CNC Laser Engraving Laminated MDF
It’s quite incredible what we can do on laminated MDF, in this CNCROi.com blog post, we’ll show you not just engraving MDF (vaporizing) the laminate but also scoring.
Most mill work is done by big industrial range CNC routers, they are awesomely powerful machines able to make quick work of just about any material you put under the spindle. It does have some drawbacks though, where they outperform a CNC laser in some ways, they can’t compete with lasers in others.
In this case, we’ll use a freshly laminated sheet of scrap MDF (yes, we use lots of scraps in the shop for material testing). Although we can technically cut through this as well, our focus is on engraving and scoring for this blog post.
Engraving is essentially vaporizing the laminate off the MDF. We can go slower to get more depth as well as play with power settings for optimal results. The advantage to using our Austrian wide-format industrial CNC laser for this process over a round bit is that there is no chipping or ripping of the laminate. In fact, we never actually touch it.
The added advantage of using a CNC laser over a router for this task is repeatability, each and every one of these that we engrave will be identical in every way and require minimal cleanup. With a CNC router, things can move (if you have a vacuum table) and you need to leave space for proper hold down technique.
Every setup is different but the fine details we can achieve with a laser compared to a round spinning bit, like square inner corners, is something else you can’t get with a CNC router, even with a very small bit. The smaller the bit, the more prone they are to heating and breaking as well during production.
Scoring is faster than engraving, it’s essentially a cut line that isn’t given enough power and too much speed to go all the way through the material. The results are fantastic for paint filling and other secondary processes. Of course, we can vary the depth of the scoring depending on application.
There you have it, engraving and scoring MDF laminate. What is the thickest laminate we’ve cut through thus far? 3/4 inch by the way, here’s a pic.
And here’s how it looks fit into one another… not the best finish but there are ways around that as well.
We’ve also worked extensively with Formica of all sorts.
Including Formica inlays.
Are you looking for a CNC laser shop to bring you some dramatic new capabilities that has extensive experience, passion and quick turnaround YOU CAN COUNT ON? You’ve found CNCROi.com! Our capabilities are legendary!
