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Contoured exterior signage made of printed acrylic

Use this tutorial to learn how to make your own sign out of printed acrylic using your Trotec Laser and JobControl® Vision.

In the following tutorial, we will teach you how to create your very own exterior sign out of printed acrylic using your Trotec laser machine and JobControl® Vision.

Preparation

You Will Need
  • Your choice of printed acrylic (8mm, 1200 x 600mm)
  • ¼ sheet of TroGlass Satins - rose (adhesive)
  • ¼ sheet of TroGlass Colour Gloss - fuchsia (adhesive)
  • 1x pack of Signage Wall Mounts (20 x 20mm)
Machines Used
  • SP3000, 400W & Speedy 400, 100W 
  • 5" lens & 2" lens
  • Acrylic slat table & vacuum table with acrylic grid

You can create this sign (depending on the size) with any machine from the Speedy series.

Tip

We would like to encourage you to experiment with different textures and colours from our TroGlass product range - the sky is your only limit!

Print Cut Sign

ZIP

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Step by step

Step 1

Step 1: Print & Import - Design

First, you'll need to print the template onto a sheet of 8mm acrylic. Then, import our laser file into your graphics program. Send the job for the shield to your Trotec laser machine using the following print settings:

Process Mode Resolution Cut Line
Vector Job 1000dpi None
Halftone Others
Colour Optimised Geometries, Inner Geometries First 

Important: Ensure that the colour 'black' is already stored in the parameter section of Corel as 'register marks'. This will help you later to recognise the registration marks in JobControl®.

JobControl Vision: Print and cut with the laser cutter SP3000
Step 2

Step 2: Laser Process - Printed Acrylic

Place your prepped acrylic face-up on the acrylic blades of the SP3000 (or inside whatever machine you are using). Then, cover the remaining surface area to ensure the strongest vacuum possible. Please note that the parameters may vary depending on the laser machine you are using and its available power:

Laser Parameter Colour Process Power (%) Speed (%) ppi/Hz
Reg. Marks Black Reg. Marks - - -
Cutting Red Cutting CO2 85 2.3 20,000
Laser Parameter  Passes Air-Assist Z-Offset Advanced
Reg. Marks - - - -
Cutting 1 ON -2mm -
Arrange graphics nested to save material
Step 3

Step 3: Acrylic Lettering

To achieve the special 3D effect of this sign, the lettering is glued on top of coloured TroGlass. We cut it using the Speedy 400 laser machine. All you need to do is send the following laser settings to your machine:

Process Mode Resolution Cut Line
Vector Job 1000dpi None
Halftone Others
Colour Optimised Geometries, Inner Geometries First

Tip:

If you decide to attach the lettering free-hand (without a template) you could also save some space by rotating the letters slightly and arranging them bunched together. This will also save you a lot of material.

Laser process acrylic lettering
Step 4

Step 4: Laser Process - Acrylic Lettering

Now it's time to place the respective TroGlass sheets onto the acrylic cutting table within your Speedy 400 and prepare it for laser cutting. Cover the remaining working area to obtain the strongest possible vacuum and cut out the various letters. Remember, the parameters may vary depending on the laser machine you are using and its available power:

Colour Process Power (%) Speed (%) ppi/Hz
Red Cut CO2 100 1 1000
Passes Air Assist Z-Offset Advanced
1 ON - -

Tip:

We decided to create a small frame around the work 'Chicago'. Once the laser process was complete, we secured the letters to the frame using a strong piece of tape, ensuring that when it came time to glue it to the sign, it would be in perfect alignment.

Step 5

Step 5: Finishing

To finish off your project, peel away the protective foil from the front of the acrylic shield. Then, place the lettering loosely onto the sign. Once you are satisfied with the orientation and positioning, stick each letter down one-by-one. The word 'Chicago' should be placed at the very end, once 'Jazz Club' is already completed. Finally, your contour-cut TroGlass sign is finished! Attach it to the wall using some of our reliable signage mounts. 

What makes TroGlass so great?

The TroGlass product line includes a very large range of high-quality acrylic sheets in a variety of colours, finishes and degrees of transparency. This, along with a range of other benefits make our acrylic glass - specifically designed to be laser processed - the number one choice for your application. TroGlass is durable too, being able to withstand harsh weather conditions without fading over time. It also has optimal light scattering abilities, and it's super easy to work with.

Browse the TroGlass range

Inspiration

Get Creative...

Light up your creation! Try illuminating the sign from behind with an LED strip light. This will make your sign visible even in the dark.

By using a little extra material, or maybe the leftover acrylic from your sign, create table numbers and name badges for you and your staff to match the exterior signage.

Speedy series
The ideal laser engraver and cutter for personalisation.

Discover laser engravers and cutters

Questions about applications or settings?
We're happy to advise you from A for Air assist to Z for z-offset.

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