Laser engraving refers to the process of laser etching a pattern on sheet metal. A laser beam is used to apply the laser mark by heating the piece to create an intense light source. The result is that the metal is etched in a customized pattern. Most metal fabrication work done in the United States uses laser engraving. In the industry since 1994, LaserNett has been a sheet metal fabrication, metal stamping, and engraving company.
Laser engraving is an extremely cost-effective way to create custom products in the high volumes that are necessary for large-scale product production. This process is also used to create personalized items such as plaques, buttons, and lapel pins. Many companies have started using laser engraving to create more personalized items for their customers. The increased volume of custom orders results in significant cost savings.
Laser engraving can be done on all kinds of metals from brass to stainless steel. To do this, there are three kinds of processes that can be used depending on the type of metal being worked with and the design requirements. The first kind of metal fabrication work to do is the hardening or cold working process. This works on metals such as aluminum. The other kind of process is the plating process, which is used to create a design on metal by applying a particular coating to it.
The hardening process involves dipping metal into a solution that forms a hard surface with an irregular surface. This hard surface is what will be engraved later. The plating process involves applying a liquid metal onto a surface and then working away from the excess material by exposing the next layer of metal. During this process, the final design is engraved into the metal through direct contact. These methods can be combined to give a final design, but there is variation depending on the material and the coating thickness.
After these processes have been completed, the design is placed onto the metal. During this step, special tools are used to depress different points on the surface to give a smooth feel. In some cases, the surface may need to be manually stroked to ensure that all the points have been reached. The next step is typically annealing, which polishes and seals the surface. This allows the finished product to have a smooth finish. A laser polishing machine may also be used to achieve a more even finish.
While many businesses use the traditional engraving methods, there is an emerging market for using laser engraving. Laser engraving can give a great edge to any business, whether it be jewelry making computer graphics or design engineering. Using laser engraving technology, metal fabrication projects can be much more cost-effective and take less time than what is currently possible. The time frame is also much shorter, which makes for great value for money for companies that need to create a short run of products.
This article was written by Tyler Duoos, Tyler is the owner of General Saw Company. General Saw Company takes pride in being a leader in sheet metal fabrication services to Central Florida and its surrounding areas. If you are looking for Tampa Metal fabricators to get the job done right the first time we got you covered!
