Difference Between Laser Engraving, Etching and Marking

The craze for laser engraving, marking and etching is increasing day-by-day because of the regulations set by the government regarding product identification.

All of them provide permanent marking solutions that can add that distinct mark on your products.

But, there are only a few people who understand the difference between them. While these three techniques look similar, their applications set them apart.

 The major difference between laser marking, engraving and etching lies in what they could do to the marking surfaces. The difference also lies in how deep the laser goes and the way it changes its overall appearance.

Laser marking damages the surface of the material, whereas laser etching and engraving removes the portion of the area it marks.

The other difference between laser engraving and etching is the depth at which it enters the surface.

Without any further ado, let’s explore more differences between them.

1. Laser Marking Process

Laser marking is the process when beam comes in contact with the surface of any material and alters its properties or appearances. You should use laser machines having parts like Mazak parts, Fanuc spare parts, and Fanuc CNC parts for best laser marking results.

Here we have mentioned steps for laser marking which will give you some insights on how it works.

• It uses a method called distortion by moving a low powered beam across the material. This creates high contrast marks without damaging the material.
• Laser heats the material and causes the oxidation under the surface turning the material black.
• It uses low temperature to solidify the surface.
• The major advantage is that all these steps do not damage the surface.

Now, let's look at some of the characteristics which make it different from the other two:

• Laser marking is not a common thing and there are only a few that provide these services.
• It is known as laser coloration, laser dark marking or charring when it works with plastic materials or annealing metals.

There are four types of laser marking:

                 - Annealing

                 - Carbon migration

                 - Foaming

                 - Coloration

Laser marking is popular in the medical device industry for marking stainless steel and titanium parts, but you can use it on other materials as well.

A laser market is perfect for bar codes, UID codes, QR codes, logos, etc.

2. Laser Engraving Process:

In laser engraving, the laser beam physically removes the surface of the material and exposes a portion of the image at the eye level.

Let’s look at laser engraving steps:

• Laser releases excessive heat during the engraving process which results in vaporization of the material.
• It is a quick process that vaporizes materials at each pulse.
• This makes the surface vulnerable and noticeable to eyes and you can touch it too.
• If you want deeper marks on the material then make sure that you repeat the process several times.
• Below mentioned are features of laser engraving which will help you know the difference between them and the other too:

There are three types of laser engraving: - Etching - Deep laser engraving - Laser ablation

• The major difference between the above three engraving types is the surface you are engraving and how much you remove.
• Maximum engraving depth for metal is 0.020” but it can even go as deep as 0.125” in materials like graphite.
• Mostly, people use engraving when they want to create personalized items.
• It is not suitable to mark the critical parts.
• It is the fastest way to create a mark with a laser.
• It’s suitable for parts expected to experience high wear and tear.
• You can use it to engrave serial numbers and logos, among other things.
• You can engrave on almost any kind of surfaces like metal, plastic, wood, leather, and glass.

3. Laser Etching Process:

It is a subset of laser engraving. It occurs when the heat from the beam melts the surface of the material. For best results, invest in parts like Mazak parts and Fanuc CNC parts.

Below mentioned are some of its characteristics:

• It uses excessive heat to melt the surface of the material.
• It expands material to create a raising mark.
• The depth here is 0.001”.

The major difference between laser etching and the other two are:

• Laser etching changes the reflectivity and increases the contrast of the metal and so it is preferable when you want to provide a better finish.
• It removes 0.001” or less from the material.
• Etching works on bare, plated metal surfaces, polymers or ceramics.

Wrapping it up:

I know there’s a lot of confusion about these terms among people which is common and people use it interchangeably very often, but there are wide differences between them and their applications. After selecting the process, make sure you are choosing a laser machine with the right laser parts like Mazak parts, Fanuc spare parts, etc.

Evolution of the Press Brake

Bending a metal sheet is a pretty difficult task and as a fabricator, you might know just how challenging it is. But there are press brakes now. They have definitely made this task a little less difficult.

Being a proud owner of press brake, you might know the details of its evolution.

No? 

Don’t worry, because we are going to talk about just that in this article. The evolution of press brake machines.

Technology advancements have brought immense growth and expansion for every industry. Be it automotive, travel, education, metal fabrication, you name it; technology is there.

