Guide to Laser Engraving

Tag : laser marking system

Early in the 1960's scientists discovered, that they could create alight source, focus the energy and have a tool powerful enough toaffect a variety of materials. Laser marking is the preferredmarking method when aesthetics or permanency is desired. Sometimeslaser marking is referred to as laser etching; unlike conventionaletching, it needs no masks or chemicals. Etching provides apermanent message on an in-process or finished component like manyinventions of recent times, lasers were conceived in a laboratory.Virtually all materials can be laser engraved or laser marked. Withadvanced software you can laser engrave practically anythingincluding Bar Codes, 2D codes, photographs and company logos andlaser engraving of graphite is a clean operation. Think of a laseras a light source that is similar to a light bulb; a light bulbwill emit energy all around it. The ability to laser cut complexprofiles can eliminate the need for additional operations, makingthis type of cutting highly economical. The laser metal cuttingoption can be added to some of the laser cutting machines. Thiscutting adds high precision, reduced contamination or warping, anda quality finish to industrial cutting applications. You can markmost plastics from cattle tags to backlit day and night keyswitches. Typical industries that use laser marking includepromotional, engineering and medical industries. Because no inksare used it is both permanent and the process is kind to theenvironment. Some of the items that Co2 lasers and Co2 lasersystems can be used include: marking and etching glass or quartz,in the manufacturing of glass doors and windows, for in permanentserial numbering, ANSI safety information, for customer logos, insome decorative or specialty glass manufacturing, in manufacturingdata related to plant, production date and line, and/or in partnumbers. Laser marking services can be used for many thousands ofapplications from computer keyboards to promotional gifts. It'sflexible, programmable and environmentally clean. Laser engravingcan be used for most of the jobs currently being carried out byindustrial engravers. It's also available in most engravingspecialty stores because it's now the most common type ofengraving. Laser engraving, cutting and marking is a versatiletechnology that's being used by many engravers to improveproductivity, add more services to their customers and increaseprofits. Engraving metal uses the most power especially if themetal is a hard metal. There are no consumables to contend with sooperating costs are minimal, and the laser machine and system, ifproperly exhausted, runs clean, so that costly cleanup or byproduct disposal is unnecessary.