[esmith2058]

I need some help with laser cutting polyurethane sheets from McMaster-Carr on a 20Watt CO2 laser. I can cut rubber Buna-N fine but polyurethane has melt splatters on the cutting line and does not harden after it cools, it stays tacky for about 12 hours then hardens, some chemical reaction from the laser/heating.

Is there a way to cut this material with no or minimal splatter?

Thanks,
Eric

[oneeye]

Hi,

to cut material that burn like wood , cardboard, or melt like some polymers like ABS, poliurethane, PP, etc you need cut at high speed, it means you need power, 90w or 130W and a good air assist. Anyway you ll get a small melt but asseptable. The only polymer that is totaly evaporated by laser is acrylic cause that you got a perfect finishing.
You can try to cut in many loops at high speed .......

[awerby]

I'm pretty sure that polyurethane is one of those materials you don't want to cut with a laser. The byproducts from burning it are highly toxic, containing hydrogen cyanide and other poisonous isocyanates. Remember Bhopal, the town in India that suffered a release of that stuff? If you don't believe me, you might want to contact OSHA and ask them how to deal with the fumes. Or get a bandsaw...