July 2021 | Bay & Moor

Getting your brand message across to your customers is very important as it gives identity and makes your business memorable, encourages consumers to buy from you and supports your advertising and marketing. Branding gives consumers something to relate to and connect with. It’s the face of your company and helps consumers distinguish your business across every medium. Branding could be the deciding factor for customers when they make a purchase decision, almost sixty percent of shoppers said they actively buy from brands they know, and twenty percent said they bought a product because they liked the brand. It helps your promotion pack that extra punch with added impact and recognition. When you brand your company, you’re giving your business identity creating a reputable, highly-regarded workplace. Brand awareness refers to how recognised your brand is with your target audience. High brand awareness leads to brands being widely recognised. Brand awareness is very important as consumers cannot consider purchasing from you if they are not aware of it.

Brand identity is the personality of your business and quality of products with customer care your customers expect. After purchase it is what your customers walk away with after they interact with your brand. Your brand identity is comprised of how you communicate your values, product or service. Also how you want people to feel when they interact with your service.

Brand management is the process of maintaining and creating your brand. Including managing the tangible elements of your brand your brand is a living asset, and it should be managed in this way.

Brand recognition is how well a consumer in your target audience will recognize your brand without seeing your business name by your logo, packaging or advertising. This also goes hand-in-hand with brand recall, which is thinking of a brand without any visual. identification.

Brand trust refers to how much consumers and customers believe in your brand. Providing a high quality product or service creates trust among your customers, which is important in a world where there is so much competition. Effective and strong branding builds trust with your customers.

Brand valuation is the commercial value of your brand brought from consumer recognition, trust and perception. A strong brand can make your business invaluable to customer and potential buyers.

For centuries, leather has been one of the favourite materials for making fashionable and utility items. It is highly valued for its natural appeal leather is a very popular material to laser engrave and cut for a variety of reasons. Leather sheets and leather products are affordable, durable, and have a high perceived value, especially when they are personalised. In addition to making products, the other reason why leather is chosen is its strength, as its fibres are tough and create some of the most durable goods. Combining laser technology and this versatile material can produce many creative applications and opportunities, from promotional products to accessories, luxury goods and products. If you are not familiar with leather engraving, it is the process of engraving into the leather surface to create permanent marks, to customize this timeless material, leather is usually engraved with letters or designs for personalisation, decoration or branding.

Leather types

The results from engraving depend on the kind of leather we are working with, and how the laser beam reacts with it, some types of leather have higher fat content and therefore react differently with the heat applied by the laser.

There are four main types of leather:

Full-grain leather – highest quality
Top grain leather – second highest quality
Corrected grain (bottom/cut split leather) – also known as “genuine leather”
Bonded leather – lowest quality, made up of leftovers of the hide

There are many options under the four primary types of leather including pigmented leather, vegetable-tanned leather, antique-grain and many more. Suede is another type of soft leather, and while not as durable as the types mentioned above, it can also be laser engraved and cut.

Laser engraving Leather

The process of engraving leather results in a clean crisp finish and depending on the surface and colour of the leather, produces a noticeable contrast. Light-coloured leathers produce significant colour contrast, whereas engraving darker leathers results in a more subtle contrast. If you need a dynamic colour contrast a tan, beige, or light brown leather is recommended.

The engraving results are mostly dependent on the type of leather used as well as the laser speed, power, and frequency settings. As with any material, it is recommended to test different parameters until we achieve your desired finish.

Laser cutting Leather

We can cut through leather and produce a clean-cut edge, as the laser beam cuts the surface compressed air is blown over the cut to remove debris. The best process for cutting leather is to use laser technology, as it has the advantage over handheld rotary tools due to the precision results and speed at which they work. There are several benefits to using a laser to cut leather, first, the laser provides sealed cuts that will not fray or otherwise deteriorate. Secondly, unlike manual leather cutting tools such as utility knives and rotary cutters, cutting leather with a laser is incredibly fast, precise, and perhaps most importantly, consistent. Additionally, cutting with the laser eliminates warping which can sometimes happen with hand tools. When using the laser to cut leather, there is no contact with the surface, which means there are no blades that could damage the surrounding area. Also, no additional production time wasted clamping down leather for processing as with using tools.

Hand engraving, motorized engraving, and laser engraving.

