Material Guide
Optic lets you customize existing objects and create with a wide variety of materials, including cardstock, wood, acrylic, fabric, leather, foam, rubber, metals, stone, and more.
Read this Material Guide for more compatibility and safety information on the most common materials.
To safeguard both human health and the integrity of your Optic, it's crucial to use only materials confirmed to be safe for laser cutting and engraving. Never process materials with unknown properties.
You may have purchased our Rendyr-certified (“RC”) materials which are laser-compatible and come with our proven cut and engrave settings.
However, when sourcing materials from other suppliers, we cannot guarantee their safety or provide proven material settings. Look out for materials that are marked as safe for processing with laser cutters or inquire directly with the supplier and review the material safety data sheet (MSDS) to ensure that you can safely use the material with your Optic.
| Fabrics & Foams |
|---|
| Denim |
| Felt, synthetic |
| Leather * |
| EVA Foam |
| ⬢ | ⬡ |
|---|---|
| ✔ | ✔ |
| ✔ | ✔ |
| ✔ | ✔ |
| ✔ | ✔ |
* When selecting leather for your projects, it's crucial to be mindful of the type of leather and its processing, as some types can be unsafe for laser cutting:
Genuine Leather
✅ Vegetable-Tanned: Generally safe, processed with vegetable tannins.
⛔ Chrome-Tanned: Can release hazardous chromium fumes when laser cut.
⛔ Oil-Tanned: Typically chrome-tanned with added oil, posing similar risks.
⛔ Dyes and Finishes: May contain toxic chemicals, releasing harmful fumes during laser cutting.
Faux Leather
⛔ Synthetic Composition: Often contains plastics and chemicals like chloride, which produce harmful fumes when laser cut.
Always ensure that the leather you choose is laser-compatible to avoid health risks and equipment damage.
| Metals |
|---|
| Aluminum, coated |
| Galvanized metals * |
| Reflective metals * |
| Soft metals * |
| Steel |
| ⬢ | ⬡ |
|---|---|
| ✔ | ✘ |
| ⛔ | ⛔ |
| ⛔ | ⛔ |
| ✔* | ✘ |
| ✔* | ✘ |
* Galvanized metals are coated with zinc, which can release toxic fumes when laser cut. Always avoid laser cutting galvanized metals to prevent health risks and equipment damage.
* Reflective materials: Highly reflective metals and surfaces can reflect the laser beam, causing potential damage to the laser cutter and posing safety risks. Avoid using reflective materials to ensure safe and effective laser cutting.
* Soft metals such as Gold, Silver, Brass, etc.
| Paper-Based |
|---|
| Cardboard |
| Cardstock |
| Chipboard |
| Paper |
| ⬢ | ⬡ |
|---|---|
| ✔ | ✔ |
| ✔ | ✔ |
| ✔ | ✔ |
| ✔ | ✔ |
| Plastics |
|---|
| Acrylic, most colors * |
| Acrylic, clear |
| Heat Transfer "Vinyl" * |
| Sticker Sheets * |
| PVC |
| ⬢ | ⬡ |
|---|---|
| ✔ | ✔ |
| ✔* | ✔ |
| ✔ | ✔ |
| ✘ | ✔ |
| ⛔ | ⛔ |
* Acrylic is available in an incredible variety of colors. While most colors cut and engrave well, white and some blue acrylics are not compatible with diode lasers, like the Optic, because they don’t absorb the blue laser light as well. However, users have reported successfully cutting this Coastal Blue acrylic.
* Clear Acrylic can be engraved with a few simple, additional steps, but not cut because it doesn’t absorb the blue laser light on its own. The community has reported a few methods that worked well, such as using black paper underneath to engrave artwork in reverse (mirrored) on the clear acrylic’s bottom side.
* Heat Transfer “Vinyl” refers to heat transfer sheets such as STAHLS’ CAD-CUT® Thermo-GRIP® Heat Transfer Vinyl which the manufacturer specified as laser cutter compatible. While “vinyl” is in the name, they are polyurethane-based (PU). Vinyl, however, poses similar risks as PVC (see above) and is to be strictly avoided.
* Sticker Sheets are great for creating custom shaped stickers. We’ve seen the community print custom designs using their inkjet or laser printer and then cutting out custom shapes with their laser cutter, like here. However, always ensure you use laser cutter compatible sticker sheets and strictly avoid vinyl-based sticker sheets with similar risks as PVC (see above).
| Rocks |
|---|
| Cement / Concrete |
| Ceramic |
| Marble |
| Slate |
| ⬢ | ⬡ |
|---|---|
| ✔ | ✘ |
| ✔ | ✘ |
| ✔ | ✘ |
| ✔ | ✘ |
| Wood-Based |
|---|
| Cork |
| Hardwood |
| MDF * |
| Softwood * |
| Plywood * |
| ⬢ | ⬡ |
|---|---|
| ✔ | ✘ |
| ✔ | ✔ |
| ✔ | ✔ |
| ✔ | ✔ |
| ✔ | ✔ |
* MDF and Plywood always contain glue, but some contain glue that is not laser cutter compatible. Always check with the manufacturer to ensure the specific MDF or plywood is safe to laser cut or engrave.