Engraving
Laser engraving is a marking technique that uses a highly concentrated beam of light to remove material from the surface of an object, thereby generating a logo or text engraved on it. The engraved surface becomes slightly rough to the touch, due to the removal of the material, creating a pleasant tactile sensation and a visual effect of depth.
How it works
- Laser beam: A specific machine generates a laser beam, which is a light amplified by stimulated emission of radiation. This beam is extremely concentrated and can reach very high temperatures.
- Material interaction: When the laser beam hits the surface of the material, its energy is absorbed, causing rapid heating and vaporization of a small portion of the material itself.
- Creation of the engraving: Moving the laser beam according to the desired design, the material is progressively removed, thus creating the engraving. The depth and sharpness of the engraving depends on the power of the laser, the scanning speed and the properties of the material.
Some examples of application on items
On stainless steel or metal the engraved logo takes the natural colour of the material, i.e. grey, even if the object has a coloured coating. When the item is not coloured, the effect is tone-on-tone.
The engraving on wood and bamboo is not always uniform. In fact, it must be considered that each piece of wood is unique: the amount of resin inside this natural material and the presence of knots and veins affect the final yield of the engraving. In particular, the markings that have a darker yield are due to the high resin content inside the wood, those made on wood with a low resin content leave a clearer mark. It is possible that in the same object there are points with high resin content and points with low resin content with different engraving effects on the final yield.
The laser engraving on the transparent glass creates an opaque and rough area. The visual effect is similar to that obtained with sandblasting, but with much greater precision and finesse.
On the silicone, the logo is excavated with the laser beam creating an elegant and long-lasting bas-relief effect. Considering that silicone is an elastic material, it is the most suitable printing technique.
Pros and Cons of Engraving
Pros
- It is durable and resistant to wear and weather;
- It is precise and allows you to create high quality images and texts;
- It gives the graphics depth;
- Does not require additional materials such as inks or plastics;
- It is elegant and discreet;
- It is versatile, can be applied on a wide range of materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, leather and many more.
Cons
- It is not possible to reproduce the colours of your logo;
- It is not always uniform, especially on natural materials such as wood.