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ABS plastic: diode, CO2 and fiber laser compatibility
Boss Laser lists ABS for CO2 engraving and xTool lists it for fiber engraving. FSL states that ABS melts and does not cut or engrave well. FSL and xTool support list cyanide gas as a hazard when ABS is cut.
- Also called
- Lego-type plastic
- Diode laser
- Engrave or mark: Not listed, cut: Not listed
- CO2 laser
- Engrave or mark: Disagree, cut: No (2)
- Fiber laser
- Engrave or mark: Yes (1), cut: Not listed
- Thickest one-pass cut listed
- Not listed
- Listed as No by
- FSL, xTool
Compatibility by laser type
Yes (2) 2 manufacturers or stores list it as workableNo (2) 2 list it as not workableDisagree manufacturers list bothWith conditions workable only under a stated conditionNot listed no manufacturer statement
| Laser type | Engrave or mark | Cut |
|---|---|---|
| Diode laser (blue, about 450 to 455 nm) | Not listed | Not listed |
| CO2 laser (10,600 nm) | Disagree Yes: Boss Laser. No: FSL. | No (2) No: FSL, xTool. |
| Fiber laser (1064 nm) | Yes (1) Yes: xTool. | Not listed |
The material lookup adds a cut thickness for ABS plastic.
Manufacturer statements
| Laser and job | Manufacturer | Lists it as | Wording or table entry on the page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO2, engrave or mark | Boss Laser | Yes | A CO2 laser engraves acrylic (the easiest and cleanest), ABS, Delrin (POM), and two-color engraving laminate made for lasers | Boss Laser: Materials and safety FAQ |
| CO2, engrave or mark | FSL | No | ABS does not cut well in a laser cutter. It tends to melt rather than vaporize ... It also does not engrave well (again, tends to melt). | Full Spectrum Laser (FSL): What materials are safe and not safe to engrave/vector cut |
| CO2, cut | FSL | No | ABS. Melts / Cyanide. ABS does not cut well in a laser cutter. | Full Spectrum Laser (FSL): What materials are safe and not safe to engrave/vector cut |
| CO2, cut | xTool | No | ABS. Exudes cyanide gas and tends to melt. | xTool: Support article 354, safety guide for D1 |
| Fiber, engrave or mark | xTool | Yes | Engraving: Metals: Stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, brass, copper, gold, silver, and platinum Plastics: Engineering plastics like ABS and PVC Some opaque acrylic Stone Ceramic Leather Rubber Silicone | xTool: Fiber vs CO2 vs diode laser guide (blog) |
Not listed for: Diode engrave or mark, Diode cut, Fiber cut.
One-pass cut depth
No one-pass cut depth is listed for this material on the laser machines page.
Notes
- xTool support article 363 states: “To process this material, you are advised to wear a gas mask and use am air purifier or fire safety set.”
Fumes
Laser cutting and engraving give off fumes. The machine's manual has the venting rules for that machine. The fume and room lookup compares a machine's exhaust airflow with fume extractor airflow.