Engraving

Lasers in general have a long history dating back to Albert Einstein’s ideas for the technology in the early 1900s. Engraving lasers, however, have only been around since the 1970s. Will Dahlgren developed one of the first computerized laser machines.

“Laser Machining” applications rely on a small portion of light passing through a lens and being narrowed down into a precise beam for engraving. The most common types are carbon dioxide based, which work well with poor heat conductors like wood, plastic, or ceramics. Another option is YAG lasers, which are created with yttrium aluminum garnet and are great for metal products. You’ll find both lasers used in a wide variety of industries, most notably in automobiles and aircraft.

In a nutshell, laser engraving is a permanent and precise personalisation method that cannot be cancelled.

The laser technique sees the surface of the promotional item eliminated, with the colour of the material beneath that top layer determining the colour of the print.

This style of personalisation works best on metal promotional products, such as keyrings, engraved mobile phone stands, clocks and so on, creating a unique tone-on-tone look for your branded gifts.

Pros

• Laser engraving leaves a permanent mark with high contrast;
• Gives the graphics depth and texture;
• Does not require additional materials like dyes and plastics;
• It is possible to transmit files directly from Auto CAD or CorelDraw;
• The scanning speed is very fast.

Cons

• It is not possible to use colours;
• Not suitable for hard materials with a low ignition point, like iron, glass, or copper.

Laser engraving is recommended for printing on metal and wood. The most common items printed this way include key holders, coasters, puzzles, wooden items, thermos.