GCC LaserPro and Jorlink Know-How

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LASER is the acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

In earlier discussions we’ve talked about how to choose the right laser for your business; how to get started once the laser is in place; even the differences between lasers and rotary engravers. So what about other options in laser engraving and cutting? For instance:

How does a CO2 laser engraver work?  

A CO2 laser works by electrically stimulating the molecules of a carbon dioxide gas mixture. When this invisible but intensive beam is focused through a lens it can vaporize many materials. The speed and intensity of the C02 laser beam determines the wide variety of materials it is able to engrave or cut through.

What is raster engraving?

Actually two model laser engravers exist, one is called raster, and the other is vector. Raster is similar to high clarity lattice printing. In application the laser head scans left to right, engraving a series of dots one line at a time, then moves back and forth to carve many lines to make up a full page picture or scene of characters.

If you’ve chosen a raster laser engraver by LaserPro here’s an easy way to get familiar with the product. Create a one-inch square utilizing your graphics software (preferably something like CorelDRAW); fill the graphic with black without outline. Enter settings that seem to make sense for the intended use, keeping in mind that the only variable should be the power setting. Send the file to the laser and begin to work. A close look after even a few strokes should make clear whether the cut is too deep, too shallow or just right. Resetting the power and trying again until the depth is just right is the fastest method of determining the settings. One great feature is that your GCC LaserPro laser engraving and cutting system will allow the power to be set on-the-fly, which means that, as the square is being lasered, the power can be increased or decreased until the right depth is achieved. Make a note of the settings for future use with similar materials. Now you’re off and running! Each time the same settings should continue to work on that machine using that product.

What about vector cutting?

This process differs from raster in that it proceeds on the outline of the characters. You would usually employ this model for cutting wood, acrylic, textile, or marking on the surface of them. The setting that produces the best results will probably need to be refined. A quick test of each product type should provide numbers that will continue to work on a particular machine.

(Example) This time make three 1-inch squares (again using your graphics software). Assign them a .001" outline and a color that corresponds to the engraving order (Black, Red, Green) along with no fill color. Keep the settings on all three squares the same except for the speed setting. Assign a high, low and middle speed to the squares. Send the job and evaluate the depth of cut. If the cut didn't quite make it through the material then the speed should be decreased to slow the lens down allowing more time to burn through; however, if the material cut through all the way and caused some heat damage, then the speed should be increased to decrease burn through time. As before, be sure to make note of the settings for future use.

Is there more than one type of motor available?

Two types of motor technology exist in the market, one is a Stepper motor and another is a Servo motor. GCC LaserPro  and Jorlink provide a complete line of servo-controlled laser engravers that have an exceptional reputation to produce some of the highest 2D and 3D engraving effects with superior accuracy existing.

Is Speed Equal to Throughput?

Speed is NOT equal to throughput!  IPS (inch per second) stands for the number of inches that a motor can travel in one second. Simply put; it informs us the maximum speed that a motor can attain. However, a high IPS value does not necessarily equal high productivity. Throughput should be measured in terms of how much work can be done within a certain time. An IPS value does not reveal the acceleration time required for a motor to achieve its maximum speed and thus discounting the time spent on acceleration. Hence it is possible that machines with lower IPS motors can actually have a higher throughput when compared to machines equipped with high IPS motors. While an engraving job is a succession of acceleration and deceleration; it does magnify the importance of the acceleration speed. Therefore the correct way to calculate the throughput of a laser engraving machine is by inch /sec or PPM (Pages per Minutes). GCC LaserPro invites you to compare productivity of any other machine with theirs. Run a 2"x2" black square at 100% speed and 500 or 600 DPI, record the time required and compare to GCC LaserPro machines. You’ll find out why Jorlink and GCC LaserPro is always a sure bet!