for those new to laser technology, buying laser equipment can be an intimidating experience. the word laser often conjures images of danger, mystery, impossible learning curves, and high price tags. however, with the user-friendly, increasingly affordable laser engraving equipment of today, nothing could be further from the truth.

people often think they need to be a laser expert to run a laser engraving system, but a laser engraver works very much like a printer. thus, it is more important to be computer literate than a laser authority. the best laser engravers we know are also the best graphic artists. if you are competent in a graphic arts program, you will learn how to laser engrave very quickly.

if you do not yet know how to run one, it is recommended that you learn one. most users do like coreldraw products, but there are a variety of others as well. use manuals and help menus provided with the program to assist you in your learning curve. also, take advantage of classes offered by local community programs, colleges, computer and software stores, industry trade shows and seminars. additionally, you can find help online at various websites. once you are comfortable with the software, your learning curve for laser engraving will be very short. basically, a laser engraving system works much like a big laser jet printer recreating the information that is sent to it. that is why artwork generation is the key to successful laser engraving. taking the time to learn to use your graphics program and using it properly will pay big dividends in your overall engraving results.

the choices
once you decide that laser technology is right for you, you will need to make some choices. machine differences include the manufacturer, wattage of the laser, table size, options and price.

the manufacturer
there are an increasing number of companies currently manufacturing laser engraving equipment. you can find them in industry directories, trade journals, trade shows, and online searches. each of these companies manufacture equipment using the same laser technology but with some variations. typically, we recommend that purchasers stick with companies that have been in business for some time and that have a good reputation. over the years, we have seen a variety of laser engraving manufacturers come in to the marketplace and go just as quickly. it is also important to have a sense of what you will be using your system for and what kind of machine you really need. narrowing it down to the type of laser system you need will limit the number of manufacturers you want to consider. once you have identified these manufacturers, you can contact them about your needs, request product literature, and ask to see a demonstration. trade shows can also be a viable option for viewing several machines in the same place for quick and easy comparisons. whenever possible, have them demonstrate the system on your parts or what you anticipate will be your most common job(s). ask questions and make sure you understand what you are getting for your money. whenever possible, talk to current owners and operators of similar equipment. find out how they feel about, not only the equipment, but about the company they bought it from. some engravers also start out by using a job shop initially to give them a sense of the process and the market.

the wattage
like light bulbs, lasers for engraving are described by their wattage. simply put, higher wattage means more power, and more power means faster run times and greater capabilities. unfortunately, it also means a higher price tag. one of the biggest decisions you will make when choosing a laser engraving system is deciding how much power you need. todays equipment comes in a variety of power choices, typically from 10 watts to 120 watts and more. when determining power needs, keep in mind there might be a difference between being able to process a certain material, and being able to do it at speeds that are profitable. make sure you have enough power to do the jobs you want to do now (and consider future growth potential) and invest in the highest wattage machine you can afford. also, because lasers do periodically need to be recharged, it is best to know upfront the projected life expectancy of the laser, how the manufacturer handles the recharge, and the projected cost.

the options
options for the machine are equally important. much of what you will need depends on what you will be using your machine for. making sure the table size is adequate for your needs is important to consider as well. again, remember to consider future needs. additionally, there are several options available that you can purchase with your system and some may possibly be added at a later date. a popular option is air assist. this is an optional attachment, on some systems, that allows for a constant stream of compressed air to cross the engraving and cutting surface at the point of burn. this process is ideal for deep, clean engraving and cutting. auto focus is another popular feature and now comes standard on many models. this allows for the automatic focus of the lens on the area to be engraved. another current option is the red dot pointer, which will give you a visual of where the laser beam is focused. you can laser process without one but many users appreciate having them.

for the engraving on curved or rounded surfaces, consider a rotary attachment. this is a device that is used to rotate curved surfaces so that the laser beam still acts like it is engraving on a flat surface. this is used widely for engraving on glasses, vases, bats, and other curved surfaces.

