Engraving requires a lot of patience on the part of the expert who works on your project. Every piece is crafted to make sure that you or your recipient will enjoy the end product. At times, however, you may end up dismayed with the fact that burn marks can appear over the surface. This can alter the gift and make it look less than you expect.
Your concern as the customer
As a customer, you will always want to know how professionals avoid the possibility of scorching the substrate in the process of laser engraving. Any scorching on the surface will really have a great effect on the finished product. In most cases, laser engraving does not really scorch the substrate except when a thin piece of plywood is cut in the process.
The realities with laser engraving over plywood
Engraving any piece of wood, as mentioned, is not really much of a problem. The laser beams have enough power level that will guarantee that it will not scorch the piece of wood. In the case of a thin piece of plywood, however, more power will be required. That power increase will then result to greater heat generation. In this instance, there is a great chance you will see those unwanted burn marks over the surface. No matter how small or big that mark is, you will surely be concerned as a consumer.
What can be done with this problem?
Some people will not mind those burn marks on a wood after laser engraving but there are those who will certainly want to make sure that there are no traces of anything irregular over the substrate or else they will end up not wanting to bring home the finished product with them. The good news is that there are simple solutions that make getting rid of burn marks over laser engraved wood an art.
The use of low tech tape helps
Believe it or not, a layer of transfer tape or masking tape will help with this highly complicated laser engraving process. You certainly will presume that a high-tech device is needed to get rid of burn marks but with this low-tech solution, everything else will surprisingly work. A layer of transfer tape is applied to the plywood just before it will be cut to the desired size or shape. This layer of tape will protect the substrate. Once the wood is cut then the tape can be removed after.
Do not ever think however that this tape helps simply because it has the capability to lower down the laser beam’s temperature whilst working on wood. The truth is it does not do that. You also have to understand that the heat from the laser does not directly affect the wood. It is the interaction between the air and the heat of the laser that causes burn marks. In order to keep this from happening, applying the layer of transfer tape over the material is required. This has the capacity to seal the wood’s surface which in turn will prevent burning oxygen from scorching the substrate. This will make the surface as polished as you want them to be after engraving.
Professional engravers have learned the art of laser engraving over wood
The example of applying transfer or masking tape over the wood before they are laser engraved is just one of the arts of getting rid of burn marks. Apart from this, you can always use the help of professional engravers who understand your needs and will make sure that no scorching or marring can affect the finish product that you expect.
If you need wood engraving in Sydney, give us a call and let us assist you futher.
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