Laser Engraving

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Sep 28, 2015 | 01:45 PM

WVICEMAN

Thread Starter

Road Captain

Joined: Nov 2005

Posts: 633

Likes: 1

From: Sterling Heights, MI

Laser Engraving

My friend is purchasing a high end laser engaver that will be capable of engraving leather or metal and he ask me if I thought the H.D community would be interested. He just enters the info in the computer with all other pertinent information on what is being engraved and it feeds the information to the laser engraver and starts the engraving process. He will be able to engrave leather seats or metal so he could put your design on either or make special emblems for your bike. Let me know if you think this would be a hit or a miss and I'll let him know. Thanks

Sep 28, 2015 | 01:48 PM

FNGonaRK

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2010

Posts: 11,725

Likes: 9,155

From: Georgia

If he can do convex surfaces, like the fuel door, derby cover and timing cover, I think there could be a market. He will spend a lot of time cleaning up other people's messy artwork and converting it to files the laser can read though.

Sep 28, 2015 | 01:51 PM

Scrmnvtwins

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: Aug 2012

Posts: 2,664

Likes: 184

From: Indiana, USA

well that depends..... is this a YAG or diode pumped laser? Running 1064 or 532 nano-meters wavelength? How many watts does he have to play with?

I'm just pullin your chain, as with anything there are niches for them. The issue will be in his abilities to harness the power of his laser and learn the difference between etching and engraving and understand engraving may allow a chrome plated part to rust or an aluminum part that has been coated to corrode at the point of etch. I have no experience with leather but seems to me any graphic or picture could be converted into grayscale and etched into the leather.

Sep 28, 2015 | 01:52 PM

Scrmnvtwins

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: Aug 2012

Posts: 2,664

Likes: 184

From: Indiana, USA

FYI, a diode pumped 532 Nm Green beam Laser would etch most metals and some plastics.

Sep 28, 2015 | 02:09 PM

TriGeezer

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: May 2012

Posts: 32,934

Likes: 36,031

From: Carlsbad, CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrmnvtwins

FYI, a diode pumped 532 Nm Green beam Laser would etch most metals and some plastics.

As long as it has adequate power. And unless someone has invented something recently, LED lasers don't operate in the.power region necessary to etch metal. Even the smaller laser etchers use a CO2 30W laser.

BTW...532 nM is most frequently used in laser pointers.

Last edited by TriGeezer; Sep 28, 2015 at 02:17 PM.

Sep 28, 2015 | 02:22 PM

IzzoQuazzo

Retired Admin

Joined: Jul 2006

Posts: 21,865

Likes: 9,047

From: Wisconsin

Good idea, but if he wants to do business here he will need to become a paid sponsor.

Sep 28, 2015 | 03:36 PM

Scrmnvtwins

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: Aug 2012

Posts: 2,664

Likes: 184

From: Indiana, USA

Actually, when you 1/2 the wavelength you also double the frequency so a 20 watt green beam laser will etch or engrave cobalt chrome, titanium, UHMWPE poly and a whole host of materials with about 1/2 the power as measured in the beam because of the higher beam density per area provided. Just sayin....