vector cutting tables are also popular add-ons. these are tables that allow for the material to be cut through without the laser beam reflecting directly off of the tabletop of the machine into the underside of the material. if you are going to be using your machine to do a lot of vector cutting, you definitely want to consider one of these. you will also want to keep in mind that because of laser engravings increasing popularity, it has become a competitive marketplace and new options and designs are continuously being developed that allow for greater speed, versatility, and user friendliness.

warranties, training, support, and more
equally important, you will also want to know how service, warranty, training, and support issues are handled. there is nothing more frustrating than having orders in-house and a machine that is down, and little or not support to assist you. make sure that you know up-front whom to contact with questions or problems; how to contact them, and how effectively such situations are typically handled.

conclusion
it wont be long and you will soon have a sense of the equipment, the options, the company, and the person who is selling the equipment. as with any purchase, feeling good about what you are getting for your money will be the key factor in determining what you buy.

see the options available with cnc routers. sign makers can get into the commercial signage business, for example, or channel letter fabrication. it gives them a broad capability to enter multiple markets.

take a look at your options in the cnc router market and decide if the potential rewards are worth the financial investment. is using computer technology to automate control cutting, drilling and fabricating sign parts worth the investment? which table should i get? what software should i use? cnc routers bring a laundry list of advantages to a growing sign shop. productivity is always a concern in a small business and the ability to add new services, like 3-d engraving, is a potential revenue generator. greater quality and scaling capabilities, of course, are critical. add all these factors together and the result could equal greater profitability for your shop.

focusing on productivity
if you need to make several of the same item, cnc routers are a huge advantage, says marc bourque, president of larken cnc router systems, a cnc router manufacturer in ontario, canada. you can also save job files for repeat jobs.

cnc routers save labor costs, adds tom propes, sales manager for computerized cutters, inc., a cnc router and cnc channel letter fabrication manufacturer in plano, texas. it can save you time. time is money, he says. i can cut out a whole set of letters with a router in the time that it takes to cut out one by hand. you can make money but you can t make time.

expanding your services
beyond productivity, adding new services to your offering could attract new clients and a new revenue stream for your company.

gerber senior product manager scott anthony says sign makers can test their local market by first outsourcing dimensional signage to a larger company.

when you start to outsource about $700 or $800 a month then you want to think about bringing routing in-house so that you can control the product, the quality, and the profits, says anthony. dimensional signage is a strong niche that supplements existing business with higher profit potential.

taking control of in-house routing gives sign makers the capability to do both interior and exterior signage, says ken koelling, president of multicam, a cnc router manufacturer in irving, texas. sign makers can get into the commercial signage business, for example, or channel letter fabrication. it gives them a pretty broad capability to enter multiple markets.

sign making customers of techno-isel, a new hyde park, ny-based division of designatronics, tell company executive vice president george klein that there are many functions they can perform with the cnc router that they hadn t initially considered. the less obvious functions are secondary things like making frames and other things associated with the signs, including bracketry, fixtures, even things like furniture pieces and shelving applications, says klein. so a router is not only a boost to business it s an expansion of the business capabilities.

aiming for higher quality
with clients old and new, quality and consistency are critical to gaining repeat business and building your company s reputation. from this perspective, says bourque, cnc routers are the way to go. the output is high quality because you design it by hand and then depend on computer technology to cut perfect true curves.

then there s the ability to adjust the scaling at the touch of a button. you can draw something up and decide that you want it to be bigger and in a minute you ve got it bigger and ready to cut again, says bourque.

automating for profitability
while quality is key, no shop owner can resist cost-cutting strategies. using a cnc router to automate the cutting process accomplishes this goal while maintaining that ever-so-important quality and consistency.

a lot of times they are already producing components that can be produced on a router and in reality the total cost of ownership becomes less and the parts have higher quality and cost less to produce, says koelling.

now we are back to the bottom line: greater profitability. it s all in the numbers. depending on the substrate, says propes, a carved sign could run up to $150 a square foot. but the material is not nearly that expensive.