Tools can be used for engraving leather such as handheld rotary tools but laser engraving is exponentially faster, hand engraving utilizes manual tools such as a burin, graver, and a swivel knife that cuts into the leather manually. You can also use stamps with sharp edges designed to cut into the leather rather than merely pressing it down to make an impression, as with round-edged embossing stamps. Because leather is soft compared to wood, metal, and glass, you do not need super powerful tools with a high RPM. This technique utilizes burr bits rotating at high speed to forge the leather surface.

What is the best process for engraving leather?

Laser engraving is the most efficient technique for engraving leather. A laser engraving machine utilizes a beam of light to mark the leather rather than cut it into it, to make the most precise marks. This accuracy is perfect for intricate detailing compared to hand engraving, the accuracy of the results, particularly with intricate designs is on another level. Plus, you can make multiple items quickly when repeating the same design you can even engrave images.

We are only a phone call away for advice or a quotation.

Wood is a fantastic material to engrave as the Laser produces incredible intricate results to text, designs or logos, and is an environmentally friendly alternative to man-made materials.

The lighter Hard and Soft woods give contrast to the engraving such as Oak, Bamboo, Birch, Olive and Pine which engrave particularly well also veneered Mdf is available in a range of finishes.

Wood can be laser engraved producing a high level of detail and contrast with a clean finish without burning of the surface. We can engrave eco-friendly products, key fobs, signs, gifts, architectural models, from a range of wood types:

Plywood
MDF
Hard & Soft wood
Chipboard
OSB
Exotic woods
Cork
Veneers

Laser engraving wood produces amazing results. Logos, text and images are all suitable and every detail is reproduced. Wood plaques are becoming a sought-after natural alternative to brass, which needs frequent cleaning and is a higher cost. Wood needs less maintenance than brass. Oak, Ash Mahogany and Birch are popular choices.

Laser engraved wooden signs are easily read particularly if a lighter wood is used and blend naturally into the environment. Wood is an eco-friendly alternative to plastic and metal leaving a low carbon footprint.

Painted or dyed woods give great results and using bright colours produces a high contrast surface to engrave.

Methods of laser engraving wood for a perfect finish:

High-speed engraving

Depending on the type of wood and finish required, high speed and low power can be applied with multiple passes to reduce any residue from the engraving process the laser beam vaporises the material producing a light finish. This is a useful technique when the surrounding wood cannot be sanded or have an adhesive masking tape applied.

Masking

Working down the grades of abrasives to produce a smooth finish, a mask can be applied to the wood using an adhesive application tape which is applied to the surface, this prevents any residue building up on the surface of the surrounding engraved area producing a clean finish when removed after engraving.

Sanding the surface

The surface of the wood needs to be as smooth as possible before engraving, this is achieved by sanding the surface to remove loose fibres of wood and uneven areas. The laser engraves the design or text and once the depth and finish are achieved the wood is sanded to remove any residue. Varnishing is the final finish to protect the wood a matt varnish gives a natural finish or danish oil can be used but needs to be reapplied as the wood weathers.

High contrast

A higher contrast finish can be achieved by using more power or reducing the engraving speed as the laser passes over the surface creating more depth to the engraving. Another method of producing more contrast to the engraving is to vector engrave the outline of the design or text, where the laser beam does not cut through the material but scores the surface this produces a two dimensional effect.

Colour filling

Wood can be colour filled in a range of vibrant colours to highlight a design or text, the surface is sanded with abrasives to a fine surface and prepared by removing any sanding dust or contaminants, an adhesive application tape is applied and the surface engraved. Once this stage is complete we use enamel paint specially designed for sign painting, enamels provide superior flexibility and durability. After drying the surface is sanded again to remove any residue, a final top coat of matt or gloss varnish is applied to produce a high-quality lasting finish.

Varnishing types

Polyurethane – this is plastic in liquid form and is either an oil-based or water-based version available in matt to high gloss or stain used on interior signage or furniture. They add slight colour to enhance the wood and show the natural grain pattern

Shellac – this is a natural resin produced by an insect in Indian and Thai forests. It is processed into flakes then mixed with ethanol and used as a wood varnish. It is a unique material as it can be used as a natural primer, a high gloss varnish and stains wood. This used to be the most popular varnish until polyurethane was invented which has a longer shelf life is more durable and chemical resistant.

