Learn More - Laser Engraving

Discover the Secrets of Laser Engraving

To understand laser engraving is to understand the types of laser engravers you can find on the market.

There are 3 types of Laser engravers

  1. Diode Laser Engravers (Light focused like a magnifying glass)
  2. CO2 Laser Engravers (oxygen powered) laser Engraver
  3. Fiber Laser engravers

    Each Laser has a limit to what it can achieve based on the light waves it can generate and also the material limitations as certain materials like metal has a very high resistance to heat.

    • Diode Laser Engraving machines deploy semiconductor diodes, producing a laser beam to cut and engrave a variety of materials. They offer a mid-level power range, making them suitable for both beginner and intermediate operations. With the Price Range going between N$10 000 - N$25 000

    • CO2 Laser engraver can be seen as an upgrade to the diode but limited to space and price increasing tremendously while the machine relies on a high-pressure, gas-filled tube with mirrors at each end. These mirrors reflect the light generated by the energized CO2, back and forth, amplifying the beam of light with the Price Range going between N$40 000 - N$80 000, as the price is ridiculous they do hold great value in the commercial scaled businesses 

    • A fiber laser uses a low-maintenance laser source (Energizer Unit) to generate a laser beam that travels through a "doped" fiber optic cable to the beam head. A doped fiber optic cable contains ions from rare earth elements such as ytterbium. Such elements increase the efficiency and performance of the fiber. The beam head contains a beam expander and a lens. This is the part that actually does the marking. Fiber Lasers are famous for stainless steel engravings but are limited to the very small engraving area provided with the Price Range going between N$80 000 - N$250 000

    • Laser Engraver Prices Link : https://www.accurl.com/blog/laser-cutting-machine-cost/
    • https://www.laserax.com/blog/laser-engravers-metal-guide
    • https://omtechlaser.com/blogs/news/fiber-laser-technology-how-fiber-laser-engravers-work

      Advantages of Direct Diode Lasers

      Portable direct diode laser engraver

      Direct diode lasers don’t have any laser gain medium, and the electrical energy is directly converted into light energy that is converged using an output coupler and used on the workpiece.

      This makes them compact and, comparatively, more economical than fiber and CO2 lasers. 

      Diode lasers are available with a wide range of wavelengths from 450nm to 950nm, making them suitable for cutting and engraving almost on any material.

      Furthermore, their low initial cost makes them ideal for low-cost laser cutters, making laser cutting accessible for almost every DIY enthusiast.

      However, you can increase the output power by using multiple diode laser modules. As a result, modern direct diode lasers can have laser power in the range of a few kilowatts, suitable for industrial applications.

      These high-powered direct diode lasers can cut different materials at 15–30% faster speeds than other lasers.

      Laser Software:

      • Laser Engraver has a controller board which is compatibles with a free software called LASER GRBL ,It perfect as a free software with many blogs and feedback available. https://lasergrbl.com/
      • Alternatively if you like a seamless designing interface you can make use of a paid software called Light Burn , this is a paid software which you pay for on a annual based in the price range of N$ 2000 - N$ 2800 - https://lightburnsoftware.com/ 

        If you enjoyed this information or feel I need to add more please let me know ,I do tend to stay away from crazy terminologies but this is to help and educate new hobbyist on information which I did not have when I started. 

        Email : shoplanzanam@gmail.com