Laser Engraving Vs. Rotary Engraving
There are two main types of engraving in the industry i.e. laser engraving and rotary engraving which replaced the manual way that used the pantograph machine. These new methods come with their advantages with the main one being their speed and efficiency that save a lot of material and losses.
Laser is referred to as a non-contact method which gets rid of any wear and tear during the engraving leaving clean and crisp marks that are permanent. This makes this the preferred method in many applications which gives excellent results especially when engraving graphics and photography.
Laser engraving head ( Trotec 500 ) with camera
engraving and cutting brush metal plates.
Rotary engraving on the other hand uses diamond to perform their function on specialised applications which mostly require deep cuts. This method is especially used on jewellery, stainless steel, plastic etc. to create a beautiful finish. Rotary engraving is more common because the equipment used is less expensive than laser equipment with a few exceptions.
Applications
Both of these methods give impressive results and can handle a wide variety of materials making them suitable for as many applications. However, there are parallels that come in due to the limitations of each method when it comes to handling certain applications.
For instance, a material like acrylic is commonly used instead of glass because it is lighter and stronger. To engrave it, both methods can be used but laser shines because it is faster and can achieve fine detail unlike rotary engraving.
ADA signage ( “Architectural signage” ) is another area that engravers deal with on a daily basis that requires text to be raised among other needs. Fonts used are clear and easily read, Laser engraving of letters, or laser cut lettering mounted on base plate are common. Both laser engraving and rotary engraving are used or these signs.
Knowing these differences should help you choose the right service provider for the job as you will go in prepared.