Water-based varnish these are just as good or better than the traditional spirit-based varnishes used in the past, used for furniture or interior products. They go on clear without darkening the wood and are recommended for indoor wood only.

Marine varnish

This is a very durable product formulated especially to withstand being exposed to salt or fresh water, in our opinion it is the best varnish to use on exterior wood.

The Process

Material – choose the sign material, wood, acrylic, laminate or metal

Design – we can produce the design or use your layout. A vector-based file format is needed for the laser process

Decide on the best delivery method a flat panel or mounted letters.

Production – The sign is laser cut or engraved once this is complete we carry out finishing

Product branding

As the laser process is eco-friendly with no ink used to create a natural finish, companies are increasingly using this for their wood products. This method of branding gives a strong message to the consumer that the company has a high environmental awareness and the quality of branding does need to be compromised by using a cost-effective process. Branding leads to customer loyalty, consistency and credibility and leads to referrals and returning customers.

Signage

Signs guide our everyday life and are essential for communicating direction, advertising or branding a business. Bay & Moor can produce wooden signs to communicate information to existing or potential customers. Sign making using laser technology is a straight forward process but some complexity can arise depending on the style and finish required signs consist of basic elements message, audience and delivery type. Company Signage used externally as street signage or internally to brand a reception, signs deliver a professional and clear presence that makes a company memorable and creates confidence in the brand. Business are choosing natural materials and as many small businesses are on a budget, there are cost-effective options to produce professional results, engraving the text on a birch plywood then vector.

Retail Store Signage. In addition to signage for buildings, retail stores are full of opportunities to make signs, to complement exterior signage also pavement signs are a great way to bring the attention of those walking by and further brand recognition. Once the exterior signage gets customers into the door, they need to know if the shop is open making it clear that a store is open with a sign that encourages people to come in. For retail shops that sell clothing, denoting changing rooms is a must, and colour filled black text on a natural background is an effective way of guiding customers.

Hotel Signs. Because hotels are such a personal experience, warm greetings go a long way toward how people feel in these spaces. Not only are signs a good idea for defining things such as room numbers and floors, but this linen sign will enhance the ethics of a hotel for maintaining the environmental message.

Lasering wood in scientific research Dendrochronology (Tree ring dating)

Co2 Laser machines are being used in tree ring dating for scientific purposes to establish isotope ratios between growth rings as wood is an ‘anisotropic material’ meaning it has a different density along the grain than across it, so the laser is used to ablate the surface to create a topology.

Early wood is burnt away deeper than later wood as it has less density leaving the higher density wood on the surface. This process can be used to create prints of trees that are thousands of years old and are considered to be artistic projects, telling the story of that tree bringing art, culture and heritage together.

Spacing between the tree rings can be used to date trees, and this process can show new insights into climate change, softer woods are easier to process as the laser beam has more effect on the wood with less power needing to be used.

As climate change begins to have significant impacts monitoring their magnitude, direction will be required to adapt forest management practices to these effects. Dendrochronological methods are a powerful and complementary method to demonstrate detailed, annual resolution data on forest growth and stand dynamics.

Laser ablation of tree rings provides a rapid and sensitive method for investigating element concentrations and fluctuations in the environment along time profiles from birch and pine trees, this has been used by scientists in a highly polluted area of Russia and a slightly polluted area, at the Norwegian-Russian border showing that single trees behave rather individualistically in terms of heavy metal contents as observed in the yearly growth rings.

Wood is a fantastic material to engrave as the Laser produces incredible intricate results to text, designs or logos, and is an environmentally friendly alternative to man-made materials.

The lighter Hard and Soft woods give contrast to the engraving such as Oak, Bamboo, Birch, Olive and Pine which engrave particularly well also veneered Mdf is available in a range of finishes.

Co2 laser machines produce laser marking on stainless steel by using a pre-treatment process, a metal marking compound is sprayed onto the surface, this is allowed to dry naturally or can be heated to speed up the process, the laser beam is then passed over the surface bonding the compound to the metal resulting in a permanent mark on stainless steel, brass, aluminium, titanium, chrome plating, nickel and similar metals.,. Compounds are available in a variety of forms including tapes, aerosol sprays and pastes we use pastes which is sprayed onto the metal using an airbrush to produce an even coating ensuring correct bonding to the surface. Once laser marking is complete the excess compound is wiped or washed off the surface with water.

