Material Checker
Laserable or not? Answer in 2 seconds Material not in the database?
When in doubt: do not laser until the composition is clarified — especially for plastics with possible chlorine or fluorine content. Send us the data sheet, we check feasibility for free.
Have material checked → CAESS Laser · Reference system: CO2 laser
Which materials can be lasered — and which never?
Not every material belongs in a laser. Some deliver perfect results, some acceptable — and some are simply dangerous: PVC releases chlorine gas when heated, ABS forms hydrogen cyanide, polycarbonate catches fire. This overview is based on our daily production practice with the CO2 laser and is continuously updated. For a quick search, use the checker above — here follows the complete reference.
Laserable materials
| Material | Cutting | Engraving | Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acrylic GS (cast) The laser cutting classic: crystal-clear polished cut edges and brilliant deep engraving. Cast acrylic engraves milky-white — ideal for lettering. | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Acrylic XT (extruded) Cuts excellently with smooth edges and is cheaper than GS. However, engravings remain grey-transparent rather than white — first choice for pure cutting jobs. | ✓ Yes | ~ Conditional | ✓ Yes |
| Polyester film (Mylar) Ideal for paint and spray stencils: cuts cleanly with sealed edges. Thin thicknesses up to approx. 0.5 mm. | ✓ Yes | ✕ No | ~ Conditional |
| MDF Cost-effective, dimensionally stable and precisely cuttable. The cut edge turns dark brown — a popular contrast effect. Heavy smoke is captured by our extraction system. | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Plywood (birch, poplar) The standard material for maker and model building. Birch gives light surfaces with fine grain, poplar is lighter and cuts faster. Up to approx. 12 mm. | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Solid wood (oak, beech, maple …) Engravings on solid wood are first class — high-quality, dark burn engraving. Cutting is possible up to approx. 8–10 mm; resin-rich softwoods tend to leave burn marks on the edge. | ~ Conditional | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Bamboo The classic for engraved cutting boards and kitchen items: high-contrast, durable engraving. Cutting is only worthwhile in thin thicknesses. | ~ Conditional | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Cork Cuts and engraves excellently — coasters, notice boards, packaging inserts. Natural cork and pressed cork are both suitable. | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Cardboard / Corrugated board Perfect for packaging prototypes, architectural models and displays. Clean edges without pressure marks — a clear advantage over knife cutting. | ✓ Yes | ~ Conditional | ✓ Yes |
| Paper Most filigree cuts for invitations, paper art and laser-cut cards — details impossible with the plotter. | ✓ Yes | ✕ No | ~ Conditional |
| Leather (vegetable tanned) Vegetable-tanned leather cuts and engraves excellently — labels, key fobs, personalizations with a premium burn look. | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Felt (wool) Wool felt cuts with clean, firm edges — ideal for bags, cases and coasters. | ✓ Yes | ~ Conditional | ~ Conditional |
| Felt (polyester/synthetic) Cuttable — the edges fuse slightly and therefore do not fray. For a high-quality look, wool felt is the better choice. | ✓ Yes | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Cotton / Linen Natural textiles cut precisely without warping. On denim, engravings (bleach effect) are even possible. | ✓ Yes | ~ Conditional | ~ Conditional |
| Polyester textiles The laser seals the cut edges during cutting — no fraying. Standard process in textile manufacturing. | ✓ Yes | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Anodised aluminium The anodised layer can be marked with high-contrast light marking — precise and permanent. Perfect for nameplates, control panels and serial numbers. Metal cutting is not possible with the CO2 laser. | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Painted / coated metals The laser precisely removes the paint or coating layer — the bare metal underneath forms the contrast. Also works on aluminium composite panels (Dibond). | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Glass Glass is finely frosted by the laser — elegant for glasses, bottles and awards. Cutting is physically not possible. | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Mirror Engraving is done on the reverse side through the coating — the effect appears in the mirror reflection. One of our specialties. | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Slate / Stone Slate engraves with high-contrast light markings and is very popular as a serving board or sign. Granite and marble can also be engraved. | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Ceramic / Tiles Glazed surfaces can be engraved or permanently black marked with special processes. | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ~ Conditional |
| EVA foam The standard for tool inserts (shadowboards), case inserts and cosplay. Cuts cleanly with a slightly fused, closed edge. | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ~ Conditional |
| Stamp rubber (laser rubber) Natural rubber specially developed for laser processing — the standard process for stamp making. Pungent smell, but harmless. | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✕ No |
Only after clarification
For these materials, the exact composition is decisive — for example the tanning method for leather or the plastic type for films. Send us the data sheet, we check for free.
| Material | Reason for clarification |
|---|---|
| POM / Delrin | Laser processing produces formaldehyde — only permitted with powerful extraction. |
| Polypropylene (PP) | Melts heavily and tends to produce burning molten droplets — only thin films and sheets are suitable. |
| HDPE / PE | Melts extremely heavily, strings and tends to catch fire — fire hazard. |
| Coated wood panels (Melamine, HPL) | Feasibility depends on the coating — for unknown compositions we check the material before processing. |
| Leather (chrome tanned) | Chrome-tanned leather can release problematic chromium compounds when laser processed — processing only after clarification of the tanning method. |
| Faux leather | Only PVC-free PU faux leather is laserable. PVC-based faux leather releases chlorine gas and is strictly prohibited. |
| Craft foam rubber | Craft foam rubber may contain PVC — no processing without material proof. |
| Flex / flock film (textile transfer) | Many transfer films contain PVC — only PU-based films with data sheet are laserable. |
Never laser — safety risk
These materials endanger health and machine. This applies to every laser system — from the hobby diode laser to the industrial installation. If you operate your own laser: hands off, even for "just a quick test".
| Material | Hazard | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Polycarbonate (Lexan, Makrolon) | NEVER laser: polycarbonate absorbs the CO2 laser beam poorly, turns brown, produces strong toxic fumes and is acutely flammable. | Acrylic GS (impact-resistant grades available) |
| PVC (hard and soft PVC) | NEVER laser: PVC releases chlorine gas and hydrochloric acid when heated — highly toxic and destroys the laser machine through corrosion. | Acrylic, PETG or polyester films |
| PVC rigid foam (Forex, Kömatex) | NEVER laser: Forex is made of PVC — laser cutting produces chlorine gas and hydrochloric acid. | Acrylic, MDF or Dibond (engraving) |
| ABS | NEVER laser: ABS releases hydrogen cyanide (prussic acid), melts uncontrollably and produces no clean edges. | Acrylic GS/XT |
| PTFE (Teflon) | NEVER laser: heating produces highly toxic fluorine compounds up to hydrofluoric acid. | — |
| Polystyrene / Styrofoam (Sagex) | NEVER laser: expanded polystyrene ignites immediately and produces dense toxic soot — acute fire risk. | Hot-wire cutting or EVA foam |
| GRP / Fibreglass | NEVER laser: the epoxy matrix develops toxic fumes, released glass fibres are respirable into the lungs. | Milling or water-jet cutting |
| CFRP / Carbon fibre | NEVER laser: toxic resin fumes and electrically conductive carbon dust that can destroy the machine electronics. | Milling or water-jet cutting |
| Vinyl record | NEVER laser: records are made of PVC — chlorine gas and hydrochloric acid are produced. | Black acrylic (deceptively authentic look) |
When in doubt: have it checked rather than risk it
The most common accidents happen with confused materials — polycarbonate instead of acrylic, PVC faux leather instead of PU. If you are unsure what you have in front of you: send us a photo or the data sheet. We clarify feasibility for free and manufacture your parts safely on our systems in Dürnten in the Zurich Oberland.