you are looking at a vinyl sign that s maybe $15 a foot versus a routed sign that s $150 a foot, he says. true, every customer is not going to choose or be able to afford the routed sign, however, if you don t offer it you ll never sell it.

choosing a router that fits your needs
just like there are different classes of cars, there are different classes of routers. but regardless of the level you choose, you should look for certain features in any machine.

start with ease of use. user-friendliness of both the software and the hardware is a key consideration.

sticking with the industry standard
gerber s routers are designed exclusively for the sign making industry. its best-selling models are the sabre series 404 and 408. the 404 model is a 4 x 4 machine with a feed rate of 600 inches per minute. the 408 model has the same capabilities with a 4 x 8 table.

gerber s anthony says custom engineering and specialized tools differentiate the sabre line from other routers on the market. priced at about $35,000 to $42,000, the sabre models are built with aluminum instead of steel to make a router that is lighter and more rigid.

we are in an industry that uses and abuses equipment and they don t spend any time taking care of their capital equipment, says anthony. we use different drives that require less maintenance and offer software, service and support systems for customers.

if you are a first time router buyer, having application assistance is important, says koelling. application assistance, not only in terms of learning the software most sign making firms are pretty savvy when it comes to graphic design and so the software isn t usually that difficult but the applications and knowledge of specific cutting techniques is real important.

avoiding downtime is a major factor, says bourque. koelling agrees, and stresses the importance of choosing a vendor that can provide service to its hardware.

choose a size that s going to fit in your space and that s going to be suitable for the type of work that you are doing or want to do, and then selecting a supplier of that machine that s going to be able to give them local service, says koelling. that s something a lot of people forget.

customers should concentrate on quality. you have to educate yourself as to what is on the market, says klein. you ve got to be careful now because there s an awful lot of companies pretending to make routers. let the buyer beware.

getting a glimpse of the market
there are lots of cnc routers out there. let s look at a select few that represent different ranges in the market. multicam is one of the leading manufacturers of cnc routers, installing more than 3,000 machines worldwide. multicam has 12 technology centers throughout the u.s. to provide local support, repair service, sales and application training. multicam routers offer a rigid, all steel construction and a robust platform for high-speed, ethernet-based cutting.

their m series is specifically designed for the needs of the sign industry. the entry-level system features the adaptation of i-cut vision systems so the machine can be easily integrated into digital printing on rigid substrates. the prices range from $30,000-$60,000 depending on the dimensions of the table.

koelling points to the design s user-friendliness as a key attraction for sign makers, an important consideration when training employees. we ve condensed the user interface to very basic functions, so it s not intimidating to learn, says koelling. that s really why they are so prolific. it s more difficult than a vinyl cutter because of the technique, but the functionality of the machine is not much more difficult.

examining all the options
larken s cnc routers are mid-level machines. the product geared toward the sign industry is called shopcam and the model has been redesigned for 2002. the latest shopcam is a turnkey 3-axis system that offers features typically found only on more expensive models. the system is based on a steel frame and gantry, welded for maximum rigidity and machined for accuracy. one new improvement is the installation of quality round star rails and star ball-bearing bushings for precision and longer life.

we went back to proven technology, says bourque. we had the basic screw before. basically, it s go all the way with the screw or don t go at all because you need to have a big, heavy duty ball screw or it s not going to work for you. if you go with the big screws you are talking about much more expensive machines.

larken s cnc routers sell for as little as $18,000 for a 4×5 table and run up to $30,000 for a 5×10 model. larken s reputation for manufacturing tables that are built to last has made the shopcam a favorite among sign makers.

assessing price versus features
next up is computerized cutters accu-cut. propes says this machine fills the gap between the $6,000 and $30,000 table. computerized cutters sells its machines direct to the consumer in sizes ranging from 4×4 to 10×25. we don t offer a lot of the whistles and bells that some of the other companies offer. however, a lot of those whistles and bells are never purchased anyway, says propes. an automatic tool changer is a good example. you can have several different bits for a job and the machine would automatically grab the bit and do that particular function. typically, those sell for $25,000. i don t know of a sign shop that i ve ever visited in 10 years that has an automatic tool changer. we don t feel it s necessary.