Due to the high intensity of the laser, materials such as stainless steel, titanium and most other metals can be marked directly. The high pulse power of the laser in combination with a very small laser spot diameter with this method, logos, text, serial numbers and other information can be laser marked onto the material. The surface of the material is marked a few microns into the metal and its colour is changed producing a high contrast black to dark grey mark on most metals. Stainless steel is the most popular metal used for laser marking. There are many advantages to laser marking stainless steel. Firstly stainless steel is incredibly durable and available in different grades for durability, 304 is the standard grade but 316 has a better chemical resistance and is less effected by chlorides such as salt and is therefore considered superior, making it the ideal metal choice for laser marking.

We can mark detailed markings onto the surface of metal with the certainty that the metal can withstand the rigours of the marking process. The medical industry uses stainless steel and titanium for numerous products, such as surgical equipment, specialist tools, furniture and worktops. Manufacturing mark their products with identification numbers, barcodes or serial numbers to ensure that they meet a strict level traceability. This ensures that every item is accounted for and can be traced to its original manufacturing source. Many other industries use stainless steel for its anti-corrosion properties such as the automotive, domestic appliance and catering industries. The other benefit of laser marking stainless steel is the speed and efficiency of the marking process. Depending on the type of laser machine used, complex graphics and high detail can be marked onto stainless steel in seconds. Also the robustness of the metal ensures that the marking remains clear and legible. Manufacturing companies mark products to allow them to maintain a high level of traceability without compromising on manufacturing speed.

In contrast to printing marking your products with laser enables you to create a permanent mark, which will remain on the product even under demanding conditions for example marine environments and for medical products that have to be sterilised in an autoclave for sterilisation this uses heat to kill bacterial and spores by pressurised steam for many cycles. We have marked medical products that have been tested in an autoclave and this has not faded the marking at all. Additionally, the laser machine offers non-contact functionality, which requires no consumables to operate. As a result, Co2 laser marking machines are more environmentally friendly than their inkjet counterparts. Anodised metals can also be laser marked, so the first stage of the process is to remove the coating by passing the laser over the surface with maximum intensity, this removes all traces of the anodised coating, then the compound is sprayed onto the surface and the laser passed over again to mark the surface. Titanium can be marked by a Co2 laser without the need for application of a compound, the molybdenum content in the titanium causes the laser beam to react and produce the marking.

Rotary marking is where a cylindrical product is turned in a rotary device, which is fitted into the bed of the laser machine. It is programmed to turn exactly in time with the laser beam passing over the surface of the product producing high detail along the side. The product must be symmetrical but some curvature is tolerable although it can affect the dimensions of the area that can be marked.

Ideal for product traceability, bar coding, logos and decorative marking, the train door panel plates featured are produced for PRV engineering based in Pontypool, Wales who manufacture for an expanse of industries providing these industries with a vast range of products and services.

The word vector means “line” and with vector cutting, the laser follows the cutting outline of a shape or lines to go all the way through the material. Most shapes can be cut. This is a perfect process for cutting many different types of materials including wood, acrylic, leather, laminates, MDF, cork, paper and textiles.

How does vector cutting work?

The focused laser beam used in vector cutting vaporises the material with incredible precision. Compressed air is used with the laser beam to keep the rest of the surface free from any residue while cutting the air pressure can be adjusted depending on the material being cut which reduces any burn back to the edge of the cut. Any residue can be cleaned off after cutting, for example, materials such as leather will need cleaning after cutting. Vector cutting is a non-contact process, the surrounding area of material is not damaged by the laser so paper and card can be cut leaving no residue.

Industries.

The vector cutting process is used in many industries due to it being a fast and efficient process with cost-effective outcomes. Bay & Moor has worked with many different types of industries including the creative industries, manufacturing, aviation, product branding, marine, corporate gifting, engineering, and many more.

A high intensity beam of light is produced by the laser machine and this light is focused onto the material in localised areas less than a fraction of a millimetre, which is heated by the laser beam with incredible precision. Depending on the amount of time the material is exposed to the heat a contrast is created, and the material is vaporised or burnt removing layers of material.

Laser engraving is permanent and resistant to abrasion on materials such as hard and soft wood, Corian, acrylic, and laminates producing a high quality lasting finish.

