Material Applications


Metal vs. Organic

CO2 lasers with power levels below 150 W produce energy that is easily absorbed by most organic materials, but is mostly reflected by metals at room temperature. While CO2 lasers can mark, cut and engrave organic materials, marking on metals is only possible using specialized optics or marking compounds.

Laser-compatible Materials

Below is a list of some materials which can be effectively processed with a CO2 laser in the sub 150 W power range. The list is not exhaustive; many materials not mentioned here can also be processed very effectively with a CO2 laser.

Download the OEM Material Reference Guide.


Material
Examples
Cut
Mark

10.6 micron

Plastics
ABS, Delrin, Acrylic, Mylar, Polymer, Teflon

Wood
Hardwood and softwood

Fabrics and Leathers
Cotton, Felt, Tackle Twill, Leather, Suede

Natural Materials
Paper, Vellum, Leather, *Granite, *Marble (*mark only)

Metals
Anodized Aluminum, Iron, Steel
 

Glass and Ceramic
Soda Lime Glass, Borosilicate Glass
 

9.3 micron

For laser processing PET (polyester) and certain other polymers.


For assistance with your application, contact our Material Processing Center.


OEM Division

Phone: +1-480-483-1214
Toll-Free: +1-800-859-7033

oemsales@ulsinc.com