Digitalizing the automotive industry has helped companies to increase competitiveness among themselves. Additionally, it is even enhancing customer satisfaction and provides them with an excellent quality of service.

Similarly, in education, digitalization helps in making sure that education reaches everyone. Not only this but online learning also benefits people a lot as it makes knowledge easily accessible.

But we are here to talk about digitalization of the metal fabrication industry.

So, let’s look at how the evolution of technology provides ease to a fabricator.

Fabrication technology plays a vital role in changing the metal forming and welding. One tool which has changed a lot is Press Brake. Do you remember the time when you would bend sheets using manual press brake and how difficult it would be? Now there are hydraulic or electric press brakes that increase productivity and decrease costs.

So, let’s see how they evolved and where we stand with press brakes today.

This evolution of press brakes took place in three parts:

• Drive Systems
• Automation
• Coordinated Flow

In this article, we will explore the evolution of drive systems and automation which led to invention portal press brakes.

1. Drive Systems

In the early 1960s, there was mechanical press brake. The system had a motor with clutch, flywheel, eccentric crank and brake and can generate only 30 strokes per minute.

The mechanical press was popular for sheet metal industry’s mass production for a long time but then the needs were changing which, in turn, led to changes in press brakes.

By the time production became the new craze in metal fabrication, fabricators demanded their machines to be flexible in function and to have better capabilities to create custom products for consumers in a short time.

The change in consumer production led to the development of hydraulic press brake. It had controls for ram speeds, stroke lengths, applied force, and angle controls. Despite the slow pace, these brakes were useful until electric press brakes replaced them.

The introduction of the electric press brake was needed because of high demands, needs and constant change from customers’ behavior. It helped in increasing production speed for fabricators.

The electric press brake and the hybrid hydraulic electric drives have the approach speeds of 700 inches per minute (IPM) and bending speed as low as 5 inches per minute (IPM).

The different capabilities of these machines permit better functioning, efficiency, and precision in every bend.

2. Automation

The Industrial Revolution went on for over 150 years and played a vital role in the way we see manufacturing.

Before, press brake operators spent a large amount of time in programming, test bending, inspecting and adjusting the products and machines.

Current press brakes can perform accurate measurements and solve angular errors if any. It offers precise bending and better customization without you having to pay a lot of attention. All thanks to technology and parts like Mitsubishi laser parts and Mazak laser parts.

This revolution has improved the storage and the use of computer programs has made it easy to design and setup machines. It also helps in speeding up the designing process making the fabrication process faster and precise.

3. Ease of Use

Portable press brake comes with improved speed and makes the fabrication process easy. These machines are smaller and occupy little space in shops. Their size makes it easy to transport and use it.

Regardless of the fabrication project, the usage of press brake allows work to finish with less production time and ease. Once the sheets are ready, they are cut into sizable sheets using laser cutting with parts like Mitsubishi laser parts and Mazak laser parts.

Wrapping it up:

Digitalization has always helped mankind. Be it in automobiles, education, fabrication industry, etc. It brings ease to human life. The technology revolution which happened in the fabrication industry made the bending of materials and lives of fabricators easier. Apart from technology, quality parts like Mitsubishi laser parts and Mazak laser parts have also played a vital role in the improvement of press brakes.

Five Tips to Start Successful Laser Engraving Business

Want to start your own laser engraving business? Or thinking of adding a new vertical of laser cutting to your current business? To bring more diversity and uniqueness to your table. Or looking to add some creative side to the business which can help you earn extra?

If yes, then this article is the perfect place to start.

To help you understand and set up the laser engraving and cutting business, here we are with the steps you can follow:

1. Create a plan

Planning is the foundation for any business. Without planning you cannot move your business in the right direction. So, before you place an order for your laser engraving machine you need to create a strong business plan.

Make sure to:

• Determine your target.
• Understand your competitors.
• Describe your company’s vision precisely.
• Prepare a solid marketing plan.
• Figure out a structure for your business.
• Set funding.
• Create a budget.
• Add emotional touch to your products.

2. Set goals

You need to set a target and time limit to achieve those targets. Make a very minute set of goals like what do you want to accomplish in the next three months or six months or a year?

Understand, while preparing this target don’t set an unachievable goal. Set realistic goals that will help you get nearer to your goals. It even helps you to know exactly where you need to focus to grow your business to the next level. 

