Laser Engraving Guide: How It Works & 15 Buying Tips

Author: Geoff

Aug. 26, 2024

Machinery

Laser Engraving Guide: How It Works & 15 Buying Tips

In this article, we'll cover some knowledge before buying a suitable laser engraving machine. Here we go:

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit our website.

What are laser engraving machines?

 

 

Laser engraving, a cutting-edge technique known as Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation (LASER), is truly remarkable and incredibly versatile. It utilizes powerful laser beams to precisely remove the top layer of materials, making it a non-contact process that melts and vaporizes the targeted area. This subtractive manufacturing process leaves a permanent and top-quality engraving, perfect for creating intricate designs or markings on a wide range of materials.

With the advancement of laser engraving machines, this technology has become more accessible, opening up new creative possibilities for businesses and individuals alike. It has gained immense popularity across various industries, including manufacturing, awards, trophies, signage, and customized gifts. With the aid of graphic software and adjustable parameters, laser engraving can produce stunning effects such as photo or 3D engraving, further expanding its applications and appeal.

 

How does a laser engraving machine work?

 

 

A laser engraving machine operates by electrically stimulating the molecules of a carbon dioxide gas mixture, producing an invisible intensive beam that can vaporize various materials when focused through a lens. GCC LaserPro laser engravers utilize leading laser tube manufacturers for their power sources, primarily CO2 lasers renowned for their ability to etch or cut non-metal and anodized materials by sculpturing the surface with heat.

Operating the laser system for engraving and cutting is straightforward for customers, akin to using a paper printer. Graphics software like CorelDraw can be installed on Windows systems to design the desired graphics. Adjustments such as speed (ranging from 0.1% to 100%), power (from 1% to 100%), and dpi settings (up to ) allow for precise control over depth and detail during printing.

There are two primary methods of laser engraving: raster and vector. Raster engraving resembles high-clarity lattice printing, with the laser head scanning left to right to engrave a series of dots one line at a time before moving back and forth to create a full-page image or characters. Conversely, vector engraving operates along the outline of characters and is commonly used for cutting materials like wood, acrylic, and paper or marking their surfaces.

 

 

Types of laser engraving machines

Laser engraving machines utilize laser technology to mark or engrave materials by focusing concentrated laser energy on specific areas. This process causes material vaporization or color changes, resulting in the desired design or text.

 

Types of GCC laser engraving machines

Based on the laser source, laser engraving machines, such as those developed by GCC LaserPro, utilize either CO2 lasers or fiber lasers.

  • CO2 Laser Engraving Machine

    CO2 lasers emit infrared radiation and are commonly used for engraving non-metallic materials such as wood, acrylic, rubber, and paper. They offer good precision and versatility.
  • Fiber Laser Engraving Machine

    Fiber lasers are about ten times more intense than CO2 lasers and are primarily used for engraving metals like stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and copper. They provide exceptional speed and accuracy on metal surfaces.

Different structures of laser engraving machines

Laser engravers can also be categorized as X-Y table or Galvo laser systems based on processing structure.

  •  X-Y table

    In X-Y table systems, the laser beam is directed through fixed mirrors and focused on the material's surface. The laser head moves directly on the X and Y axes for processing. These systems can handle thick materials and have a defined working area determined by machine size.
  • Galvo laser systems

    Galvo systems rapidly move the laser beam back and forth using reflected mirrors. They offer high-speed, high-precision engraving and have a working area determined by the optical element's reflection angle and focal length.

 

Features and capabilities of laser engraving

Modern laser engraving machines come with various features and capabilities that enhance efficiency and precision:

  1. High Precision: Laser engraving machines offer intricate detailing and precise engraving, enabling the creation of complex designs with fine lines and small text.
  2. Speed and Efficiency: Advanced laser systems provide fast engraving speeds, reducing production time and increasing productivity.
  3. Versatility: These machines can engrave on a wide range of materials, making them suitable for diverse applications in different industries.
  4. Software Compatibility: Laser engraving machines are compatible with various design software, allowing easy import and customization of designs.
  5. Auto-Focus and Z-Axis Control: Some machines incorporate auto-focus features and Z-axis control, enabling precise focusing on uneven or curved surfaces.

 

Cutting Capability of GCC LaserPro Laser Engraver

GCC LaserPro laser engravers excel in cutting thicker acrylic compared to similar laser tube wattages.
For example:

30~40 wattsup to 15 mm / 0.47&#; thick acrylic60~80 wattsup to 20 mm / 0.79&#; thick acrylic100~120 wattsup to 25 mm / 0.98&#; thick acrylic150~200 wattsup to 30 mm / 1.18&#; thick acrylic

Note: Cutting capability may vary depending on acrylic material supply and customer cutting quality requirements.

 

 

How to choose the best laser engraving machines?

