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Can a fiber laser engrave acrylic?

Not clear acrylic – the 1064nm beam passes through it. A fiber laser can mark some dark or pigmented plastics, but for acrylic use a CO2 laser. Here’s the breakdown.

Clear acrylic, no; some dark plastics, sometimes. Here’s what fiber can and can’t do on acrylic.

Short answer

Not clear acrylic — a fiber laser’s 1064 nm beam passes through transparent acrylic without being absorbed, so it leaves no mark. Fiber can mark some dark or pigmented plastics, but results are inconsistent and it often struggles. For acrylic — cutting glossy edges or engraving frosted white — the right tool is a CO2 laser, which acrylic absorbs beautifully. So use fiber for metal (and some plastic ID marking) and CO2 for acrylic. See our acrylic guide for the proper process.

A 1064 nm fiber beam passes straight through clear acrylic leaving no mark, a 10.6 micron CO2 beam is absorbed at the acrylic surface and frosts it, and dark pigmented plastic partially absorbs the fiber beam and may take a mark
Clear acrylic is transparent to fiber's 1064 nm — the beam exits the far side unmarked — while CO2 is absorbed into a frosted mark; dark pigmented plastic may take a fiber mark, but results vary.

Why fiber struggles with acrylic.

Clear acrylic is essentially transparent to fiber’s 1064 nm wavelength, so the beam goes through it rather than heating the surface — no engraving, no cut. Some dark or specially pigmented plastics absorb enough to take a fiber mark, but clear and light acrylics generally won’t, and even dark ones can be inconsistent. It’s a wavelength limitation, not a settings fix.

Use a CO2 laser for acrylic.

Acrylic and CO2 lasers are a near-perfect match: clean glossy cut edges and bright frosted-white engraving on cast acrylic. For the full process — cast vs. extruded, settings, and finishing — see how to cut & engrave acrylic. For plastic marking more broadly, see can you laser engrave plastic?

Related questions

Can a fiber laser engrave acrylic?

Not clear acrylic — the 1064 nm beam passes through it without marking. A fiber laser can mark some dark or pigmented plastics, but results vary. For cutting or engraving acrylic, use a CO2 laser, which acrylic absorbs beautifully.

Can a fiber laser mark any plastic?

It can mark many dark or pigmented plastics for part numbers and labels, and some plastics include additives that respond well to fiber. Clear and transparent plastics like clear acrylic generally don’t mark, since the beam passes through. Test the specific plastic first.

What laser should you use for acrylic?

A CO2 laser. Its 10.6 µm wavelength is absorbed by acrylic, giving glossy flame-polished cut edges and bright frosted engraving on cast acrylic. Fiber is for metal and some plastic ID, not acrylic.

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