computerized cutters machine runs at $20,000 plus shipping. the company keeps its costs down by eliminating the controller card that takes information from the computer to the machine. the company instead took a software product designed for the engraving industry, developed it further, and uses a desktop computer to run the table. suppose i want to upgrade my operating system, says propes. i can download it over the internet. i don t have to go out and buy a $3,000 control card. you can buy a nice dell computer for $800-$900. it s very easy to use, too, instead of having an lcd screen with a lot of sub-menus, you have a 17 computer screen.

getting the biggest bang for your buck
assessing price versus features helps ensure you get the biggest bang for your buck. techno-isel is trying to further that goal with the introduction of two new cnc router models designed to address the needs of sign industry market that is demanding the ability to perform more high-end applications. techno-isel s lc (low cost) line of 4×8 routers sell for $14,000. klein says the lc model is built to the same standards as the high-end premium class router system, with all steel construction. pricing for the super heavyweight premium class machine starts at $35,000 and offers all the bells and whistles growing sign shops could hope for, with ball screw drives on all three axis to provide a high degree of accuracy, repeatability and longevity. the heavier the machine is, says klein, the more stable it is in terms of its rigidity and its capability of taking heavy cuts without flexing or bending.

making the final decision
armed with the basic facts, you can make a final decision about cnc routers for your shop. keep in mind that there are plenty of other companies with similar products at similar prices. and if it s that initial investment that is keeping you from taking the plunge, remember that most companies do have leasing programs to help you get one of these machines in your shop. monthly payments on cnc routers average about $400 the price of one or two sales.

the advantages are clear. the equipment is available. whether its worth the risk is up to you.

a) engraving rubber board for paper box printing
most laser engraver can engrave on rubber board, it s unnecessary for you to choose multifunctional and speedy machine, because firstly, most function can be used; secondly, faster speed, more shallow engraved depth, can t meet the demand of printing.
recommend: purchase suitable laser machine for engraving rubber board, with low price and fast return.

b) engraving craftwork
most laser engravers can engrave craftwork and purchase is based on application.
engraving bamboo, wood, and notion: small machine, like size of 300*400mm, with low price and high precision. engraving wooden box and wine box: size of 500*70mm and 600*900mm, with up and down working table for long box to be put in.
engraving bamboo: size of 500×700mm and 600×900mm, with up and down working table and rotating unit.
engraving large format wood: size of 600*900mm, with up and down working table, and open through front and back door for putting large wooden board.
engraving new year card: size of 500*700mm and 600*900mm, with working table for cutting, and fast speed for paper not be burnt during working process.

c) cutting acrylic
most laser engravers can cut acrylic, but it s better for you to use special laser cutting machine, of which the optimized design is specialized in cutting and cutting effect is very good. if you insist on buying common laser engraving machine, it s very necessary to buy the machine with knife shape working table.
note: don t believe 60w or 80w laser power can cut 20mm acrylic, it is impossible. even the acrylic is cut through, the edge is extremely awful.
normal value is: 60w laser power can cut 8-10mm acrylic, 80w laser power can cut 8-15mm acrylic.

d) engraving and cutting costume and leather
purchase laser engraving machine with fast speed and honeycomb working table.

do you have questions about cnc machining? get inside the head of router expert jay higgins in this one-on-one interview.

getting the most bang for your router bucks takes a little bit of homework and a lot of practice. we cant put in the hours of practice for you, but we can provide you with advice straight from the mouth of leading industry experts.

jay higgins is one such expert. higgins came to the sign world in 1993 from the cnc manufacturing industry. with more than 20 years of cnc machining to his credit, higgins is uniquely positioned with a broad understanding of cnc tools, hardware and software. higgins is currently the general manager of capital letters in brooklen center, minn. and a respected cnc routing consultant.

signindustry.com asked jay some questions that will help you reach new heights in cnc routing.

