As a symbol of the development of human civilization, metal has witnessed the tremendous progress of mankind from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age. And the metal itself has opened up a whole new track for its own light, that is metal engraving. Metal engraving is not only a manufacturing process, but also an art of pursuing beauty. Tracing the development history of metal engraving, it is actually a kind of communication and expression between people and people, people and things, which plays the role of recording history, describing the story and commemorating the significance.
I. Standard methods of metal engraving
1. Hand engraving
In the past, metal engraving is to rely on skilled craftsmen using carving knives or engraving machines in the metal for hand-carved, which requires the carving master has a very high artistic talent and very superb carving techniques, but also need to have for all kinds of metal properties of a deep understanding. Although the coefficient of difficulty of hand-carving is very high, but it is undeniable that the spiritual charm of hand-carved works is irreproducible. Therefore, many people choose hand-engraving as the first choice for private custom-made jewellery and works of art.
2. Machine engraving
With the rapid development of social science and technology and people's living standards, the manual form of metal engraving has been unable to meet the growing demand for metal engraving works. Therefore, machine engraving came into being, become another sign of the progress of the times. Machine engraving, is to use machines instead of manpower, with engraving tools in the metal surface for pattern engraving. The advantage of machine engraving is that it not only ensures the consistency of the work, but also saves manpower and material resources to a large extent and improves the production efficiency of the work.
3. Electrochemical etching
Electrochemical etching is very different from the operation of the usual engraving machines , such as pneumatic engraving machines. Simply put, it utilizes a chemical reaction between the metal and other chemical materials to remove a portion of the metal for the purpose of completing the engraving. The typical process involves applying a protective coating to the surface of the metal, but the portion to be engraved is left exposed so that it comes into contact with the chemical. Electrochemical etching is best suited for thin material parts in the electronics industry, such as circuit boards.
4. Laser engraving
Compared with the previous several engraving methods, a prominent advantage of laser engraving is that he is able to grasp the fineness of the engraving work. The basic principle of laser engraving is as follows: the use of very high power laser irradiation of metal, evaporating part of the metal material, and ultimately forming a lasting mark. Since there is no physical contact with the metal during the laser engraving process, there is no physical wear and tear. Laser engraving is done through CNC machine technology for fine engraving. As a result, laser engraving can engrave barcodes and serial numbers and other highly detailed patterns on any metal.
Ⅱ.What metals can be used as laser engraving?
1. Aluminum
Aluminum is a class of metal preferred by many artists and manufacturers. Aluminum is suitable for laser engraving because it creates a high contrast surface when laser treated, i.e. the white markings of the laser treatment contrast with its own silver color. Overall, laser engraving on aluminum has a wide range of applications, such as the engraving of craft labels and the production of custom artwork.
2. Stainless Steel
The hardness and heat resistance of stainless steel is very high, so the laser engraving requirements for the laser device is higher. However, the characteristics of stainless steel also make the finished product of laser engraving very corrosion-resistant, high performance stability. Stainless steel is very suitable for kitchenware, medical equipment and some outdoor tools.
3. Gold, white gold and platinum
Precious metals such as gold or platinum are highly plastic under laser light. Since most of these metals are used in the production of precious items, such as luxury goods and jewelry, the requirements for delicacy are very strict. At this time, the requirements for the laser equipment is not too much power, in order to reduce the loss of material in the engraving process.So, there will also be people who choose to use a carving knife or pneumatic hand engraving tools as a tool to hand carve precious metals like gold.
Ⅲ.The skills of metal laser engraving
1. Select what type of metal
To understand the nature of a metal, we can analyze the metal from the following aspects, such as the reflectivity of the metal, the hardness of the metal, the degree of stability and thermal conductivity and other dimensions. This has a great impact on the subsequent performance settings of the laser unit.
2. What kind of laser setup to choose
As mentioned earlier, different metals have different laser setups that are suitable for them. For example, stainless steel, its stability is extremely high, so it is suitable for laser power is very high laser device. As for gold, platinum, this type of precious metals, too high power laser device will cause unnecessary loss of metal materials. In summary, the laser device needs to be based on the type of metal and customer requirements for engraving finished products to a comprehensive analysis.
3. Metal surface cleaning
Before laser engraving, the surface of the metal needs to be thoroughly cleaned. This is because a clean metal surface is a very important determinant of the finish of the subsequent engraving work. Oil stains, dirt, etc. on the metal have a great impact on the accuracy of the laser equipment.
4. Safety as a top priority
During the engraving process, the operator needs to always keep in mind the importance of safety. Before formal metal laser engraving, the operator should go through the necessary safety training and practice as many times as possible. After all, laser engraving machines still have some risk factor, the operation of the process of the slightest carelessness will be dangerous.