 

Laser engraving machines are widely used for various applications, and numerous options are available in the market. Therefore, selecting the right laser engraving machine requires careful consideration of several factors:

1. Material Compatibility:

Determine the materials you intend to engrave. CO2 laser machines are versatile and can engrave a wide range of materials like wood, cardboard, rubber, and more. On the other hand, fiber laser engraving machines are suitable for metals and some non-metallic materials.

2. 

Check the specifications carefully:

&#; Table Size: Consider the size of the engraving area required for your projects. A larger table allows for engraving larger pieces or multiple pieces simultaneously. GCC LaserPro laser engravers offer a 'Pass-through Front to Rear Doors' design for accommodating longer working pieces.


&#; Throughput:

 Throughput: Pay attention to the working speed of the machine. Higher speed and power (measured in Watts) enable faster and deeper engraving. Choose the appropriate laser power based on the material being processed.


&#; Workspace:

Consider the size of the machine and its flexibility. GCC LaserPro's dual-laser design offers space-saving and increased flexibility in material application.

3. Safety Considerations

Safety is paramount when selecting a laser engraving machine. GCC LaserPro machines comply with Class I, II, /42/EC, and Class 4 safety standards. Features such as an emergency stop button and key switch ensure user safety and prevent unauthorized use.

Factors to consider when choosing a laser engraving machine

Based on material requirements and applications, consider the following factors:

  1. Material Compatibility: Ensure the machine can engrave the types of materials you intend to use.

  2. Engraving Area: Determine the size of the engraving area needed for your projects.

  3. Power and Speed: Evaluate laser power and engraving speed based on production requirements.

  4. Budget: Set a budget aligned with your business capabilities and consider long-term return on investment.

  5. Maintenance and Support: Check availability of technical support, warranty, and maintenance services.

By considering these factors, you can choose the most suitable laser engraving machine for your specific needs and applications.

 

Why GCC laser engraving machine? 

(1) Worldwide GCC LaserPro distributors

GCC LaserPro has over 200 distributors in over 80 countries/regions. You can always get warm and immediate support from local GCC LaserPro distributors

(2) Experienced and reliable manufacturer

Several thousand GCC LaserPro laser engravers have been installed worldwide in the past five years, and GCC LaserPro has gown to be one of the two major players in the worldwide market. We invest over 8% of our sales in R&D each year for developing next-generation hardware and software.

(3) Stable laser tube

the laser tube is the soul of a laser system. The GCC LaserPro laser engraver is equipped with the most reliable, long-life laser source with superb beam quality and stable laser output. Quality and performance are always our goal.

(4) Total solution

GCC LaserPro not only offers a full range of features in a laser system, but also provides various options, including air compressors, odor reduction systems, honeycomb tables and software. You have one-stop shopping with GCC LaserPro.

(5) Complete product range

From 12 Watt to 200 Watt laser source options, 11.8&#;x 8.3&#; to 51&#;x 35&#; working area size, 20 in/s to 175 in/s engraving speed, GCC LaserPro offers you versatile and complete laser system choices.

(6) Perfect GCC LaserPro drivers and firmware control

GCC LaserPro drivers and firmware control laser pulsing precisely and present superb engraving and cutting output quality.

(7) Global Resource, Worldwide Advantage

GCC LaserPro utilizes global resources and advantages to create the GCC LaserPro laser engraver, DC servo motors, linear systems from Japan, laser tubes and optics from the U.S., electronics and professional manufacturing capability from Taiwan, worldwide branch offices (America, China, and Europe) and local distributors network support. GCC LaserPro provides you unprecedented value and outstanding performance.

 

Article by

GCC Product Marketing Team

GCC's dynamic product marketing team consists of professionals specializing in marketing strategy, content creation, and market analysis. They collaborate to conduct thorough market research execute targeted marketing campaigns, and work hand-in-hand with product development and sales teams to seamlessly connect technical features with customer benefits to bring breakthrough GCC products to market.

Further reading:


 &#; 7 Tips for Making Rubber Stamps with Laser Engravers
 &#; Laser Engraver Parameter Setup Methods for CorelDRAW, Illustrator & AutoCAD
 &#; How Do You Maintain a Laser Engraver?
 &#; GCC LaserPro Laser Engraver Print Driver Introduction

7 things you need to know before buy a fiber laser engraving ...

In this blog, we will explain seven things you should know before buying a fiber optic laser engraver or UV laser engraving machine &#; working area, focal length, pulse resolution, quality of the power source, automation functions, engraving speed and after-sales service are some of the facts that you should have on mind before you purchase this type of technology.

1) Working Area

Before buying a laser engraving machine, it is essential to know which it is the working engraving area its the one we need to decide which its the power source we can use. The fiber optic laser head works like a magnifying glass, and the closer the object is, the more diffuse its the focus point of the light.

