on all of our engraving needs. "- Prof. Gary Harris - Georgian College - Precision Skills Program -
Trotec product recommendation
Tips for engraving laminates
Can any type of laminate be used for laser engraving?
There are various laminates that are suitable only for laser engraving or only for milling. Only laminates suitable for this purpose may be used for laminate engraving with laser. Trotec offers a broad range of laser and engraving materials.
What should be kept in mind when it comes to laser engraving laminate?
For laser engraving laminate, the use of a vacuum table is recommended, which fixates the laminate on the table during the engraving process. The thinner the topcoat of the laminate, the faster this layer can be ablated.
Laminates – engraving from bottom to top
Engrave laminates from the bottom up, so dust is extracted upwards and the top layer is not discolored. In JobControl® under “Platte” [Plate] → “Platte einstellen” [Set plate] you can specify the edge where the laser should start the engraving.
Defocus to avoid formation of grooves
Sometimes engraving appears to produce slight grooves. A Z-offset of 0.5 to 2 mm avoids formation of grooves and allows you to achieve smooth and clean results.
Dark laminate with bright topcoat
Do you know this problem? You engrave the bright top layer of a dark laminate, then you cut the workpiece, and the cutting soils the remaining bright top layer. Our tip: Engrave the desired motif and then apply masking tape; this protects the light-colored material during the cutting process, and you can simply pull off the resulting dust along with the tape.