Any Ideas for Deep Engraving Steel

[Eddie Castaneda]

Morning Guys!

My question today. Are their any good specific setting for Deep Engraving Steel? A Customer is looking for a .001-.002 Deep Engraving any Ideas are greatly appreciated!

[Ross Moshinsky]

That's not deep at all. Any rotary/mechanical engraver could achieve that depth.

[Eddie Castaneda]

Ross they want to Attempt doing this with a Laser

[Gary Hair]

Although fiber is fully capable of etching into metal, you won't be able to do that efficiently with a gantry machine, you really need a galvo. This is info from Trotec as well as other manufacturers. Same thing with anodized aluminum, you can mark it with a gantry fiber but a galvo leaves a much better mark and in much less time.

[Dan Hintz]

Eddie,

Try 100P @ 30kHz, 200mm/sec. Expect to take about 100 passes.

As you can see, this is extremely slow... but possible if it's a one-off.

[Bryan Rocker]

Only 100 passes....are you sure he won't need 101 ;0....Wouldn't a YAG do it fairly easily? Going back to my days working the USAF jet engine depot's, we had 2 laser that did nothing but engrave the tool box number on every tool in CTK. I know they weren't CO2 but not sure what they were......

Bryan

[Mark Sipes]

Looks like you will need to find a shop like NLE

http://www.northeastlaser.com/Deep_Laser_Engraving.html

http://www.laserphotonics.com/app/deepeng.php


Maybe these local guys. sites does not say what type laser they have http://quentin-laser.com/store/specials.php

[matthew knott]

I would say Dans settings are pretty much spot on, its where i would start, maybe a bit lower on the frequency as 25khz is normally peak power on most pulsed fiber lasers, Normally a cross hatched fill pattern helps but that's not going to be an option for you. Multiple passes is all you can do, each pass will go in a small distance, this multiplied will give you the final depth you need. Focus is critical, get it right, you should see sparks flying up, sparks = material being removed, more sparks more material going. You dont need anything to deep so it should be achievable, be aware you will be dumping lots of heat into the metal, if its this sheet or small it can cause bending, clamping the material can help reduce this effect.
Good luck

[David Somers]

I am asking this as a curious pre-nubie, laserless lurker on the forum. If you are generating that much heat in the metal should you also be watching the unit carefully for fire? Not from the metal itself obviously, but rather from any organic material that may have accumulated on the honeycomb or solid table under the metal? Is there any concern for heat buildup affecting the lens, especially if the focal length is short?

[matthew knott]

I am asking this as a curious pre-nubie, laserless lurker on the forum. If you are generating that much heat in the metal should you also be watching the unit carefully for fire? Not from the metal itself obviously, but rather from any organic material that may have accumulated on the honeycomb or solid table under the metal? Is there any concern for heat buildup affecting the lens, especially if the focal length is short?

Not really, there should be nothing in the area that can catch fire, you wouldnt use a honeycomb table as there is no real advantage, we use a 1/3 inch tooling plate made of aluminium and the bits just go straight on that. Obviously if you had a bit of wood under it then you might have problems, Ive tried starting a fire with a yag and its hard work, the best i managed was to spray copious amount of 'brake & clutch' cleaner into a metal bowl the laser the bottom, that went up in flames. Co2 on the other hand is just the right wavelength to set fire to pretty much everything the burns, if i had to guess a percentage i would think a yag is about 100 times less likely to give you a fire situation!!!

[David Somers]

Thanks Matthew!

Dave

[Dan Hintz]

Co2 on the other hand is just the right wavelength to set fire to pretty much everything the burns, if i had to guess a percentage i would think a yag is about 100 times less likely to give you a fire situation!!!

To expand upon this... CO2 wavelengths are perfect for most organics. Organics are easily combustible. Organics flame up with CO2 wavelengths. Q.E.D.

CO2 wavelengths are mostly shrugged off by metals. Metals are not easily combustible (at least at any sane temperatures). You're good!

[Kev Williams]

I'd give anything to be able to cut into steel with a laser----- anything except the money they want for a laser that WILL cut into steel...