Since the beginning of its production, plastic has undergone many changes and improvements. Thanks to the introduction of the latest technologies, this material is ubiquitous, and its manufacture has become as cheap as possible. The versatility of plastic has allowed its application to begin in almost every field around the world.
Laser engraving technology on plastic allows you to turn almost any piece of plastic into an interesting and intricate accessory. The use of such engraving has become equally popular among ordinary housewives and company leaders with a worldwide reputation.
Types of plastic for engraving
Laser engraving is designed to use multi-layer plastic. As a rule, obtaining a decent quality result requires choosing a two-layer plastic for laser engraving, which at the same time has layers that differ in color. The laser burns out the upper layer with a thickness of about 0.05-0.08 mm and opens the lower one, usually with contrasting colors. The type of surface does not make a significant difference, so engraving can be applied with equal efficiency on a glossy, textured and matte plane.
Choosing the Right Pattern
In fact, any drawings and inscriptions are available for laser engraving, but only if you use vector graphics. On the other hand, some people have a desire to put on a subject some kind of memorable photograph or a favorite picture, that is, a bitmap image. In this case, a photographic image consisting of halftones will be applied to the plastic using laser engraving.
The bitmap image must have sufficient resolution to obtain high-quality and clear engraving. Plastic is not as demanding on this key parameter as other materials, including wood, glass, anodized aluminum, acrylic and laminate. For plastic, when engraving, the raster points do not overlap each other, and therefore in most cases a resolution of 333 to 500 dpi (dots per inch) will be sufficient.
Easy photo editing for better results
Double-sided plastic for laser engraving unties the master’s hands and makes it possible to realize almost any customer’s fantasies. The bottom layer in this plastic is made using a wide range of colors to choose from. A special graphic editor like JobControl will easily apply the desired effects to the image, which can hide flaws or emphasize the merits of the photo:
- The random color pseudo-mixing or stochastic dispersion tool will add the necessary clarity and detail to photos with buildings or animals.
- The correct selection of the raster algorithm can optimize photos with an insufficient level of detail contrast. The action will be useful when working with low-contrast photographs like the face of a child and the like.
- The Ordered Smoothing feature often helps improve the image of individuals and objects.
It is enough to discuss when ordering the possibility of improving the original photos. In some cases, the masters themselves edit to improve the quality of the final work.
Necessary laser equipment
Laser engraving on plastic is applied with a special laser engraver. Buying a quality engraver for non-commercial use at home or branding a small office is likely to be disadvantageous. When ordering single or small batches, one should consider engraving options from specialists. The cost of a small entry-level laser engraver is approximately 5 thousand rubles. A full-featured engraving machine of Russian production costs about 200 thousand rubles, and an imported one - up to 600 thousand rubles.
Laser engravers do not need additional equipment and supplies. No matrices, printing plates and clichés are required. The laser in the engraver works exclusively from electricity and is guided by the hand of an experienced craftsman. A high-quality laser engraver is able to function for about 20 thousand hours, which equals about 7 years when the master works for 8 hours per shift. The device does not require maintenance by numerous personnel. The only operator who can work with graphic editors can cope with the engraver.
Drawing technology
The technology of laser cutting and engraving of plastic removes the surface layer from the material or changes its structure and (or) color. Laser engraving is the most advanced technology for applying images of any complexity to the plastic surface. Due to the minimum possible thickness of the layer that is burned out by the laser, the embossed surface acquires a magnificent appearance. The volume of the engraved pattern is achieved by adjusting the depth of the laser when applying individual elements.
The competitive advantages of using laser engraving on plastic compared to other methods are the highest detail, contrast and clarity of the images, as well as excellent indicators of durability and resistance to wear. The resulting products are little susceptible to physical, chemical and even climatic influences. The whole manufacturing process usually does not take more than 30-40 minutes.
What is usually made on plastic
Laser engraving is available both for small batches of products and for mass production. Manufacture in any case remains cheap. The use of an inexpensive material such as plastic for laser engraving has made the technology the most popular on the market. Now in this way, for example, are produced:
- plates and signs for houses, stands, doors and tables;
- numbers for wardrobes, doors, tables, tags and tokens;
- various nameplates on the equipment;
- plastic business cards and coasters for beer;
- volumetric signs and symbols made of plastic.
Also, about 99% of all plastic souvenir products are made precisely by this technology. Laser engraving on plastic is deservedly considered the best in terms of a combination of parameters such as price, speed and quality.