q: in your mind, what are the biggest advantages for sign makers using routers?

a:
the biggest advantages of cncs in the sign industry are speed, accuracy and repeatability. cnc s also allow you to custom rout metal forms to help aid your fabricators in the creation of custom shaped aluminum constructed signs. this is a great advantage for modern sign companies. what was a tedious and manual chore of laying out patterns on aluminum and then jig saw cutting to get your custom shape, is now simply a matter of sending them to the cnc router to be cut.

q: what are the most common mistakes sign makers are struggling with today?

a:
the most common mistake is a lack of knowledge of basic machine principals. also, the lack of knowledge of how to properly fixture your material to the table, as well as the availability of tools you can use to get the job done.

q: would you recommend that sign makers who have never used a router seek more formal training and education beyond what the manufacturer offers?

a:
all people interested in utilizing cnc routing in sign manufacturing should take some sort of course at a nearby community college to better familiarize themselves with some basic machining skills. unfortunately, very few schools offer this kind of training. i have worked with the minnesota sign association in regard to this matter to bring it to the attention of local technical schools so that hopefully it can be a course that is offered to people in the graphics industry.

q: how about sharing some practical tips for preparation? for example, which router bits works best with which materials?

a:
tools and materials are very important things to experiment with. a good rule of thumb: always use the largest diameter tool to rout the job that is allowable, and, always use the shortest flute length for maximum rigidity.

q: what about router speeds? what speeds work best with various materials, like aluminum, high-density urethane, sign foam, etc.?

a:
speeds and feeds are directly related to the horsepower motor that you are using, as well as the type coolant system, and the coolant that is being used. a common mistake of most people is to slow down the feed rate and speed up the rpm. big mistake. generally, it will create too much heat and thus melt/weld the material.

q: which materials respond best to routing?

a:
some materials are more forgiving than others are when routing. each material has its own set up procedure and feeds and speeds as well as the proper tool to be used.

q: are there certain types of materials that sign makers should avoid when using the router?

a:
materials to avoid include those that have a great deal of glue in them, certain irons, as well as stainless steel, as there are electrical discharge concerns there.

q: what do you see in terms of upcoming trends in materials? are there new materials being designed with cnc routing in mind?

a:
i make it a point to continuously contact my suppliers and the manufactures of sign making materials to see what s being developed that can possibly be used to rout on the cnc router. i have also been selected to rout such test materials to give my evaluation of them. i don t know of too many new materials out there right now that are being developed specifically for the cnc router.

q: how can sign makers more effectively utilize digital printing in conjunction with routed sign parts? any practical tips there?

a:
using digital prints in conjunction with cnc routing is a relatively easy thing to do when they are in small formats. the problem with cnc routing a large formatvector shape to match a digital print is that the digital printer will often distort the digital print disproportionately so that it does not match up easily with the vector cut shape. allow plenty of bleed to the digital print, especially when the digital print is printed in more than one run.

q: how can sign makers more effectively match files together?

a:
file conversion and being able to recognize file extensions are very important learned skills. some filters in design programs shrink, distort, and interpret objects, text, and shapes differently. example: some .dxf files may look to have complete arcs but are really ploy lines or line segments that might not produce the outline shapes that you want.

q: what is the best method for realigning a double-sided sign on a router in order to cut out the other side?

a:
i personally like to rout double-sided signs in two pieces and them join them together back to back. this, of course, must mean that the shapes are symmetrical. if this is not an option, scoring an outline in your waste board, or building a contoured jig may be the answer. dowel pins may be another way of realigning the shapes to the table as well from side to side.

q: moving on to finishing techniques, which seems to be challenging to many sign makers coming from a vinyl background, under what circumstances should sign makers pre-paint a blank?

a:
whenever it is possible to pre-paint a blank, do it. apply your mask afterwards and rout the images as needed. this will allow you to fill in the areas you have just routed without worrying about slopping the paint all over the pre-painted areas.

q: what primers work best with various materials?

