In this example, the aluminium laser engraving is performed on aluminium plate. The application is custom label tags for boxes containing snooker cues. The aluminium laser engraving produces either personal details, or in this case, organisations who ultimately sell the products to their fans. In this case, a West Bromwich fan.
Laser engraving aluminium with complex logo’s
With laser marking complex logo’s, it is important to understand the difference between Vector files and Bitmap files. Vector files are mathematical formulas defining lines, circles etc. These are created by programs like Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, AutoCAD and Corel. Bitmap files are collections of individual pixels. This includes digital photos, Adobe Photoshop files, JPGs etc. You can engrave with either vector or bitmap files, but the best results for images like this are to start with vector based artwork.
The Laser engraving aluminium process
The plates are less than 1mm thick so the laser engraving is a very light process across the surface. very little material is removed during the process. this creates a nice contrast level against the brighter origin, but also prevents any material distortion due to heat build up. The laser in this case, a Q switched Nd:YAG is used, with a relatively low power to create minimal disturbance to the surface.
The job file is set up with a basic template aligned to a specific jig. Every time the job is required, the artwork is loaded into the template, and as long as it complies with the template, then its good to go.
In situations similar to this, where the materials have a brush or machined finish, it is always a good idea to have the laser scan direction perpendicular to the brush or machine lines. This provides the highest level of contrast by disrupting the light refraction.
If you would like further information on this laser engraving aluminium, or any other application, please request a call back, or talk to one of our laser marking specialists on 01737 826902
