Cutting Polycarbonate/PEEK

[TheMotionGuy]

Good afternoon all. I am trying to cut some polycarbonate and I have also tried cutting some PEEK because I have a high-temp application where my acrylic substrate just wont do.

But when I cut it, I get severe discoloration. I have tried every combination I can think of to reduce the amount of discoloration but I am doing so at no avail.

I have lowered/increased the power, increased/decreased the speed, increased/decreased the ppm, increased/decreased the focal point, and every combination of the above.

Still I get pretty ugly discoloration and edge melt. Tonight I am freezing a few samples to see if I can get the edge melt to go away and reduce the browning when I try cutting them again.

Does anyone have some tips? Or if this has been answered already, can you point me to that thread?

Thanks in advance,

Dale

 

[kendalsimon]

We do a lot of polycarbonate on our 4KW Bystronic and previously on our 2KW Amada alpha, 1.5mm and 3mm cut nicely with only slight discolouration on the 3mm, 6mm is a little ugly but fit for purpose. What thickness are you trying to cut? Also is your extraction system suitable for plastics? bag type ones remelt the plastic onto the filter and will clog it in no time