Setting goals gives you full control over the outcome of your business and it even provides you motivation to keep going further to achieve success.

3. Add value to your products

Adding personalization is trending. Many big brands like Starbucks, Spotify, etc. also add personalization to their offerings.

Thinking, why do they add up such things?

It’s simple. To promote their brand in a personalized way to stay relevant in this ever-changing market. People are ready to purchase and even pay premiums on the things with which they can relate. 

Millennials like to invest in things like personalized diaries, t-shirts, bottles, mugs, etc. Hence, you should study and try to understand the current trends of the market before finalizing your products. Also, to make quality products, invest in high-grade laser parts like Trumpf eco nozzle and precitec nozzles.

This will help you add value to your products and additionally, making it easier for you to promote your products.

In today’s era, personalization is the key and as a store owner, you need to work according to customers’ needs.

4. Promote your brand every day

For any business, marketing is the key to success. You cannot miss on this point as without marketing it is possible your business stops growing.

For laser engraving business, you need to understand that what you are offering is something unique and it is easy for people to miss it. Especially if you are making something intricate using Trumpf eco nozzle and precitec nozzles.

People think it is something they don’t really need. So, you need to show your products and educate your audience of the product.

Don’t worry, it’s not as difficult as you think. All you need to do is add some extra efforts in marketing whilst keeping the message same across all the channels.

The way you do marketing speaks a lot about your brand so make sure to prepare a proper plan before running your marketing campaign. 

Here, we have shared some ideas to market your laser engraving business:

Start by offering some giveaways to the community. Tie-up with some non-profit organizations and give them your products for free. 

This can be the foundation and at the same time, it will even help you introduce your company. You can even donate a few things like small signboards, placards, etc. Small giveaways like this will help you stand out and at the same time, they will even help you promote your brand.

5. Give yourself an opportunity to explore

It does not matter if designing is not your strong point. There are many online sites where you can download unique design files. These designs can be free or paid but you can easily use them and engrave them on your products.  A small price for bigger pays off.

Wrapping it up:

Laser engraving is a vast field. And you can easily explore it by taking a small risk. The tips described above will make sure that you don’t face any major obstacles while setting up your business. Also, only invest in quality laser machines and parts like Trumpf eco nozzle and precitec nozzles.

Revisiting the Basics of Laser Cutting

Laser, a technical word, is one of the most common words which we have been using and hearing for a long time.

But,

Did you know that laser is an acronym for “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation”? It is a byword for efficiency and quality in materials processing since its emergence in the sixties.

It offers an entirely new way of using energy which helps manufacturing, medicine, and communications. You can heat, melt and even vaporize materials using lasers. It is an ideal medium for channelizing intense but controllable energy.

But they are most popular for cutting.

So, let’s brush up the basics of laser cutting and its uses?

Laser cutting is the thermal process that focuses laser beams on a particular area to melt material. It uses a coaxial gas jet to eject molten material and create a kerf.

As the laser beam or workpiece moves continuously under CNC control, it produces a cut.

There are three varieties of laser cutting:

1. Fusion Cutting
2. Flame Cutting
3. Remote Cutting

Let’s look at each in brief.

Fusion cutting: This cutting uses molten material to expel the kerf. Nitrogen gas does not react with molten material and as a result, it does not contribute to the energy input. It is advisable to use lasers with Trumpf spare parts and Fanuc spare parts for the best quality work.

Flame cutting: This laser cutting uses oxygen along with other gases and exerts the mechanical force on the molten material. This, in turn, creates an exothermic reaction which increases the energy input process.

Remote cutting: In this laser cutting, the material partially evaporates because of the high-intensity laser beam. As a result, this cuts the thin sheets without using any gas.

You can use automation in the laser cutting process using offline CAD/CAM systems. It helps in controlling three-axis flatbed systems or six-axis robots for three-dimensional laser cutting.

With the improvements in accuracy, edge squareness, and heat input control, the laser cutting technique is replacing other profiling cutting techniques like plasma and oxy-fuel.

Let’s look at the most vital thing in a laser cutting machine which we tend to forget easily.

Yes, you guessed it right, we are talking about the lens in laser cutting machines. We often forget that lenses can affect the thickness of the cut which is important for the cut.

So, let’s understand how it works.