As laser engraving only uses light to produce the desired finish no inks or tools are used making this a non-contact process, an advantage over other engraving and cutting methods which use tools or bit heads that can cause damage to delicate materials.

The most popular type of engraving is where the workpiece is stationary in the laser machine fixed into a jig or flat on the bed, the laser optics move over the surface in two dimensions. Cylindrical products can be turned in a rotary device this is fitted into the laser machine and rotates the product under the laser beam.

The first laser was invented by Theodore Maiman on the 16th May 1960. In a press conference in July 1960 Maiman and his employer Hughes aircraft company announced the laser to the world.

A ruby laser was used to produce the laser beam, ruby is the result when a water-clear crystal of aluminium oxide is doped with a small amount of chromium oxide impurity. The chromium is responsible for the red colour. Ruby is an extremely rugged crystal and among the hardest of gems. Ruby is a fluorescent mineral if ultraviolet light is shined through the Ruby it will produce a deep red fluorescent glow this is what sparked Maiman’s inspiration for the first laser. A patent was granted for his invention, and he received many awards and honours throughout his life.

The number of lasers in use today is astonishing, in virtually every aspect of life from science, industry, entertainment and medicine to CD players, DVD drivers or the supermarket scanners.

The majority of communications received use lasers, when talking on the telephone using the internet or watching TV this all comes from information flowing through fibre optic cables made possible by a light beam from a laser the size of a pin head. In the security industry lasers offer more secure communications and high speed data communications between networks, is the tip of the iceberg to what is possible with laser communications. Many of which derive from the lack of physical connection required, beams can connect computer chips within computers, cross land and roads or be connected as temporary networks in disaster situations all with low error rates and immunity to electromagnetic interference.

Medical procedures have been revolutionised by laser technology with applications from cancer cures and surgery such as tumor, cataract removal and most other surgical procedures, laser surgery uses non-ionising radiation, so it does not have the same long term risks as x-rays and other types is ionising radiation.
Cosmetic procedures have been transformed using lasers to remove moles, wrinkles as well and tattoos or to whiten teeth.
Ophthalmology uses lasers for the treatment of glaucoma, retinal problems and even eyes can be reshaped by the laser enabling many people to see without glasses.

The term Laser stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of light, such as that from a light bulb has many wavelengths and spreads in all directions but laser light has a specific direction and is coherent and focused in a narrow beam, creating very high intensity light. As lasers can focus very accurately on precise areas, they are perfect to treat or remove tissues in place of a scalpel used in dental procedures such as endodontic/periodontics procedures and oral surgery.

Aircraft use laser gyroscope technology for navigation, in the military lasers are used as range finders to precisely measure distance. One of the most remarkable applications is LiDAR a technology which is essentially Radar except using light. Applications of Lidar are numerous and have given us everything from the rangefinder used in DIY to calculating the distance to the moon. Lidar from orbiting satellites are responsible for the most high resolution maps available today and are more precise than anything used previously.

Barcodes are now common-place but taking a look back at commerce before barcodes, inventories had to be laboriously recorded manually or in a non-standardised way across industries, until the development of lasers that made it possible to record and share information instantly this was revolutionary in commercial logistics.

Sports even use laser technology, and this is getting into the game itself, not in manufacturing but in setting up down on the field, where it can change the sports experience for fans and the participants. Laser projected marking is visible in stadium to the fans, officials and players created by `Sports Laser Technologies` the product called green line indicates the line to gain in football and shows markings in distance for events such as triple jump, long jump, hammer throw, javelin, and shot put. It can be used in other sports too such as tracking the position of vehicles in motor racing.

Lasers come in a variety of shapes, forms, sizes with beam characteristics dependent on the application and vary from the powerful multi-kilowatt variety used in industry to precise beams for eye surgery and miniature lasers used in fiber-optics.

Manufacturing uses lasers in many ways and is the most widely used tool, especially in additive manufacturing allowing engineers to create complex features or product designs the require the most precise tolerances.
Machining using lasers can create fine features that are impossible to make using traditional machining equipment. Cutting with lasers produces perfectly clean cuts with no burring or heat effects to the surrounding material this is a huge benefit particularly when engraving delicate materials that can be damaged easily.
Laser technology has transformed the world in so many ways in everyday life and can help us understand more about our environment.

