Capabilities of the Laser Engraving
When I started inquiring about what can be achieved with laser engraving, at first, I received a broad but overly informative answer: "Yes, everything! Or pretty much anything.” However, it's always interesting to know what exactly is hidden behind such a universal confirmation.
And here's what I found:
Firstly, let's talk about the main thing, namely how this technology works in general. The principle is quite simple (if we assume that laser technology can be called simple at all): a computer-controlled, extremely thin beam burns an image into the material to a given depth. Or, adjusted to a lower temperature, it undergoes surface color changes without deep heat treatment. Human participation in the process is limited only to the preparatory stage: creating or choosing a template, selecting the right material, and correctly setting the device parameters. After that, it's a matter of observing how the equipment works and hoping that everything was taken into account and calculated without errors.
Now, another important point. Laser engraving and marking can be applied to the following materials: metal, plastic, glass, wood, leather, and various coatings on these materials. For all these materials, except glass, you can remove part of the surface and simply "darken" it with high temperature. Glass, on the other hand, can only be "cut". It's worth noting that metal can range from soft and pliable copper to hard titanium alloys and alloy steels. The same applies to plastic, which can vary in density and color (or transparency). It's almost impossible to achieve different colors with a laser beam. There may be slightly different shades or, for example, a matte effect, but not the color of the spectrum. This technology allows you to work primarily with texture, not with the color scheme. The possibilities in working with texture, however, seem to be limited.
It's also important to mention the field of application of this technology. Here, all works can be conditionally divided into two categories: business orders and decorative ones. However, such a division doesn't diminish the beauty of the former and the significance of the latter. Business orders include the application of markings, labels, signatures, numbers, letters, and numbers on laptops and mobile phones, as well as the production of various types of plates, nameplates, badges, etc. Probably, the production of various diplomas, letters of thanks, and other award souvenirs, which, by the way, made of glass or metal look very expensive and convincing, should also be included here.
A wide variety of business gifts, promotional items, private presents, and jewelry can be considered as decorative souvenirs that can be processed with a laser. It is simply impossible to list all the possible applications of laser engraving for decoration, but among the most popular items for this, you can name lighters, laptops, expensive pens and knives, key chains, and pictures on glass or mirrors, rings, and other decorations. However, the possibilities here are truly limited only by imagination because any flat surface can be used as a canvas for self-expression. So, you can give free rein to your imagination and come up with ways to make a gift unforgettable, and to put it into practice is a matter of specially designed equipment.
P. Yutyaev
