Boost productivity with metallic laser engraving laminates

22. Mai 2023 •

For any business, time is money. Boosting your production efficiency is often key to remaining competitive, which is why laser engraving and cutting technology has continued to increase in popularity as a production tool. However materials also play an important part in production efficiency. Metals are common materials for many laser marking and engraving applications, including dataplates, signage and more, but is there a more cost and time efficient alternative? Read on to find out.

Metallic laminates

A plastic engraving laminate with a metallic finish is the ideal alternative to metals for laser engraving and cutting. Trotec's TroLase Metallic and Metallic Plus engraving laminates are an example of this. Featuring an authentic top layer and a contrasting acrylic core, the sheet materials are perfect for both laser cutting and engraving. Laser engraving the material reveals the contrasting core colour, while the acrylic core allows the material to be laser cut to any size requirement with no treatment pre-processing. Metallic plus also features the benefit of being fully UV stable, allowing you to create outdoor applications with ease.

But why are metallic laminates the perfect metal alternative? Read on to find out more.

Discover TroLase Metallic and Metallic Plus

Metallic laminates vs metals: A comparrison

Metallic laminates are not only a cost-effective solution to metal processing, they also offer unbeatable advantages that are not possible with metals. Some of the benefits include:

Designed for laser cutting and engraving
Thin top layer enables detailed results even at high laser engraving speeds
Special composition reduces dust and debris when laser engraving
TroLase Metallic/Metallic Plus will not tarnish or corrode like metals
Suitable for UV printing
Available in a range of thicknesses and colour combinations

Video: Laser engraving in action

In the following video you can see how TroLase Metallic Plus compares to three different types of metals. Using the Speedy 400 flexx laser engraver, we process metallic plus and anodised aluminium, followed by coated and uncoated stainless steel. Throughout the video we discuss the different stages of the process, including any pre-and post laser processing requirements followed by accurate processing times.