In laser cutting, you focus laser beams using a lens (sometimes a concave mirror) on a small spot where you need to produce a laser cut.

One can define a lens by its focal length. And what is focal length? It’s the distance from the lens to the focused point.

There are two basic things which affect the efficiency of laser cutting:

1. Focused point diameter(d)
2. Depth of focus (L) - Focal Length

The effective distance which gives you satisfactory cuts is known as the depth of the focus. You can also define it as the distance at which the area of the spot doesn’t increase beyond 50%.

These two things, depth of focus and focal spot diameter, depend on the raw laser beam diameter on the lens and the focal length of the lens. And on the spare parts you use. For best results, use Trumpf spare parts and Fanuc spare parts.

Understand, constant raw laser beam diameter decreases the focal length of the focusing lens which results in smaller focal spot diameter and focus depth.

If there is a constant focus length lens then it increases raw beam diameter which reduces the spot diameter and depth of focus.

To compare lasers with different beam diameters we use focus f-number, which is focal length, F, and then divide it by incoming raw beam diameter, D.

There are two major requirements you need to consider for laser cutting:

1. High power density which focuses on small spot size.
2. Long depth of focus to process thick materials providing a reasonable amount of tolerance to focus on position variation.

But, the problem occurs when we realize that these two requirements are in conflict and you need to make some or the other compromises.

Hence, you need to consider the fact if the focal length is short, then the lens would be closer to the workpiece which can cause damages to the lens during the cutting process.

Wrapping it up:

It is necessary to understand the basics of any machinery part before you buy it. Because as an owner of that product you need to understand why you are investing in that thing and how even a small machinery part can impact highly on your business. Also, make sure to replace any worn out parts with only high-quality parts like Trumpf spare parts and Fanuc spare parts.

Eight Unique Laser Engraving Gift Ideas For New Year

It's our favorite season of the year. Snowfall, the smell of baked cookies, and smiles everywhere. Everyone is in their blankets, sipping on hot coffee and spending some quality time with their families.

On top of that, everyone is discussing the presents they bought and are excited to exchange them.

There are chances that maybe you forgot to purchase gifts, have not yet decided what to gift. Or maybe you just wish to give something unique and personalized; not the mass-produced market gifts.

Due to the holiday season, the stores might have run out of quality gifts too because of which now you are facing difficulty in searching for a perfect holiday gift for your family members.

Don’t worry. You can also go for an innovative solution like gifting laser-engraved products.

Laser engraving is a booming industry and laser-engraved products provide that personalized touch to gifts.

And with the improved precision in laser-engraving machines having the right Amada spare parts, you can get as creative as you wish to be. So, if you are thinking of gifting a personalized laser-engraved gift to your loved ones, then here are some ideas for you.

1. Cutting Boards

You can pick the cutting board of your choice and engrave it with some design patterns or name of the person you want to gift. You can choose the cutting board of any size or shape, you can easily engrave them according to your choice.

2. Leather Dog Collar

Do you have someone in the family who just loves their dog? Then an engraved leather dog collar can be a special gift for them. You might be aware that for pet lovers their pet holds a special place in their life. Hence, this can be a gift for any of your cousins or aunt who is a pet lover.

Now, leather is not an easy material to engrave on, so make sure you are hiring a laser engraver with at least 2-3 years of experience and has a machine equipped with Amada spare parts.

3. Tea Coasters

If nothing, then the engraved tea coasters will definitely come to your rescue. You can gift some beautifully engraved tea coasters to your aunts. You can engrave words like “Merry Christmas”, “Happy New Year”, etc. on the coaster to add some festive feeling.

4. Phone Cases

A phone is something people always carry with them. You can gift a phone case to anyone in the family. Be it your siblings, cousins, or any of your distant relatives. These customized gifts will remind them about you every time they look at their phone with the phone cover you gave them. A memory of yours that they will cherish.

5. Customized Sports Items

We all have one extremely hyped sports enthusiast in our family. Don’t we? So, for that hyped-up family member, you can gift them with engraved sports equipment like an engraved football, volleyball, hockey stick, baseball bat, etc. depending on their favorite sports.

6. Laser Cut Earrings

If you have to pick a perfect gift for your girlfriend, wife, or even your grandmother, then a unique handmade laser-engraved earring is what you want. You can get them in any material you want; wood, oxidized metal, platinum, and such.

