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"Engraving or marking done with the help of laser is known as Laser engraving or laser marking. Laser engraving technique does not use ink.Laser engraving can be done only for laserable materials. Printing , hot-branding and laser bonding techniques are also part of laser engraving and laser marking technique.A Gravograph is a laser engraving machine.
Laser marking or laser engraving is mainly divided into three parts mainly. The laser is like a pencil, the beam emitted from it allow to draw pattern on the surface. The controller (usually a computer) controls the direction, intensity, speed of movement . The surface is picked to match what the laser can act on. There are mainly three genres of engraving machines.
1. The X-Y table
2. Cylindrical work pieces
3. The laser and work piece stationary
The X-Y table is the most common type of engraving machine.In X-Y table the workpiece is stationary and the laser moves on the workpiece and makes the engravings. The laser engraving method where the laser effectively traverses a fine helix in an on/off laser pushing method is called cylindrical workpiece. In the last method both workpiece and laser are held stationary and galyo mirrors move the laser beam over the workpiec surface.
The point where the laser engraving machine touches with the laser beam is quite small. In laser engraving or laser marking the energy delivered by the laser changes the surface of the material under the focal point. The surface material is vaporized during laser engraving, ventilation through the use of blowers or a vacuum pump are almost always required to remove the noxious fumes and smoke arising from this process, and for removal of debris on the surface to allow the laser to continue engraving.
The beam in laser engraving or laser marking removes the materials sufficiently. The materials that can be engraved are selected precisely. Soft woods are not so good for laser engraving as it might ignite at some extend. Standard cast acrylic plastic, acrylic plastic sheet, and other cast resins generally laser very well. Thermoforming plastic tend to melt around the edge of the engraving spot which needs to get etched. The best traditional engraving materials started out to be the worst laser-engravable materials. Spray coatings can be obtained for the specific use of laser engraving metals, these sprays apply a coating that is visible to the laser light which fuses the coating to the substrate where the laser passed over. Jewelers found that by using a laser engraving technique, they could tackle an engraving task with greater precision.
2-D image can be converted to 3-D image with the help of pad printing. Pad Printing can also be used to deposit functional materials such as conductive inks, adhesives, dyes and lubricants.
Pad printing is done in a cyclic manner; the cycle is given as below.
1. Looking it from the home position, the filled ink cup is placed over the artwork of the the printing table, covering the image and filling the artwork with ink.
2. The filled ink cup is moved away from the artwork exposing the ink filled artwork removing the excess ink, as soon as the ink is exposed to the air the ink attaches to the transfer pad and then to the substrate.
3. The transfer pad presses down onto the printing plate momentarily, as it happens the marking transfers it to the substrate.
4. The ink inside the etched artwork area is picked up on the pad and only a small amount of ink remains on the printing plate.
5. When the pad is moved again the ink cup also moves and covers the etched artwork on the printing plate and the ink gets ready for the cycle again.
6. The transfer pad presses against the substrate and the imprint is made and hence the circle is complete.
Sealed ink cup system is the latest means of pad printing.Printing pads are mainly made of molded silicon rubber.
The use of control system and information technology to reduce the need of human power is known as automation system.Mechanization gave way to Automation. Automation system plays an important role in world economy. The advantages and disadvantages of automation stem are as shown below.
The advantages are:
1. Automation system could replace hard and monotonous physical work.
2. Dangerous and hazardous environment for humans to work could be replaced with the help of automation system.
3. Works of size and weight incapable by humans could be done with the help of automation system.
4. Economic improvement can be done with the help of automation system.
The disadvantages are:
1. The rate of unemployment increased due to the use of automation systems and machines.
2. Certain tasks are yet to be automated.
3. Automation systems are vulnerable as they have limited intelligence.
4. They are susceptible to errors.
5. The development and initial costs are very high for automation systems.
Precision and reliability was increased with the introduction of automation system.The applications of automation system are as given below:
1. Automated Video Surveillance
2. Automated Highway Systems
3. Automated manufacturing
4. Home automation
5. Industrial automation
Automation system helps to improve the quality of living to a great extent. Laser engraving or laser marking which is the new method in place of pad printing increases the means of marking items in a smarter way.
