Laser Engraving - What You Should Know About Laser Engraving and Laser Engraving Machines

Laser engraving and laser marking are high speed, non-contact methods of permanent marking. Laser etching is basically just another name for laser engraving. Some people just call it laser etching. Others call it laser engraving but basically the technique uses a computer-controlled laser beam to mark a surface. Laser marking is the favored marking method when permanency or aesthetics are desired.

Laser Marking

Laser marking is a process in which material is indelibly marked at very fast speeds (milliseconds per character). Laser marking is flexible, programmable and environmentally clean. Laser marking of glass by Co2 lasers on the fly or while moving can be an excellent addition for many industrial environments and applications for glass marking. Laser marking is also favored when the part to be marked is too small or has too complex a shape to be marked with anything but laser etching.

Co2 lasers can provide excellent results for marking glass and also provide significant reductions in operating costs and cost of supplies. Some the items that Co2 lasers and Co2 laser systems can be utilized for regarding laser marking and etching glass or quartz are float glass plants, manufacturing of glass doors and windows, permanent serial numbering, ANSI safety information, customer logos, decorative or specialty glass manufacturing, manufacturing data related to plant, production date and line, and/or part numbers. Co2 lasers when used to laser mark or laser etch glass and quartz replace traditional methods such as sand blasting, ink pad printing, and etching.

Laser Etching

Laser etching is the process of marking the material without cutting all the way through using reduced power. Laser etching provides a permanent message on an in-process or finished component. Laser etching can be done on many materials including slate, granite, stainless steel, leather, arborite, glass, mirrors, and premium hard woods.

Laser Cutting

Laser cutting offers a superior cut-edge quality with parallel sides and no burrs. The ability to laser cut complex profiles can eliminate the need for additional operations, making laser cutting highly economical. Laser cutting adds high precision, reduced contamination or warping, and a quality finish to industrial cutting applications. The laser metal cutting option can be added to some of the laser cutting machines.

Laser Engraving Machines and Systems

Laser machines and systems are used in a variety of applications and industries including medical device, aerospace, manufacturing, automotive, pharmaceutical, and electronic. A large number of industries, including electronics and communications, glass, medical instruments, tool and die, prefabricated construction and mold making use laser marking machines and systems. Quite a few companies make laser engraving machines, laser marking systems and laser etching equipment.

Laser engraving metal uses the most power especially if the metal is of the harder type. Laser engraving products include wedding giveaways, nametags, table nameplates, trophy engraving, laser wood engraving, etc. Also laser engraving services are available in most engraving specialty stores because it's now the most common type of engraving.

For more information on laser engraving and laser engraving machines, laser marking, laser etching and laser cutting go to http://www.EngravingLaser.net for tips, help, facts, free resources, including information on all types of laser engraving

Laser Cutting

Laser cutting is a technology that uses a laser in cutting different kinds of materials, mostly metals such as carbon steel, aluminum, stainless steel and copper alloys. It is widely used in the metal fabrication industry to increase cutting speed and cutting capacity, reduce production costs, increase productivity and improve cutting quality.

A laser or LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) is a device that generates a highly concentrated monochromatic and coherent beam of light. The light is produced through the process of stimulated emission.

Among the most commonly used laser in cutting is the carbon dioxide laser (CO2 laser), a kind of gas laser that is also used in welding. It is capable of emitting a maximum of 100 kilowatts at 9.6 µm and 10.6 µm and of cutting 20-30 m of one millimeter-thick material in a minute.

Cutting is done by aiming the energy produced by the high-power laser at a small portion of the object to be cut. That small portion is pierced first before a cut is made.

From the small hole, a cut is created either by moving the beam across the area of the material being cut, or by moving the object while the laser is kept still. One can employ both methods. As the intense beam of light strikes the part of the object or material, the latter?s temperature rises, causing it to melt, burn and evaporate even without sufficient amount of heat.

Not all materials require the same amount of laser power (the rate at which energy is delivered by the light). Thicker materials need more laser power while thinner ones need lesser laser power. Usually, carbon dioxide laser cutting is done with 1,000 to 1,500 watts. Materials such as steel need more than two kW.

Compared to other metal cutting procedures, laser cutting is far more advantageous, although it has some disadvantages, too. Its primary advantages are precision, cutting quality, cutting speed and economy. Among its disadvantages is its high voltage requirement. There is also risk of getting serious burns from the laser beam.

Laser Cutting provides detailed information on Laser Cutting, Laser Cutting Companies, Laser Cutting Machines, Laser Cutting Services and more. Laser Cutting is affiliated with Lean Manufacturing Seminars