Working with TroLase Foil

TroLase Foil: Engraving a foil has never been easier

TroLase Foil is a two-layer material with a self-adhesive backing. The thickness of this material is 0.2 mm, which makes it an ideal substrate for labels and stickers on curved or rounded surfaces. Perfectly suited for laser engraving and laser cutting, TroLase Foil produces drastically less warping compared to other foil products when laser processed.

TroLase Foil laser processing
Large-scale engraving with TroLase Foil

In order to produce a high-quality large-scale engraving on TroLase Foil products, follow the steps below:

  • Low laser power:
    In order to achieve highly detailed engravings without undulation, it is recommended that a low laser power setting be selected. This recommendation is due to the extremely thin top layer of the material. If a job involves both fine details and large area engraving, it is suggested to use two engraving parameters.
  • DPI:
    It is recommended that a DPI of 500 be used with this material.
  • Z-offset:
    For a highly detailed fine engraving, it is recommended that the z-offset is 0 mm. For surface engravings, a z-offset of 1-2 mm is recommended.
  • Air Assist and lens:
    When engraving TroLase Foil, use the Air Assist nozzle with the largest hole diameter and either a 1.5" or 2" lens.
kiss cut TroLase Foil
Kiss cuts with TroLase Foil

With Trotec’s TroLase Foil products, a kiss cut can be achieved. With this material type, a kiss cut would involve using a low laser power setting to cut through the laminate portion of the foil while leaving the adhesive foil on the back intact. This cutting method allows for sheets of materials to be processed without "weeding" or "fishing" out excess scrap material. If selecting the kiss cut parameters in the laser software, a vacuum table can be used because it is not a through cut method.

Processing TroLase Foil with a fiber laser

Metallic variations of the TroLase Foil product line can achieve results with rich contrast when processed on a fiber laser. A solid black mark without erosion will be the end result due to the discoloration of the plastic when laser processed. It is recommended to use a fiber laser when attempting to increase contrast and visibility of small details.

TroLase Foil
TroLase Foil and TroLase Lights

Trotec offers a comparable product to TroLase Foils: TroLase Lights. Both products are suited for detailed engravings. Here are a few points of comparison:

  • Material thickness: TroLase Foil 0.2 mm, TroLase Lights 0.1 mm
  • Adhesive backing comes standard for both product lines.
  • The acrylic base of TroLase Foil products allows for a homogeneous engraving result, even with large-scale engravings. TroLase Lights are primarily suited for smaller detailed engravings.
  • Both product lines are excellent for engraving fine details.
  • The tear strength of TroLase Foil is lower than TroLase Lights due to a PET foil.