a:
i prefer to use a latex-based primer with sign foams. with aluminum, i prefer a self-etching primer. for pvcs, acrylics and foams generally do not require a primer, but roughing the surface does help the paint to take hold of the material.

q: what about work flow strategy? any practical tips there?

a:
always prepare for the next job coming down the pike. group your jobs based upon material, tools, and set up procedures.

q: can you offer any other dos and donts or practical tips in terms of driving the most creativity and profit out of the router?

a:
know what you can do with your router and inform your sales staff what you are capable of producing. nothing is more embarrassing than selling a job for the router that cannot be produced and then changing the layout or materials after the job has been sold to enable you to produce the product. always insist upon a layout before quoting a job over the phone.

q: can you offer some pricing tips?

a:
because of varying demographics, pricing should be based upon what you can produce and what your competitors can produce. every job is different, especially for the cnc router. know your materials and the speeds and feeds you can achieve and base your pricing upon that. when it comes to sign foam signs, $35 to $40 per square foot for finishing is a healthy number.

q: lots of sign makers spend their money on the machine, but then dont invest in the tools. what tools would you recommend as essentials?

a:
only buy solid carbide or carbide tipped tools. due to the coolant system found on most cnc s, high speed steel tools generally will not last as long as carbide. the proper size collet for the shank of the tool is a greatly overlooked consideration. the collet size should match the shank size of the tool. sleeving is ok, but rigidity is lost when this is done and, depending upon the material being routed, this could be a finish and quality concern.

special plastics for engraving have been developed for signage, faceplates, and other items.

standard cast and sheet acrylic plastic and other resins can be laser engraved

. commonly engraved awards use a cast acrylic shape lasered from the back. styrene, the plastic used to make compact disk cases, and many thermoform plastics, will soften around the edges of the engraving, resulting in low contrast. the surface may even ripple or become deformed. in some applications, such as date marking on plastic soda bottles, this is acceptable.

special plastics for engraving have been developed for signage, faceplates, and other items. these plastics incorporate silicate and other materials that conduct heat away from the material before it can become deformed. outer laminates easily vaporize to expose a different colored material underneath.

other plastics may be engraved, but experimentation should first be conducted on a sample piece. bakelite and some hard engineering plastics are said to do well. expanded plastics, foams, and vinyl s, however, should be cut with a router for the purpose. urethane and silicone plastics cannot be laser engraved unless they contain cellulose, stone, or some other nonconductive material.

engraving takes a piece of precious metal, stone, or wood and gives it a unique look while endowing it with a sense of permanence and ownership.

the engraving process etches designs, signs, or insignias into the surface of the material by removing a portion of it.

the four basic techniques that are available for todays engravers include hand engraving, pantograph, computer numeric controlled engraving, and laser engraving.

the most ancient, and expensive, method of engraving is hand engraving. using hammers of various weights, chisels, and other sharp tools with various profiles, designs are meticulously tapped into the surface of the material. accuracy and precision are required with each and every stroke in order to achieve the proper overall look to the design.

a magnifying glass, or other enlarging equipment, is often required for the hand engraver to fill in the minutest of the design details.

another manual engraving method is the pantograph or drag method. in this old method a device (the pantograph, otherwise known as the tracing machine) scrapes the surface of the material with a sharp stylus.

the pantograph is used to trace the designs or letters from the design drawing to the surface of the material. this method is often imprecise in creating the designs and letters, giving the final product an uneven look.

one benefit of this method is that it is faster than hand engraving. you are also unlikely to get mistakes resulting from shaky hands as the stylus operator controls the writing.

a computer controlled method of engraving that gives you a more precise outcome is computer numeric control cnc engraving. a graphic software package that is similar to cross stitching is used to give you letters and designs that are uniform in appearance.

the computer is able to take the images and translate them into numeric instructions for each movement of the machine. you can change to fonts, sizes, and designs that are created with just a few clicks of the computer mouse.

