PET G

[alibabadesign]

Hi all,

can 2mm PET G be cut on the laser?


Thanks

Ali

[Matrix]

Hi There,
We have done some tests using PETG, as it was offered to us cheaper than the equivalent acrylic - and we found that it is not half as nice to work with...
It will cut reliably, however compared to acrylic...
1) Cut edges will scorch - nasty brown colouring of the edges that cannot be removed, and the plastic near the cut edge tends to turn yellow and slightly opaque (on the clear stuff anyway). It looks a little like a scruffy version of the classic 'sunburst' colouring you see on some electric guitars! Engraving looks really messy for the same reason (our machine op' nicknamed it the "yellow snow effect"! ).
2) The plastic melts more when cutting, so the kerf will be wider and less predictable than on acrylic, and you sometimes get a slightly raised 'lip' around the cut edges.
3) I have also read in some places that the fumes are not as benign as from acrylic, so you need to take real care when it comes to extraction.
If those points are not a problem for you, there are some small advantages due to PETG being a bit more flexible and impact resistant than acrylic - possibly useful for parts which get a lot of stress and where the cosmetics are not important.