Laser cutting/engraving aluminium foil

[matti-laser]

I'm looking for laser cutting / engraving machine for cutting flexible aluminium foil laminate. Laminate would have 10um aluminium foil on top of 50um PET film. I would need to make flexible PCB.

I wonder if laser can do the job. I believe 20W fiber laser can cut aluminium, but I'm not sure, if it would cut through the PET film as well.

CO2 laser probably do nothing for the aluminium.

I wonder if someone has tested aluminium foil with 15W mini laser engraver?

https://www.amazon.com/Zowaysoon-Eng.../dp/B01NAK31AG

450-455nm laser should burn aluminium?

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[ghellere]

Hello, matti-laser.

I need a laser to cut aluminum for a similar application. Did you try the 15W mini laser? Did you manage to solve your problem.

[matti-laser]

I have not find solution yet. I don't have access to 15W mini laser, but according to suppliers, it cannot cut foil. My current understanding is that you would need MOPA fiber laser for cutting. Average power is pretty much same as in low cost "15W mini laser", but it can make very short pulses with kW power levels. MOPA fiber laser is just much more expensive. Another problem is caused by plastic substrate, which will melt.

[Oliviaadd]

Hello matti-laser,

We are manufacturer of laser machines and cnc cutting machine.
20W fiber marking machine can cut the aluminium foil, if you'd like, we have machine and we can test for you.


www.aollaser.net/ www.aollasercncs.com

[epilotdk]

Sending some samples of the material to a couple of manufacturers along with a test file for them to cut/engrave might be a good idea. Ask them to post a video on Youtube of the job being run.

[KH0UJ]

A 20 watt fiber laser can cut aluminum up to 0.5mm, not one pass though, but if it`s only aluminum foil then I guess it can cut in one pass, we have 4 different kinds of CNC lasers in the shop but none of the CO2 based can cut or even just scratch an aluminum material, only the fiber laser.

[matti-laser]

Sending some samples of the material to a couple of manufacturers along with a test file for them to cut/engrave might be a good idea. Ask them to post a video on Youtube of the job being run.

I have done that, but no success yet. PET will melt easily.

[matti-laser]

we are manufacturer of fiber laser marking machine. but with your demand, laser can't finish it.
Fiber laser can cut aluminum but not cut pet; co2 laser can cut pet, but not cut aluminum. You can try to use some knife

My hand is not accurate enough to cut tracks 100um wide with knife. I cannot also cut aluminium without cutting through PET as well with knife.

[epilotdk]

If you just want to remove alu and not touch the PET then photo etching is the way to go.

[matti-laser]

If you just want to remove alu and not touch the PET then photo etching is the way to go.

Do you have good instructions to do photo etching? What kind of resist and etchant?