What is Co2 laser cutting & engraving ?

A Co2 laser machine uses light produced when electricity runs through a gas filled tube, with mirrors directing the amplified light onto the material surface. The gas used is a mixture of hydrogen, nitrogen, helium and carbon dioxide. Light from a laser is infrared so is invisible to the human eye it can cut or engrave a variety of materials wood, glass, acrylic, plastics, ceramics and textiles. The intense heat from the laser beam vaporises the material that leaving a precise and clean finish, the power and speed can be increased or decreased to give vary the finished.

The advantage of laser engraving and cutting.

Non-contact – As the process has no mechanical parts that touch the surface of the material.
Versatility – Many materials can be processed laser engraving and cutting wood, glass, acrylic, plastics, ceramics and textiles.
Incredible precision – Lasers are produce highly accurate and precise the laser beam vaporises or melts the surface through intense heat with a high level of accuracy without damage to the surrounding area.

A variety of applications – Laser is not just for manufacturing processes it is widely used in product branding, medical, marine, aviation, engineering, arts and gifting.

The difference between laser marking, laser engraving and laser etching.

For clearly legible product and part identification, the processes of laser marking, laser etching and laser engraving are increasing in popularity. All three of these provide a permanent marking solution, fulfilling regulations and adding distinction to your parts or products. All three techniques may seem similar, but there are actually quite a few differences between them which largely have to do with what each process does to the marking surface, including how deep the laser goes and how it changes the overall appearance.

Laser marking discolours the surface of the material while laser etching and engraving actually removes a portion of the surface area as it marks. The main difference between laser etching and engraving is the depth to which the laser penetrates the surface. Each process has its own applications and attributes that make it ideal for different jobs.

Laser Marking

Laser marking is when the beam interacts with the surface of a material, slightly altering its properties or appearance.

It is achieved by moving the laser beam across the material using a method called discoloration, which creates high-contrast marks without disrupting the material. The laser heats the material, causing oxidation under the surface and turning the material dark grey to black. Applying temperatures to the metal to anneal the surface all of this is done while leaving the surface intact.

Laser marking differs from laser engraving and laser etching in a number of ways. It is less common and not all laser companies offer this service, it is also referred to as laser coloration or laser dark marking, as well as engraving for plastic materials and annealing for metals. There are four main types of marking colouration, carbon migration, annealing and foaming. It’s popular in the medical device industry where stainless steel and titanium parts are used due to their ability to be sterilised.

The laser process is ideal for QR codes, bar codes, UID codes logos and other product identification needs.

Laser Engraving

Laser engraving is a process where the laser beam physically removes the surface of the material to expose the core that reveals an image. The laser creates intense high heat during the engraving process, which causes the material to vaporize. It is a fast process, as the material is vaporized with each pulse. Deeper engraving is achieved using higher power or multiple passes. Although engraving is a subsection of laser marking, it still differs in many ways. This is the most popular option for product branding, personalisation and customisation. This is the fastest way to engrave with a laser perfect for parts expected to experience high wear. It’s typically used to part numbers, serial numbers, QR codes and logos plus custom designs we can engrave on almost any kind of material plastic, wood, leather, textiles, acrylic and glass. another important comparison to make is much cost is saved laser engraving compared to traditional engraving. It is more legible than traditional engraving for small products and parts with more font options with a smaller chance of product damage or deformation.

Laser Etching

Laser etching, which is a subset of laser engraving, occurs when the heat from the beam causes the surface of the material to melt. The laser beam uses high heat to melt the surface of the material the melted material expands and causes a raised mark. unlike with engraving, the etching is typically no more than 0.001”. As laser etching changes the surface finish of metals, it alters its reflectivity and enhances contrast. it can be carried out on anodised or plated metal surfaces, as well as ceramics and polymers.

Lasers are increasingly used to mark unique identification numbers on parts and products, this allows them to be easily identified in the event of recall. Laser markings are highly durable for medical devices, and can withstand many cycles of sterilization with serial numbers, part numbers, barcode information, and batch bar codes these can be marked on flat or curved products.

