Trotec Laser Inc.
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Phone: (734) 927-6300
E-Mail: usa@troteclaser.com
Contact form Wood
Laser cutting & engraving of plywood, MDF, balsa and many other types of wood
With Trotec laser equipment, you can cut and engrave toys, arts, crafts, souvenirs, Christmas jewelry, gift items, architectural models and inlays. When laser processing wood, the focus is often on personal customization options. Trotec lasers can process a variety of wood types to create the look you like and can cut thicknesses up to 20 mm.
Wood types suitable for laser processing
Wood types suitable for laser processing
- MDF
- HDF
- Multiplex
- Plywood
- Chipboard
- Natural wood, real wood
- Precious woods
- Solid wood, solid timber
- Cork
- Veneers
Why should I buy a laser for engraving and cutting wood?
Laser engraving wood creates additional value through personalization and precision.
- Make each piece unique by engraving logos, names or images into your products.
- A precise laser cut creates custom-fit parts with a tenth of a millimeter precision even for fine shapes.
- Non-contact processing saves time and lets you process the thinnest materials.
Contact us
You want to learn more about Trotec lasers and applications?
Our laser experts are happy to answer your questions about our products and laser processing. They will help you discover all the possibilities of lasers. One solution, thousands of possibilities. Additionally we invite you to see our lasers and applications at one of our demonstration facilities.
Function and advantages of laser technology
Characteristic and productive engravings
- Colored engravings as a decorative element
- There is no need for time-consuming cleaning.
- Unlike milling cutters, the engraving is achieved within seconds
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- Speedy series: The fastest laser engravers available on the market with a maximum engraving speed of 3.55 m/sec and an acceleration of 5g.
Simple digital manufacturing
- Designs are created in your usual graphics program and sent to the printer via the printer command
- Time-consuming programming is not required, unlike milling cutters
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- JobControl® laser software: Simply intuitive. Work efficiently.
Non-contact processing
- No time-consuming fixating of material compared to milling cutters
- No warping of the material
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- Multifunctional table concept for easy handling
Fine tools
- Precise shapes can be cut
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- Ideal optics and optimal beam performance
No tool wear
- No wear of the laser beam from the material processing
- No costs for new tools, unlike milling cutters
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- CeramiCore laser sources with a particularly long service life
No shavings
- The wood is explosively evaporated by the laser. No shavings are produced like with other technologies.
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- The resulting gases are efficiently removed and filtered by the Trotec extraction systems.
See an overview of different wood applications
Applications for wood processing
Applications for wood processing
Lasers are extremely versatile instruments for wood processing. In the design industry, dark cutting edges and brownish or whitish colored engravings serve as exceptional design elements in wood products. Design new products for a wide variety of industries.
You want to learn more about wood applications? Our laser experts are happy to answer your questions about our products and laser processing.
Application examples
- Arts and crafts
- Toys
- Furniture construction
- Interior design
- Shopfitting
- School supplies
- Decorations
- Gift items
- Christmas decorations
- Architectural models
- Inlays
Application inspirations
Product recommendations
Tips for laser cutting wood
Does the wood burn during laser cutting?
Yes. Wood lasering is a sublimation process. However, this is not bad and very often actually desirable. Accurate focusing, selection of the appropriate parameters, use of suitable optics and supply of compressed air allow cutting and engraving of the highest quality.
Can any type of wood be processed with the laser?
Since wood is a natural material, the laser user must consider a number of parameters such as the density and the resin content of the wood for the processing. Soft woods, e.g. balsa, require less laser power and can be cut more quickly. Hardwood, as an example of dense wood, on the other hand requires more laser power. For MDF, which consists of glued wood fibers, Trotec recommends using compressed air.
Will the laser engraving always become dark?
The brownish-colored laser engraving is well known. When processing varnished wood, with the appropriate laser settings you can also achieve a white engraving. Here we recommend very low power at high speed.
How to achieve a particularly dark engraving?
By defocussing the laser beam – about 0.5 to 2 mm – the laser spot becomes larger. The power density is thus reduced. With this beam, you get a particularly dark laser engraving. Details may be lost. Simply try this method!
There is smoke in the processing area. What to do?
Laser processing of wood is a sublimation process. I.e., the solid material is converted directly into gaseous state through combustion.