special plastics for engraving have been developed for signage,
faceplates, and other items. standard cast and sheet acrylic
plastic and other resins can be laser engraved . commonly
engraved awards use a cast acrylic shape lasered from the back.
styrene, the plastic used to make compact disk cases, and many
thermoform plastics, will soften around the edges of the
engraving, resulting in low contrast. the surface may even
ripple or become deformed. in some applications, such as date
marking on plastic soda bottles, this is acceptable. special
plastics for engraving have been developed for signage,
faceplates, and other items. these plastics incorporate silicate
and other materials that conduct heat away from the material
before it can become deformed. outer laminates easily vaporize
to expose a different colored material underneath. other
plastics may be engraved, but experimentation should first be
conducted on a sample piece. bakelite and some hard engineering
plastics are said to do well. expanded plastics