7. Music Instruments

Giving an engraved musical instrument to the music lover in your family can be the perfect gift. If they play an instrument, then your gift will be a special memory for them which they will cherish forever. We all know how musicians have a special bonding with their instruments.

8. Laser Engraved Keychain Holder

The keychain holder is one of the basic things we all use in our day-to-day lives. It is an ideal family gift. You can ask the store owner to engrave the initials of the family or a person you want to gift.

You can also get some other things engraved that they might like or things which remind them of you.

Laser Engraving Machines

It’d be foolish for you to invest in a laser engraving machine just so you could make some personalized laser-engraved gifts for the holiday season. Here, an economical choice would be to reach out to a laser engraver who is experienced in the field. They will get the quality work done at low costs.

Things to take care of before hiring a laser engraver:

• Make sure they have enough laser engraving machine as you don’t want to give a badly engraved gift to your loved ones.
• The laser engraver is using quality parts and spare parts like Amada press brake and Amada spare parts. If you have a friend who does the laser engraving, then you can suggest them to look for Amada press brake for sale online for great deals on quality parts.

Final words:

There’s still time left to get the best gift for your loved ones. It only requires you to get a little creative, find the right engraver, and that’s it! You’ll have the perfect gift in no time and will be everyone’s favorite gifter.

An Insight into Laser Engraving Bricks

Bricks are probably the oldest building blocks humans invented. The first bricks date back to 800 BC when Palestinians would dry clay mud in the sun to make simple bricks. Since then, bricks have been an important part of the construction industry.

Brick marking methods have been in use for years. What makes bricks a popular choice for fundraising or donor campaigns is their durability. Though traditional methods like sandblasting and pantographing are still in use, laser engraving is the latest and most promising.

How to Start with Laser Engraving Bricks

The very first requirement for laser engraving bricks is a brick engraving machine. The brick engraving machine you choose should be reliable.

A good engraving machine will help you save time, eliminate additional costs and make long-lasting fundraising bricks.

When you buy a brick engraving machine, you must consider these points in mind.

1. Power 

Before choosing a brick engraving laser machine, make sure that it is a CO2 laser. Also, ensure that it is of at least 80-watt power. Though you can engrave bricks with a lower power laser machine, it will take more attempts to get the look you desire.

2. Size 

You should choose a bigger size engraving machine with a large bed. This will facilitate the engraving of multiple bricks in one go. And it will escalate productivity.

3. Experience 

Ensure that the company you have chosen to buy the laser machine has experience with brick engraving.

4. No Additional Costs 

Make sure that your laser machine comes with all the accessories and software you need to start brick-engraving. Minimizing additional costs is what you should focus on.

5. Warranty and Support Ask everything about the warranty period, support and other facilities you’ll get post the purchase. It is better to know everything beforehand rather than facing issues later.

6. Proper Maintenance 

Once you buy a laser machine, it is important to maintain it properly. Take care of accessories that wear out. And replace them to reduce losses. Even after the warranty period gets over, never compromise with the quality of spare parts. Always use good quality spare parts FANUC parts, Mazak spare parts, or any other good company’s spare parts.

How Can You Earn Huge Profits with Laser Engraved Bricks?

Earning huge profits by laser engraving bricks is simple. Many different places like hospitals, memorials, zoos, universities, etc. need brick engraving for various purposes. For instance, schools sometimes may require laser engraving for alumni recognition, displaying school pride through engraving a mascot or other custom artwork. Also, schools can make pathways, patios, and gardens, etc. with laser engraved bricks.

Even one or two orders for a walkway or garden can bring in great income in a shorter span. This way, you are sure to earn huge profits with brick engraving technology.

Advantages of Brick Engraving

1.  A Simpler and Faster Process 

Brick Engraving with laser is much simpler than traditional brick marking methods of pantographing and sandblasting. All you need to do is create a design of your choice and push start after sending it to the laser. Further, it is possible to engrave multiple bricks simultaneously, thus making it a faster process.

2. Eco-Friendly and More Stable 

Unlike sandblasting and pantographing, laser engraving doesn’t require epoxies, chemicals or fillers. Hence, it is eco-friendlier. Further, sandblasting uses fillers to fill the areas that get chipped away during the process. However, these areas under constant sunlight, harsh weather conditions, or acid rain cause bricks to deteriorate. And even if you avoid fillers in sandblasting, moisture will go down deep into the bricks and break them down.

