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Materials laser manufacturers list as unsafe to cut or engrave
This table lists 8 materials that one or more laser manufacturers list as unsafe or not workable. The last column lists manufacturers that list the same material as workable for one or more jobs. The PVC and vinyl statements on both sides are below the table.
| Material | Manufacturers that list it as No (one or more jobs) | Manufacturers that list it as Yes (one or more jobs) |
|---|---|---|
| Coated carbon fiber | FSL, xTool, Glowforge | None |
| Faux leather, pleather, leatherette | FSL, xTool, Boss Laser | None |
| Fiberglass and epoxy | FSL | None |
| PVC and vinyl | xTool, Glowforge, FSL, Epilog, Boss Laser | Monport, xTool |
| Polycarbonate (Lexan) | FSL, Boss Laser | None |
| ABS plastic | FSL, xTool | Boss Laser, xTool |
| HDPE and other polyethylene | FSL, xTool | Monport |
| Foam (polystyrene, polypropylene) | FSL, xTool, Monport | xTool, Monport |
Sources for each row are on the material's page.
PVC and vinyl
6 pages from 5 manufacturers state that PVC or vinyl should not be cut or engraved. Two manufacturer blog pages list PVC as workable.
Listed as No
| Manufacturer | Lists it as | Wording or table entry on the page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| xTool | No | Do not engrave or cut any material that contains PVC or vinyl (plastic materials are not recommended). | xTool: Support article 363, safety guide |
| Glowforge | No | Glowforge Spark ... is not compatible with ... PVC vinyl | Glowforge: Craft Series tech specs (Aura, Spark) |
| xTool | No | Do not engrave or cut any material that contains PVC or vinyl | xTool: Support article 363, safety guide |
| FSL | No | Emits chlorine gas when cut! Don't ever cut this material as it will ruin the optics | Full Spectrum Laser (FSL): What materials are safe and not safe to engrave/vector cut |
| Glowforge | No | not compatible with ... PVC vinyl | Glowforge: Craft Series tech specs (Aura, Spark) |
| Glowforge | No | vinyl isn't laser-compatible. When cut or engraved, vinyl can release hazardous gases that can hurt you and damage your Glowforge. | Glowforge: Non-Proofgrade materials FAQ |
| Epilog | No | Hydrogen Chloride and Vinyl Chloride (mostly found in PVC and other man made materials) are hazardous to the life of your laser system. | Epilog Laser: What materials are unsafe to engrave and/or cut |
| Boss Laser | No | One rule never bends: never laser-cut PVC or vinyl. | Boss Laser: Materials and safety FAQ |
Listed as Yes
| Manufacturer | Lists it as | Wording or table entry on the page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monport | Yes | Plastic: Diode lasers can engrave plastics like PVC, PET, and other materials | Monport: CO2, fiber and diode material compatibility guide (blog) |
| xTool | Yes | Engraving: Metals: Stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, brass, copper, gold, silver, and platinum Plastics: Engineering plastics like ABS and PVC Some opaque acrylic Stone Ceramic Leather Rubber Silicone | xTool: Fiber vs CO2 vs diode laser guide (blog) |
- Two manufacturer blog pages list PVC as workable. xTool's July 2026 guide lists it for fiber engraving and Monport's January 2025 guide lists it for diode engraving. xTool's support article 363 says the opposite and adds: “To cut this material, please wear a gas mask or use an air purifier.”
- Epilog states: “Materials, such as Kydex, contain PVC.”
Unknown plastic
xTool support states:
Do not engrave or cut any unknown materials. Vaporization/melting of many materials, which include but are not limited to PVC and polycarbonate, may release harmful smoke.
Source: xTool: Support article 363, safety guide
Epilog refers owners to the material's safety data sheet:
A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is designed to provide you the proper procedures for handling or working with a particular substrate.
Source: Epilog Laser: What materials are unsafe to engrave and/or cut