LaserEtcher

The Laser Etcher

The laser etcher has been around for many years, and has been used to etch words, or images on just about any surface. Laser etchers are also known as laser engravers, and can be used interchangeably because they have the same function and purpose.

What is a laser etcher?

A laser etcher is a machine that engraves, or etches objects using lasers (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation). The advantages of laser etching are mostly due to the ease and quickness of the process. Traditional engravers would have to constantly change bits to engrave on different material and surfaces.

The machine itself includes three essential parts: the laser, controller, and a surface. The laser is considered to be like a pencil, where it is emitted onto an object’s surface in order to engrave the desired patterns. The controller is usually a computer, where the operator may program a design to be etched, or to change the intensity, direction and speed of the laser.

Due to the nature of the lasers used, a disadvantage would be the amount of heat created by the machines. It is required for the machines to have effective cooling systems for long uses of operation. Alternatively, the laser etcher machine may be used in pulses to reduce the amount of heat.

There are many different laser etchers available on the market. If you like to laser etch your work often, then it may be worthwhile to purchase a laser etcher. These are portable in size, and still do a fine engraving job. Industrial sized laser etching machines are much larger, and produce a higher quality product. However, in the long run it may be cheaper to purchase your own.