Process Date: August 2003

Because bare aluminum is reflective to the 10.6 micron CO2 wavelength, it makes an excellent backing plate for many CO2 laser applications. In this case, a 0.013-inch thick rubberized coating used in the aerospace industry was applied to an aluminum plate so that specialized geometric shapes could be “kiss-cut” out of the rubber material. An FH Series marking head steered 100 watts of power through a 125 mm focusing lens onto the rubber-coated aluminum plate. The 125 mm lens provides a 180-micron spot with a 3 mm depth of focus covering a nominal mark field of 74 mm by 74 mm (85 mm by 105 mm max.).

Test shapes such as circles, squares, and rounded rectangles were cut at mark velocities ranging from 28 to 35 inches per second. Cycle times for individual objects were 0.25, 0.33, and 0.50 seconds respectively. All shapes cut from the rubber exhibit cleanly cut edges.

A test shape was "kiss-cut" out of this rubber material.