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Thread: Engraver help

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Default Engraver help

    Hi all. I'm looking for a laser engraver in 300-600 dollar range to engrave small things like logos on 2 - 4 inch metal surfaces. I'm new to this, any recs on a good one or am I way off base with my price point?

  2. #2
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    ... direkt metal marking/engraving lasers starts as import from China at around USD 3000, from a "serious" European or American vendor more like USD 7000.

    But you can paint the metal surface, engrave/etch the paint with a cheap laser (diode or CO2) and then etch the metal surface ...

    Viktor
    Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - https://reprap.org/forum/list.php?426
    Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - https://reprap.org/forum/list.php?425

  3. #3
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    Just as Viktor said. Paint, laser etch, eletro-etch and done. You can get a cheap laser etcher that will cut through paint for about $350 US. I would steer clear of the cheap 405nm diode etchers. co2 laser etchers work way better for about the same price. They are high power 40w~60w so they blast the paint away instead of burning it, they can etch on clear glass or acrylic/polycarbonate, they are great for wood and even stone. The other thing is, they have a round spot which focuses down to a cleaner point for better precision.


    I just did this process a few months ago with my co2 machine. After laser etchingoff the paint, it only took about 10 minutes in the salt water, 8vdc @ 3A for a 0.5mm deep etch.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by absolom7691; 10-04-2018 at 18:18.

  4. #4
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    ... I'm using laser-diodes for finer spot diameters (0.05 to 0.1mm diamter), much longer "lifetimes" and too easier controlling -- instead of high voltage, it's constant current driving with 8 Volts at 2A to 9A and single pulses or frequencies with up to 200 kHz bandwidth

    Here a thread, where I'm showing some related action - https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?133,235148

    Viktor
    Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - https://reprap.org/forum/list.php?426
    Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - https://reprap.org/forum/list.php?425

  5. #5
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    Default

    How much do you need to etch? Depending on quantity, you can come by the shop and use ours.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by VDX View Post
    ... I'm using laser-diodes for finer spot diameters (0.05 to 0.1mm diamter), much longer "lifetimes" and too easier controlling -- instead of high voltage, it's constant current driving with 8 Volts at 2A to 9A and single pulses or frequencies with up to 200 kHz bandwidth

    Here a thread, where I'm showing some related action - https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?133,235148

    Viktor
    That's really cool. I was always under the impression that because the emitter is not round, it would affect the results, X vs Y depending on the orientation of the diode.

    I have yet to try etching pcb but that is one of my goals eventually. Still, really cool results!

  7. #7
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    ... the emitter of the diodes is a "square" with roughly 1x100 microns with the 1W and 1,5W diodes or bigger with the stronger diodes - but with different divergency in the different orientations too.

    When collimating and focussing with short focal lengths (10mm to 30mm) the resulting spot will show an elliptic spot of something between 50 to 70 microns in the "long" axis with the 1W/1,5W diodes or bigger with the stronger.

    With slightly "defocussing" you can change the resulting spot diameter and shape (because off the differen divergencies per orientation), so the spot will be slightly bigger, but more symmetric too.

    But if you want a "perfect round" spot, then you can focus the diode beam into a glass fiber and use the "averaged" output of the fiber -- it's then not the original square with 1x100 or 3x200 microns, but with a 105 micron thick fiber (which I'm using) a "perfect" circular beam, which then can be focussed again to a round spot.

    With the NIR-diodes with 5 to 30 Watts @975nm out of a 105 micron fiber and focal length of 20mm I'm receiving "perfect round" spot diameters of around 120 to 150 microns

    Viktor
    Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - https://reprap.org/forum/list.php?426
    Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - https://reprap.org/forum/list.php?425

  8. #8
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    Sep 2015
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    Quote Originally Posted by araugh View Post
    How much do you need to etch? Depending on quantity, you can come by the shop and use ours.
    thanks so much adam! i'm asking on behalf of a friend who has a business, and he is thinking of etching logos into the metal products. just out of curiosity, is yours a "real deal" one or this paint method described in this thread?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    Mine is the real deal, though it's only 40 watts. Fine for etching anodized aluminum, but we're not set up for stainless or anything like that.

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