Paper, cardboard and cellulosic materials
Paper and cardboard are the cheapest prototyping material there is, and the laser and plotter love them: fast cuts, low power, almost zero cost to try and fail.
How to read the table
Laser — “Yes”, among the easiest materials to cut; the only real caution is the fire risk (never leave the machine unattended). Cutting plotter — an excellent heat-free alternative for paper and card. CNC and 3D printing — “No”: not relevant to this family.
Paper and cellulosics
Paper, card and corrugated cardboard. Among the easiest and fastest materials on the laser and plotter, at minimal cost. The only real caution is the fire risk: low power, high speed, and never leave the machine unattended.
| Material | Laser | CNC | 3D printing | Food safe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balsa sheets (thin sheet) | Yes | With limitations | No | No |
| Common paper (80–120 g/m²) | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Parchment paper | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Cardstock (250–400 g/m²) | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Grey modelling cardboard | Yes | No | No | No |
| Corrugated cardboard | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Mylar / Melinex (PET Film) | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Working with Paper, cardboard and cellulosic materials: what to know
On the CO2 laser, paper, card and cardboard cut and engrave at low power and high speed, very cleanly. Precisely for this reason the typical mistake is to underestimate the fire risk: cellulose is flammable, and excessive power or a repeated pass can trigger a flare-up. The rule is never to leave the machine unattended while cutting paper, and to keep at hand the means to smother an incipient fire.
Corrugated cardboard is perfect for quick three-dimensional mock-ups and trial packaging; card is the classic support for die-cuts, cards and architectural models. For those without a laser, cutting plotters and home “craft cutters” cover paper and thin card very well with the blade alone.
This family concerns neither CNC nor 3D printing. A note on food safety: paper in contact with food depends entirely on coatings and treatments (waxes, lamination), not on the cellulose itself.