the last method we will discuss is laser engraving, which etches the design into the material with the use of a laser beam rather than a sharp tool or stylus. the design is translated into numeric instructions through the use of a computer program. some of the benefits of laser engraving are the quickness with which an image can be created and the precise clean lines this method achieves. some of the disadvantages include a restricted amount of materials that can be used and a high price tag.

an item is engraved once it has had grooves or lines cut, carved, or etched into its hard surface. wood, stone, and metal are all materials commonly used in the engraving process. engraving has both functional and decorative applications. some of the industries that commonly make use of the engraving process include printing, jewelry making, and manufacturing.
engraving in printing
the printing industry commonly uses engraving. custom ordered wedding invitations, business cards, birth announcements, and personal stationary are commonly created using the engraving process. in fact, most of the paper money that is created these days uses the engraving process as well. the custom design and lettering for these items are engraved onto a metal die. during the printing process this engraved grooves of this die are filled with ink that is then pressed into the paper. this process gives you a very elegant raised lettering that can be felt by running your fingers over the paper.

laser engraving
one of the most popular forms of engraving these days is laser engraving. the designs and letters are cut into the surface of the material using a laser beam. one advantage of lasers is that they can easily reach into spots that would be difficult to reach with a hand tool. a computer program is often used to control the movements of the laser. some common uses for laser printing including etching a corporate logo and contact information onto marketing give away such as paperweights, key chains, and pens. one advantage of using engraving is that the image will not rub off over time. laser engraving also has a variety of industrial applications. good materials to use with laser
engraving include glass, leather, and plastic.

engraving in art
prior to the invention of photography engraving was a common way to illustrate newspapers and books. most of the pictures that can be seen in printed materials that were produced prior to the late 19th century were created using wood engraving. an engraver would remove the material from the block of wood following an image that had been drawn on the wood by an artist. another popular use for engraving in the art world was to reproduce paintings.

engraving jewelry
we can see examples of engraved jewelry on artifacts that are thousands of years old. jewelry that is given as a gift often includes an engraved message. special inscriptions or the name or initials of the jewelry owner are often put onto gold or silver pieces. often the grooves created by the engraving process are filled with enamel. you will also find beautiful images engraved onto a variety of gemstones, especially jade and ivory.

engraving gifts
there are a number of shops that specialize in creating unique gift items that are engraved. short messages or initials are commonly engraved onto rings, bracelets, and other jewelry that is given as a gift. dedications are often engraved onto the backs of pendants and lockets. cuff links, flasks, money clips, and pocket watches are all gifts for men that are commonly engraved. other popular engraved gifts for women include key chains and trinket boxes. banks make a great engraved gift for children, and people of all ages and genders will appreciate a custom engraved photo frame.

engraving that uses acid on a metal surface is known as etching.
etching is also used in the printmaking industry to carve an image into a metal plate with acid. once the acid is applied to the metal it bores into the surface, leaving behind lines and rough areas.

the process of etching is believed to have begun with daniel hopfer of augsburg, germany in his profession as an armor maker. it took a while for the process to be applied to print making.

both copper and zinc have a thin coating resin layer that is resistant to acid, which makes them ideal metals to use for etching. a coating can be made of a waxy material for use with metals that do not naturally have a coating. to make the engravings and lines clearly visible through the resin the metal plates are usually smoked. the metal is then scratched with a sharp tool which exposes the metal surface without penetrating it.

after the design has been etched onto the metal plate it is placed into an acidic solution which will only attack those parts of the plate which are exposed. the process of immersing the plate into the acid is called a bath. the plate is taken out of the bath several times, and then place back in until it has been etched to the desire depth.

to prevent the acid from penetrating the metal any further a coating of varnish is applied to the metal. you will get darker prints from the lines that are exposed to the acid the longest. there are some etchers who manually apply the acid to the plates surface rather than using a bath.

when making a print the varnish is removed and then ink is heated and placed onto the plate. after the ink is applied the excess is removed so that ink only remains in the depressions created by the etching process. the plate will then be covered with a soft, moist paper and placed in the etching press.

