HOW DOES LASER ENGRAVING WORK?

HOW DOES LASER ENGRAVING WORK?

What is laser engraving and how does it work?

Laser engraving is a process that vaporizes materials into fumes to engrave permanent, deep

marks. The laser beam acts as a chisel, incising marks by removing layers from the surface

of the material. The laser hits localized areas with massive levels of energy to generate

the high heat required for vaporization.
    To choose the right laser marking process, you should rely on three factors:       
            The markings resistance: the capacity to remain legible under harsh conditions 

 
            The laser marking speed: the marking time that prevents production bottlenecks
       
            The material being marked: its compatibility with the marking method
    Small

Laser Engraving Machine is typically used to engrave metal workpieces that will be

exposed to various types of wear or surface treatments. Metal engraving works with steel

and aluminum (including anodized and die-casting aluminum).
    The most outstanding feature of this process is its ability to engrave 2D codes that

keep high readability rates after post-process treatments. Those treatments can include

shot blasting, e-coating and heat treatments, addressing the most complex traceability

issues.
    But if engraving the most resistant identifiers is not needed, laser etching is

generally preferred because it’s a high-speed method that does not rely as heavily on

ablation.

    From Solid to Gas: How It Works
    Whereas laser etching melts the material surface to change its roughness,

Laser Engraver sublimates the material

surface to create deep crevices. This means that the surface instantly absorbs enough

energy to change from solid to a gas without ever becoming a liquid.
    To achieve sublimation, the Portable Laser Engraving Machine system

must generate enough energy to allow the material’s surface to reach its vaporization

temperature within milliseconds. Considering the extreme temperatures required for

sublimation, laser engravers are pretty powerful tools.
    Materials are vaporized into fumes when they reach this temperature. As a result, when

you buy a laser system, it should always come equipped with a fume extraction system to

protect the work environment and an air knife to protect the laser’s lens.
    Fiber lasers are the ideal engraving tools for this because they generate a wavelength

that reacts well with metals.
    Find a Laser Engraving Machine
    If you are looking for a Laser

Engraving Machine, this list will help you find the right laser:     
            To integrate custom solutions yourself or with an integrator, view our OEM

marking systems, including multiple types of lasers for industrial applications. Our range

of laser systems includes fiber lasers and CO2 lasers.
            For turnkey automated or semi-automated laser solutions, consult our integrated

laser machines page，
            To find information specific to the metal you’ll be marking, scroll through

the list of metals.
            If you need guidance, you can always ask an expert.
    Why lasers are used for cutting
    Lasers are used for many purposes. One way they are used is for cutting metal plates.

On mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminum plate, the Laser Cutting Machine is highly accurate, yields excellent cut

quality, has a very small kerf width and small heat affect zone, and makes it possible to

cut very intricate shapes and small holes.
    Most people already know that the word “LASER” is actually an acronym for Light

Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. But how does light cut through a steel

plate?
    How it works
    The laser beam is a column of very high intensity light, of a single wavelength, or

color. In the case of a typical CO2 laser, that wavelength is in the Infra-Red part of the

light spectrum, so it is invisible to the human eye. The beam is only about 3/4 of an inch

in diameter as it travels from the laser resonator, which creates the beam, through the

machine’s beam path. It may be bounced in different directions by a number of mirrors, or

“beam benders” before it is finally focused onto the plate. The focused laser beam goes

through the bore of a nozzle right before it hits the plate. Also flowing through that

nozzle bore is a compressed gas, such as Oxygen or Nitrogen.
    Focusing the laser beam can be done by a special lens, or by a curved mirror, and this

takes place in the Wood Laser Cutting Machine head. The beam has to be precisely focused so

that the shape of the focus spot and the density of the energy in that spot is perfectly

round and consistent, and centered in the nozzle. By focusing the large beam down to a

single pinpoint, the heat density at that spot is extreme. Think about using a magnifying

glass to focus the sun’s rays onto a leaf, and how that can start a fire. Now think about

focusing 6 KWatts of energy into a single spot, and you can imagine how hot that spot will

get.