| The laser engraving industry is relatively | | | | (Plexiglas), PETG, thin polycarbonates |
| new. When lasers appeared on the market it | | | | (Mylar), styrene expanded PVC (Sintra), wood, |
| didn't take long for the engraving industry | | | | paper and fabric. And laser cutting adds high |
| to discover that lasers could be used for a | | | | precision, reduced contamination or warping, |
| wide variety of industrial applications | | | | and a quality finish to industrial cutting |
| including welding, heat-treating, etching and | | | | applications. It offers a superior cut-edge |
| engraving. Think of a laser as a light source | | | | quality with parallel sides and no burrs. |
| similar to a light bulb; a light bulb will | | | | |
| emit energy out all around it rather than | | | | Laser marking services can be used for many |
| focused. Almost all materials can be laser | | | | thousands of applications from computer |
| engraved or laser marked. | | | | keyboards to special promotional gifts. |
| | | | Because no inks are used the marking services |
| There are a many advantages to using a laser | | | | are both permanent and the process is kind to |
| over other methods of engraving; first of | | | | the environment. The marking is flexible, |
| all, because the tool is a beam of light, | | | | programmable and environmentally clean. |
| there is no product contact, which translates | | | | |
| into less chance of product damage or | | | | And laser marking of glass by Co2 lasers on |
| deformation. Unlike the conventional | | | | the fly or while moving can be an excellent |
| engravers some engravers use an intense beam | | | | addition for many industrial environments and |
| of light instead of a rotating or vibrating | | | | applications for glass marking. Co2 lasers |
| tool; this beam can either vaporize a small | | | | can provide excellent results for marking |
| area of the surface (laser engraving) or | | | | glass and also provide significant reductions |
| cause a change in the color of the surface of | | | | in operating costs and cost of supplies. You |
| the material (laser marking) this beam is | | | | can laser mark most plastics from cattle tags |
| controlled by a computer at very high speeds | | | | to backlit day/night key switches. |
| and accuracy to give outstanding quality at a | | | | |
| very cost-effective price. | | | | Products that can use this process to engrave |
| | | | include wedding giveaways, nametags, table |
| With advanced software you can laser engrave | | | | nameplates, trophies, woods, etc. And |
| just about anything from Bar Codes and 2D | | | | engraving metal uses the most power |
| codes to photographs and company logos. Some | | | | especially if the metal is of the harder |
| people call it laser etching; others call it | | | | type. |
| laser engraving but basically the technique | | | | |
| uses a computer-controlled laser beam to mark | | | | There are no consumables so operating costs |
| a surface. | | | | are minimal, and the laser machine and |
| | | | system, if properly exhausted, runs clean, so |
| Laser etching can be used on many materials | | | | that costly cleanup or by-product disposal is |
| including slate, granite, stainless steel, | | | | unnecessary. Also the laser engraving |
| leather, arborite, glass, mirrors, and | | | | services are available today in most |
| premium hard woods. It's the process of | | | | specialty stores because it's now the most |
| marking the material without cutting all the | | | | common type of engraving. Of the many items |
| way through using reduced power. | | | | being laser engraved today, iPods and laptops |
| | | | rank among the most popular in the consumer |
| A laser works well for cutting acrylic | | | | marketplace. |