3. Integrity Remains Intact 

While some brick areas get chipped away during sandblasting and pantographing, it doesn’t happen during laser engraving. Their structural integrity remains intact. And they are stronger and durable throughout.

4. Low Maintenance 

Once set up, laser engraving machines require low maintenance. And good quality spare and replacement parts like Mazak spare parts, Fanuc parts, or spare parts from any other good company are easily available.

Summing Up 

Thus, you see that brick engraving is an easy source of huge income and profits. All you need is to select a suitable brick engraving laser machine for your job. And maintain it with proper measures and good quality spare parts like FANUC parts and Mazak spare parts, etc.

Laser Machine: Icing on the Cake in Gift Industry

The holiday season is around the corner and people are enthusiastically going around the city to purchase things for their family members and loved ones. It is very obvious for them to come to a gift shop and look for things that their family members might love.

The challenge for you, as a gift shop owner, increases during this time of the year because you have to continuously find ways to add more creativity to your shop. Additionally, you also need to check that the products you have should grab your customers’ attention.

Hence, in this article, we’ve added something which will help you to add creativity and uniqueness to your gift shop.

Firstly, you might have come across a variety of personalization and never-ending requests from your customers. As an owner, it might be extremely difficult to cope with their ever-increasing demands for unique products.

To cater to these unique demands and requirements your one-stop solution is laser engraving. Yes, you heard it right! Just imagine the impossible things you can create with a laser engraving machine. It’s the perfect opportunity to specialize and create unique products and make a name for yourself in the industry.

With the right laser engraving machine equipped with Amada laser parts or Trumpf laser parts, there are no limits to your target audience and market. People with culinary interests, or customer base that loves handcrafted things? You can specialize in creating may be butcher blocks or cheese boards? Or creating unique things with leather or paper is your skill? There is always a place for creativity in the laser engraving industry. Using a laser engraving machine, you can make your shop the perfect place for personalized gifts.

Now let’s talk about the benefits and uniqueness it provides to your customers and business:

1. Widespread Benefits:

Laser engraving and cutting are growing for many years in the gift industry because of its infinite number of applications. Especially the laser machine with Amada laser parts and Trumpf laser parts. You can engrave or cut a variety of materials and things like leather, fabrics, wood, keychains, food, etc. using an engraving machine. There have been many advancements in laser engraving which have helped businesses flourish.

2. Return on Investment:

Of course, investing in laser machines is a big thing. But businesses receive a high return on investment through the unique customized items they provide. Using the laser engraving machines, you can create customized products like engraved tumblers, tin cans, a popular engraved Christmas cookie box, etc. Anything your customers can imagine.

3. Broaden possibilities of personalization:

According to a survey done, customers are ready to pay extra for personalized products. And we as human beings are very likely to attach with personalized products. Isn’t it obvious that even today we are all thrilled when we see keychains with our names engraved on them? Why? because that is something personal to us and carries a special value in our life.

Usage of laser machines with Trumpf laser parts for your business can draw people’s attention by using personalization as a key point for selling. Imagine jewelers offering custom engraved jewelry. Customers embrace the idea of customizing things with special quotes, important dates, custom necklaces, watches, etc. You might be thinking that isn’t it common for other business owners to follow the same personalized engraving products and sell them. Yes, it is but it all depends on your marketing skills and the uniqueness of your product.

4. Uniqueness:

Is your business already ahead in the gift industry? If so, why not take advantage of laser engraving and cutting machine. As we discussed above, this will help you to boost your sales. Personalized, creative and unique ideas are always in fashion. Customers want things that help them create memories. Just put yourself in the shoes of your customer and imagine the things that will make them go ah! That’s all you need to know. These things make it easy for you to decide the type of designs you should bring on a table which reflects the uniqueness and creativity of your work.

Final Word:

Personalized gifts are always in demand and will always be. Everyone likes them as they wish to stand out of the crowd. The receiver feels special upon receiving such gifts. We strongly recommend you to use the laser engraving machine if you are a gift shop owner or even thinking of starting one. Most of the gift owners might underestimate the power of laser engraving and that’s where you can take advantage of it.

So, ready to add this magic to your business?