etchers will sometimes need to use modifying techniques in order to get the right image. removing any unwanted lines is one way that etchers will modify their products. they first make a trail print, and then burnish or modify the plate to correct it.

each plate can only make a few prints, as prints will look different in various stages of the printing process. after the desired number of prints are created the plates are usually destroyed by the etcher.

different methods of etching will produce different effects. items tend to have the look of a pencil drawing when they are created using soft-ground etching, while items created using aquatint with look more like a wash drawing. hard-ground etching is usually used in combination with aquatint.

the delicate art of pictorial etching is said to have evolved in germany as well. this method has its origins in burin engraving, where artists would etch on iron and gives us the earliest evidence of artistic etching.

wet and dry etchings are the most popular methods of etching these days. a container or bin filled with a solution that dissolves the metal is used for the easy process of wet etching. a mask is required so that the solution will only etch the desired parts of the metal plate. this means you will need to find a masking material that will not be destroyed by the etching solution. this method works great for etching thin films.

there are three main categories of dry etching: reactive ion etching (rie), sputter etching, and vapor phase etching. in rie gases are mixed with plasma in order to break gas molecules into ions. these ions will then react to the metal surface as the ions are accelerated.

gases are also used with sputter etching, but the ions are not. the simplest dry etching technique is vapor phase etching. in this technique the metal plate is placed into a chamber where gases are then introduced. a chemical reaction occurs at the metals surface interacts with the gas molecules, causing the design to be dissolved into the plate.

silicon dioxide etching, which uses hydrogen fluoride, and silicon etching, which uses xenon diflouride, are the two most popular types of vapor phase etching.

with rapid development of photoelectron technology, application area of laser marking machine becomes much wider and marking precision becomes much higher. development of laser industry is presented by 3 factors: firstly, laser technology which is used for processing related materials; secondly, mechanism and controlling system; thirdly, laser processing technique. as laser technology is mature for a long time, people s effective control of laser equipment and laser processing technique become the bottle neck in application of laser marking technology.

at present, there are many manufactures of laser marking machine in china. competition of laser equipment technology has been changed to effective control of laser equipment and processing technique. whether the following questions can be solved or not becomes the key in competition: 3d multi-axis linkage high speed laser scanning vibration of fast impetus scanning format scanning precision malposition of synchronized scanning and to-and-fro scanning complex arithmetic and interpolation of regular graphics.

grey scale

common cnc engraver can t engrave spots with different shapes and sizes, so there is no grey scale. laser engraver has this function, so they have natural advantage in grey scale. people make use of this performance to save cost in pigmentation and increase layers of different graphics to enrich the presentation. when using the laser machine, users fill the graphics with different grey scale first (characters should be transformed to be graphics), then choose black and white mode for output of engraving, they can test the effect of different network. precision is less than 500dpi.

engraving materials

raw wood
wood is the most common material for laser engraving and cutting. wood with light color, such as birch, cherry and maple, is easily vaporized by laser and suitable for engraving. each kind of wood has its own feature, some of them is compact, such as hard wood which should use big power laser for engraving or cutting. please make a study on material before engraving.

plywood
there is no much difference between engraving plywood and wood, the only point is engraving depth shouldn t be too deep. edge of plywood after cutting is also black like common wood, the key point is what kind of material the plywood is made of.

wood engraving
generally speaking, depth for engraving on wood is deep, so laser power is big and color of engraved graphics on hard wood is deep. for light color, you can increase the engraving speed to work several times. sometimes there is soot produced during working process, if there is paint on wood, you can clean it by wet cloth, if not, wood surface may be defiled by soot which can t be fully cleaned.

wood cutting
generally, laser engraver can t cut wood deeply, max. cutting depth depends on wooden material and laser power. for cutting thick wood, cutting speed should be low, but wood may be burnt. users can use big reflective and focus lens to make repeated cutting.

pigmentation
wood is just like being burnt after engraving, matched with original color, it is more like art. color depth depends on laser power and engraving speed. color of some soft wood such as birch can t be changed no matter how long you engrave it. propylene can be applied for pigmentation of finished products.