Laser Settings for Engineering Plastics (Marking)
Can you laser mark plastics like ABS and polycarbonate?
Marking, yes — cutting, no. UV lasers are the champion here: deep, permanent, zero-melt black marks on ABS and PC (it's how nearly every electronics housing gets its logo). Fibre lasers can mark ABS too. But CUTTING these plastics on any laser releases hazardous fumes (hydrogen cyanide from ABS) and is never safe.
FIBRE1064 nm settings
| Variant | Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABS plastic | Mark | 500 mm/s | 30% | 1 | 30 kHz |
⚠ MarkMarking only, strong extraction. Never CUT ABS on any laser.
UV355 nm settings
| Variant | Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABS / PC plastic | Mark | 500–1,000 mm/s | low | 1 | 40–60 kHz |
✓ MarkDeep permanent black on white plastic, zero melt — the flagship UV use case.
PrepPreparation & technique
UV: low power, high frequency, test grid. Fibre on ABS: moderate settings, strong extraction.
⚠ SafetyMarking with extraction only. Never cut ABS, PC, HDPE or any mystery plastic — see the safety pages.
LearnMatching tutorials
All values are starting points at the stated reference wattage. Run a test grid on your own machine and material batch first.