Also, on the contrary, if the Magnifying glass is far away, the light is scattered, and it also fails to engrave clearly and powerfully.

This means that some machines as the all in one can't have a working area mayor than 10x10cm because the head need to have a focus space between lens and the working table. 

This means that you should check very well which machine model you will pick up, because some models have a very narrow focal distance, and working engraving area, this don't allow you to engrave big products and stop you to work with different applications. If you want to pick the right working area for your applications please contact us.

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2) Focal length

When choosing a fiber optic laser, you must have on mind the focal length. The focal length is due to two variables, and the first is the power of the (power source), and the second is the working area of the lens. These must be combined correctly to get a deep and precise engraving.

 

Example: A 50W power source usually brings a 30x30 cm lens; this machine can engrave an optimal working area of 20cmx20cm deep and clear. However, this machine can also use a 50x50 lens, what happens when you use a 50CM lens with a 50W power source? The answer is that the work area has a much weaker and much less deep engraving giving the machine power loss and dissipating the laser light.

 

In the same way, you should have on mind the power and the lens when choosing an engraving machine, and if you are looking for a low power laser with a large engraving area, for sure you'll have a very weak and shallow engraving.

Focus Lens and laser

3) Pulse resolution

The resolution of the machine can be defined in two factors, one the frequency, and the other is the maximum resolution. The higher the frequency spectrum, the greater the engraving capacity and therefore, the resolution and accuracy is going to be much better, the quality of the engraving becomes sharper and better in small details.

Example: Most conventional Chinese machines have a spectrum between 20 to 120 Khz. while a machine with the higher resolution has a spectrum of between 1Khz to 850KHZ.

When buying a laser engraver, you should pay close attention to these details, as this tells you a lot about the quality of the machine.

 

There are many different power fiber sources, but all of them have different advantages and dis advantages, and one of the bullet points that make the difference its the pulse resolution, for this reason, we recommend you check another blog: 

Raycus Vs IPG

4) Power Source

The fiber optic source is an essential detail when buying a fiber optic engraving laser machine, this largely to the power of engraving. On these depends the Khz, and the light wave, these two define the capacity of depth and resolution with which you can engrave a surface.

 

The most popular fiber optic sources for those who dedicated to jewelry are IPG and BCF these two top brands in the market. Furthermore, we have Chinese brands, which are also of enough quality for work over different materials. The best brand in China is Raycus with ample advantage to their contemporary Chinese rivals, MAX, Sino-galvo, and others, being the best brand in China.

 

The warranty of the power source and the after-sale service of this one also have a significant impact on the machine quality, sadly many power source companies as MAX and Raycus don't offer an outstanding warranty and after-sales services which make this power source one of the cheapest power sources on the market, and easy option for a short budget but a bad business in a long run, especially if you are looking for high quality resolution. 

5) other functions

When buying an optical fiber engraving machine, you must have on mind how many functions you can add after purchase your machine. It means that you must buy a machine with software and hardware extension in the long run.

 

Example: Most conventional Chinese machines do not have automatic engraving options on assembly lines limiting engraving only to small plates. Which it makes very difficult to upgrade your machines with different hardwares in the future, in case that your production require increase the speed. 

Some examples of motion hardwares for engraving.


6) engraving speed

The engraving speed is relative to the power of the optical fiber power source, the more power, the more engraving speed, this means that a 10W optical fiber with mm per second engraving can only achieve that speed using a maximum engraving power and with an awful engraving result.

 

therefore, if you use a 30W laser, it can engrave with a depth of 0.3mm at speeds higher than Millimeters per second with a decent engraving result.

It means that the higher the power, the higher the engraving speed if, you are looking to engrave with high speeds in a production line it is better to think about buying a fiber optic laser at least 30W onwards.

7) warranty and after sales service

After-sales service and warranty can define the success of your business. It also tells a lot about the quality of the machine. The standard technology can have 1 or 2 years warranty while most of the FDA and CE standards machines can work with 3 years warranty.

Remember that the most common problems in fiber optic machines are power source cuts and burning heads. Although these machines do not need any maintenance, it is very common to see many people looking for spare parts or changing the power sources after a year of work.

That happens because the sources of fiber optic power source overheat and go to short circuit.

That is why you must choose a machine with a good guarantee that can cover the source of optical fiber because this is the soul of the machine.

The other common problem is lens corrosion or lens fungus, and this problem is common with the low-cost lenses that can be found in the Chinese market.

 

Ideally, ask for a reasonable guarantee on the lenses and the power source.

Fiber vs UV laser, whats the difference?

See this blog

Whats the difference between raycus, IPG and JPT-X?

See this blog

Fiber laser engraving vs fiber cutting, the differences.

See this blog

For more laser marking machineinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.


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