Co2 lasers are used in conjunction with a ceramic coating applied to the surface of the metal, as the laser passes over it this creates intense heat that permanently bonds the coating to the surface. The product we use is Cermark produced by Ferro this has been tested by NASA on the exterior of the International space station and has survived nearly four years of low earth orbit. Ferro supplied Cermark as bar code test marks on aluminium and glass which passed NASA’s criteria for its material international space station experiment, they were positioned on the lower section of the ISS’s airlock chamber in the harshest conditions exposed to the maximum amount of ultraviolet radiation and atomic oxidation, created by radiation from the sun and atomic oxygen found in the upper atmosphere that is extremely corrosive. Few products can claim space as a test market, we have marked medical products made from Titanium and Aluminium that have remained in perfect condition after many cycles in an autoclave.

Anodised metals can be laser marked by passing the laser over the surface and engraving away the anodised coating, the ceramic coating is then sprayed onto the surface and another pass of the laser with intense heat is used to bond the coating to the surface producing a permanent black finish.

Types of process

Surface texturing lasers can create patterns and textures onto the surfaces of products or components that increase the physical performance, for example wear rates, grip, load capacity, and optical properties. Laser texturing can create roughness on medical implants which make it easier for bone or new tissue to grow and take a firm hold to a new implant patterns and textures can be produced with very high depth resolution.

Laser ablation is a subtractive machining method that essentially vaporises the material with high precision using the laser beam. Ablation is especially useful for machining delicate and sensitive materials or superconductive materials as this is a non-contact process it does not change the structure or damage its surface.

Laser drilling this is an incredibly effective and accurate method of producing micro-sized holes in a range of materials, acrylics, wood, and ceramics. Many manufactured parts need microscopic features that can only be created by laser light technology. Incredibly small and complex features can be produced with methods such as mask projection, direct write, and trepanning with no material damage from heat effects.

Marking with lasers can be used on many metal materials used in industry, they are commonly used in automotive, medical, electronics and aerospace industries. If you are specifically looking to achieve high quality laser marking results on metal, there are several considerations that must be considered first as there are differing mechanisms of marking that can be achieved by lasers. Fiber lasers use a localised high-energy laser beam which rapidly vaporizes the surface of a metal, leaving an engraved pattern in the material. Fiber laser technology uses a different light wavelength to Co2 lasers and as metals have a high heat resistance a correspondingly high laser energy is required for deep engraving.

Laser annealing Titanium and ferrous metals such as iron and steel, heated from a laser source can cause oxidation of the affected area, which introduces discoloration to the surface where heating penetrates tens of microns below the surface. This method of laser marking metals is known as laser annealing. Annealed portions of the substrate are typically black, but may also vary between shades of red, yellow, or green, dependent on the temperature of the surface this can be shown on titanium.

Annealing metal is a different process to laser engraving, where the surface of the annealed metal is not modified to remove any surface material, but an oxidized layer is added. Pulsed fiber and Co2 lasers are used for annealing of metals; however, when compared to laser engraving, laser annealing requires a lower power output over a larger application period. Laser annealing is not as commonly used as laser etching or engraving, it can still frequently be seen in medical devices which use stainless steel or titanium materials. Laser annealing is beneficial for smooth laser marked surfaces changing the surface temperature with visible coloured finishes, the annealed surface is more resistant to oxidation and rust than engraved surfaces. This requires time for cooling after the laser annealing is applied and hence is a consideration in mass production settings.

Whether you decide to use laser additive annealing or engraving to perform laser marking on metals is dependent on the application, if you need to perform a large volume of laser marking operations in the shortest amount of time possible, engraving or annealing are appropriate techniques. If working with ferrous metals or titanium and you can compromise on time, or have reason to remove as little material as possible, laser annealing may be appropriate. When deciding to use fiber or Co2 lasers for engraving purposes, the detail to the pattern must be considered and the costs involved in choosing the appropriate laser system. Metal surfaces typically require treatment before and after laser processing by application of a laser marking solution to the metal, this is sprayed onto the surface then the remaining coating is removed from the metal after marking. Fiber lasers, on the other hand, do not necessarily require treatment before or after engraving, and are able to engrave finer details. This is also true for ultrafast pulsed Nd:YAG lasers, which are similarly able to produce finer engraving patterns and minimize undesired heat diffusion into the surrounding area of the metal.

Although there are numerous parameters that need to be taken into account when deciding on a method of metal laser marking, a good understanding of the specific application context and the relevant benefits of each different marking method as outlined above will allow you to decide on the appropriate laser marking device for your needs.