Polycarbonate, PVC, HDPE, polypropylene and thick block, routed on a flat-bed CNC at St Marys, Adelaide — 3.1 × 3.0 m of cutter travel and 1.1 m of Z. Send a drawing and we quote the job.
DXF, DWG, STEP, PDF or a dimensioned sketch. We come back with a price and the machine we would cut it on, and nothing is cut until you have agreed it.
Our CO2 laser is the right machine for acrylic and the wrong one for nearly everything else in the rack. Polycarbonate burns and discolours at a laser cut, PVC gives off chlorine, and polyethylene and polypropylene melt and string instead of cutting. A router cuts those with a spinning cutter and no heat, so the edge is clean, the sheet stays flat and the material is unchanged. It also goes through thickness a laser never will: block and slab, not only sheet.
A full 2440 × 1220 sheet goes on the bed whole, with room around it. Oversize panels are cut in one piece rather than joined.
Most flat-bed routers clear a hundred millimetres or so. Ours clears over a metre, so thick block, stacked sheet and tall parts fit under the head.
Through-cuts to shape, pockets and rebates to depth, drilled and countersunk holes, all from the one drawing in the one setup.
Curves, radiused corners, internal cut-outs and slots. The cutter follows the drawing; the only limit is the cutter’s own radius in an inside corner.
| Material | Router | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Polycarbonate | Yes | The machine-guard and glazing material. Cannot be lasered; routs cleanly with a clear edge. |
| PVC and foam PVC | Yes | Signs, tanks, ducting and chemical work. Never lasered; routed or sawn only. |
| HDPE and polypropylene | Yes | Cutting boards, tank and bin liners, wear strips. Routs well; melts under a laser. |
| Acrylic (Perspex) | Yes, where it suits | Thick block, pockets, rebates and drilled holes. For a plain cut shape in sheet the laser gives the better edge. |
| Thick block | Yes | Slab and block in any of the above, machined to shape and depth under the 1.1 m head. |
Straight rectangles in acrylic and polycarbonate are usually cheaper on the saw, and the cut-to-size planner prices those instantly. We quote whichever machine gives the right part for the least money.
We price the job from the drawing and ring you before anything is cut, to confirm the material, the details and payment. Collection is from 1249 South Road, St Marys; we deliver around Adelaide and freight Australia-wide, quoted with the job. The router is on our workshop page if you want to see it run.