If you bought it from a specialist dealer and not in the hardware store, then you have the right material with 99% security. The material from the hardware store is often not an acrylic (PMMA) but a mixture of PS or San and PMMA.

But we also find out.

Now insert the material into the machine.

As "nose" you choose the jet tip with the diameter of approx. 6 mm.

And you focus.

Now you draw a rectangle with e.g. 40x40 mm.

As a parameter, we start at speed of 10 mm/sec. And we set the performance for min. and max. 10%. And important! Place the process air on "little air" = deactivate in the software.

Then you should see a slightly attached rectangle on your acrylic plate. If not, then increase the performance in 2% steps until you can see a slightly carved rectangle. The so-called ignition performance depends on each laser tube and power supply, as well as controller settings. The ignition performance can be 2% to 20%.

Now increase the performance until you cut through the material in one pass.

My machine now used here and today is a Thunderlaser Nova 35 with 80 watt glass tube. Here I am at a speed of 10 mm/sec. and an output of 30% came in one pass through the material. If you could only cut with 70% or 80% power by material, then stay with the speed and write down your setting. 

I will continue to test now and now play with the speed!

Now briefly on the topic: "Real PMMA"?

If your cut edge is transparent and not yellowish or brownish, then your material is ok.

Now it needed a few tests. So power to 80% and then the speed doubles to 20 mm/sec. Cut through immediately! 

Then increased to 30 mm/sec = not cut through. So then tried 25 mm/sec and just cut through sooo. You also noticed a slight degree and more riffels in the lower cutting area. So again to 20 mm/sec. And so I can cut through well on the entire work surface.

Now you have probably noticed that you have notches on the edges below where the material is located directly on the honeycomb grille.

These are bullets from the back reef lextion of the laser beam back onto the material surface.

If you want to prevent these shots in the edges, simply put a few acrylic parts under. You will definitely have a few of your tests!

And now I hope you enjoy acrylic lasers! 

Happy laser with Allplast laser!