Pre-treatment for Laser Marking

This article explains the whole process of pre-processing for laser engraving, including material processing, parameter adjustment, and graphic optimization, to help you avoid losing detail in the final design.Mastery of the technique of laser engraving pre-treatment ensures that delicate patterns are clearly visible. This is especially suitable for handcrafters and industrial designers who require high levels of precision.

Why does pre-treatment preserve the details of a design?

Many users of laser marking machines have noted that the fine lines in their design drafts come out blurry and indistinct.The problem is that the preparation phase is often overlooked. Just as cooks need to prepare their ingredients before cooking, laser marking requires proper pre-processing.The three keys we are going to talk about today will let your images appear as sharp and clear as high definition photos.

Materials must be treated to the right degree.

Don't be lazy about cleaning.

Even if the material looks clean to the naked eye, there may be a film of oil or dust on its surface.Remember to use isopropyl alcohol with a lint-free cloth to wipe the lenses, especially in the corners of the metal frame.Last time, a friend who was making metal name tags didn't clean the back of the material, and the moisture left over affected the results.

There are also special coating techniques.

For reflective materials like glass and ceramics, it is suggested that the first step be to spray on a dulling coating.Don't use spray paint from the store, but rather a professional coating agent that will ensure even application.If you really need a quick fix, here's a method that will work: mix plaster with water and paint it on thinly. When it dries, sand it smooth.

Don't just copy the templates.

More power is not necessarily better.

A lot of people think that if you increase the power you can cut deeper, but actually if you have too much power, the edges will burn.The company recommends starting at 50 % of the power recommended by the material supplier, and then increasing by 5 % increments.The last time I tried it, I cut a line 0.2 millimeters wide on a piece of bamboo, and the effect was clearer at 70 % power than at 100 % power.

The speed and frequency must be coordinated.

The high frequency and low speed are good for depicting details, while the low frequency and high speed are good for filling in large areas.There is one easily overlooked detail: When cutting lines smaller than 0.3 mm, it is recommended that the laser output frequency be set at 20 kHz or higher. This will result in more overlap between each laser beam spot, producing a more continuous line.

There are tricks to optimizing the graphics.

Vector graphics are more reliable than bitmaps.

Don't directly import the JPG picture and then label it. You must first convert it into a vector graphic.The lines must be at least 0.1 mm wide to avoid fusing together due to heat.There's a little trick to being lazy: In AI, change the stroke width to 0.12 mm. In 80 % of cases, this will preserve the details.

The corners should be rounded.

Sharp corners are susceptible to re-burning along the laser path, and it is suggested that all corners be rounded off by 0.1 mm.A friend of mine who designs badges tried this method, and the problem of frayed edges at the corners was immediately improved.If a logo with a right angle must be preserved, the power at the corner can be set 10 % lower.

Don't be afraid to tinker.

Before you start, do a test cut in a 3-cm area at the edge of the material.The three main areas to check are the thinnest lines, the smallest characters, and the smoothest transitions.Once, while making circuit board patterns for a customer, I had to make five fine adjustments to get the best combination of parameters for a 0.08-millimeter line.

I remember that every time we changed batches of materials we had to retest, because there could be subtle differences in the composition of different batches.If you get into the habit of recording parameters, you will gradually be able to build up your own database.If you follow these steps, you are sure to get the best results.