Solutions for laser engraving glass from ACI Laser
Gentle and precise
Laser marking and laser engraving on glass separates the wheat from the chaff. Since glass is transparent to most lasers and also sensitive to excessive heat input, it poses a particular challenge in laser processing. With a laser system from ACI, you can master these challenges with ease.
Laser engraving or marking of glass involves the targeted removal of a minimal amount of material to create a slight roughening of the surface, resulting in a visible marking at these points.
The laser allows glass to be engraved with the highest precision, even in hard-to-reach areas. No complex pre- or post-treatment of the glass objects is necessary.
The laser processes glass without contact, which is why it is not usually necessary to fix the workpiece in place. Unlike sandblasting, there is no need for the time-consuming application and removal of a template. Laser engraving of glass therefore not only offers maximum design flexibility, but also significant time savings and maximum protection of the material.
Unlike mechanical processes, laser engraving does not cause wear and tear on the equipment, which reduces the amount of maintenance required on the machines and ensures that engraving results are always of the same high quality and precision.
With the right laser, virtually all types of glass can be engraved: in addition to conventional soda-lime glass (cast glass), this includes safety glass, mirror and window glass, as well as quartz and sapphire glass. It is also possible to engrave laminated glass, whereby the plastic interlayers can be lasered instead of the glass.
High-quality products made of so-called crystal glass can pose a challenge. The metal oxides they contain, such as lead or barium oxide, cause higher stresses in the material than in cast glass. Excessive heat input from a laser can increase the stresses to such an extent that the glass cracks.
For this reason, our Business Fiber UV series lasers offer extremely short pulse durations that prevent thermal stress on the material. This allows even demanding types of glass to be engraved with the highest precision and excellent resolution.
What are the applications for lasers in glass?
Typical applications for laser marking and laser engraving on glass include industrial marking of drinking glasses. ACI has taken on this challenge and developed several solutions for engraving and marking glass.
What is glass?
Glass is a non-crystalline, brittle, inorganic, and predominantly silicate-oxide material whose properties are influenced by the type and quantity of oxides.
The challenge when marking or engraving glass is that this material is generally transparent to the typical wavelengths of industrial lasers. Therefore, in addition to the correct laser wavelength, the method and process must also be developed.
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