Out of all possible engraving methods, lasers deliver the highest degree of precision, and in some cases, are the only option to etch into hard, dense, or extremely small surfaces. If you're less familiar with this compared to other methods but are considering a switch, what should you know about laser engraving? Compared to all similar methods, laser engraving offers the greatest efficiency. Edges come out even, the material remains intact, and production, from engraving a name into a trophy to modifying jewelry, takes far less time than with manual methods. On a basic level, three parts make up every laser engraver: a controller, the laser beam, and a surface for the material to sit. Mirrors magnify and direct pulses of light, which heat and vaporize the material to create a permanent mark.
The spot where the laser comes in contact with the material's surface – often a fraction of a millimeter – is called the "focal point." At this microscopic area, the laser emits enough energy to transform the material's surface. The material may heat and vaporize or, if denser, may fracture or flake off. Particularly if the material and laser create a vapor, the machine's blower or exhaust system removes any smoke and fumes.
Depending upon the design given to the controller, the laser engraver uses two methods to execute the task: Vector engraving simply has the laser following the line and curve of the drawing, while raster engraving has a back-and-forth, printer-like motion. The latter is particularly suited for jobs in which bold lettering or continuous areas require engraving.
Regardless of how the machine works, several materials benefit from the strength and precision of laser engravers. CO2 laser machines, the most common on the market, provide the right level of energy for engraving materials like wood, plastic, glass, rubber, and many more.
Jamieson Laser sells many different laser engravers including desktop, mid-size, large-size, and industrial machines that outperform standard engraving systems in terms of speed and productivity. Today, laser engraving can be done much easier and faster and is used in a wide range of applications and industries.
Innovative laser engravers are used for diverse applications, such as engraving materials like wood, hard paper, fiberboard, finished leather, latex, and plastics.
A laser engraver from Jamieson Laser can be used flexibly and adapted to many diverse applications, including individual needs just as easily as mass production.
These small scale models are just a few examples of different materials that can be engraved by one of our laser machines. Check out our samples page to see what else our laser engravers can do.