We often get the question: Can I cut PE foam with my diode laser? The answer is: Yes you can!
With a 20W diode laser you can easily cut through 20mm thick PE foam.
Read on for the best settings and our 2 golden tips.
For the best results we used these settings on our 20W Xtool X1:
➡️ Speed: 50
➡️ Power: 50%
➡️ Passes: 4
➡️ Focus: 5mm below the surface
What if I do not have an Xtool laser cutter?
You can also cut PE foam and soft foam with other common diode lasers, such as Sculpfun, Glowforge Aura, Ortur, Creality Falcon, and Gweike G1.
Up to which thickness can you cut foam with a diode laser?
We recommend using at least 1W per mm of the material’s thickness, so that is 10W when using foam with a 10mm thickness. Watch out: the nose piece of your laser needs enough space to travel over the foam’s surface. Be well aware of that; 40mm is probably too thick for most standard machines.
Tips for the best results
Before you get started, we would like to share our own two tips for yielding the best results .
1️⃣ Cut multiple passes at high speed instead of one pass at low speed. This prevents the foam from melting and results in a straighter cut.
2️⃣ Set your focus a few millimeters below the surface for a straighter cut as well.
Safety Warning: not all types of foam are suitable for laser cutting. Some foams can be flammable and produce harmful fumes. Always stay with your machine whilst in use and make sure that the room is well-ventilated.
