Laser Engraving Machine

Laser Engraving Machine

What is a laser engraving machine?

A laser engraving machine is a piece of advanced equipment that uses a laser to engrave or leave marks on the materials. It can also be called a CNC laser engraving machine near me, or a CNC laser cutter near me. Compared with a traditional wood engraving machine, the CNC laser cutter and engraver can be used in a wider range. And also the laser engraver for wood or fiber laser engraving machine for metal has higher accuracy and faster speed. The best laser engravers for sale have such features as wide applications, smooth cutting edges, fast processing speed, high precision, and less waste. So the CNC laser cutter near me has become popular with many industries and is the best laser cutter for small business.

What can a laser engraving machine do?

The best laser engraver near me can provide extensive possibilities. A CO2 laser engraver is more popular than a traditional CNC engraving machine when it comes to engraving non-metallic works.
 
The wood engraving machine can engrave patterns and letters on wood products quickly and easily. An acrylic laser cutter is an acrylic cutting machine that can use CO2 laser cut and engrave custom patterns on acrylic and other plastic materials. The laser engraver for glass, laser paper cutter, and leather laser engraving machine can engrave glass or ceramic cups, cut paper, and etch stones or plastics. A jewelry engraving machine can engrave beautiful gold and silver jewelry. A laser marking machine can mark and print on metal, fabric, and leather materials.
 
All these functions are attributed to the easy-to-use design, high accuracy, repeatability, and fast speed of Blue Elephant fiber laser engravers. They allow anyone, from beginners to experienced entrepreneurs, to complete their ideas and products in a matter of minutes.

Common laser engraving machine types

1. In terms of laser sources, the laser engraving machine mainly includes:
Fiber laser printing machine, or fiber laser engraver
CO2 laser engraver, or CO2 laser CNC machine
UV laser engraving machine, UV laser etching machine, or UV laser marking machine
 
2. Based on the processing depth of materials, the laser CNC machine and engraver falls into:
Laser CNC cutting machine, or laser cutter machine
CNC laser engraver, or CNC laser printing machine
Laser marking machine, or laser CNC machine for marking
Laser etching machine, or laser etcher
 
3. According to processing materials, the laser for CNC engraving purposes include:
Wood engraving machine, wood laser cutter, laser engraving machine for wood, laser engraver for wood, or laser wood cutting machine
Metal engraving machine, laser engraver for metal, or laser engraving machine for metal
Laser engraver for glass, glass fiber laser engraver
Acrylic laser cutter, CO2 laser engraver for acrylic, acrylic cutting machine
CO2 laser cutter for fabric, laser engraver for fabric
Stone CNC laser engraver, laser jewelry engraving machine
Laser paper cutter, CO2 laser cutter for paper
MDF laser cutter, MDF CO2 laser engraver
Leather laser engraving machine, laser engraver for leather
 
4. In light of the machine size:
Small laser cutter near me mainly includes mini laser engraver, handheld laser engraver, desktop laser engraver, and portable laser engraver. And also the hobby laser cutter, home laser cutter machine, and desktop laser cutter. The large ones are usually in the size equal to and larger than 600x900mm. Especially certain metal laser engraving machines in the size larger than 3000x1500mm.
 
5. When it comes to the processing dimensions:
The laser cutter near me includes 2D and 3D models, like 2D laser marking machine, 2D laser etching machine and 3D laser engraver.

Difference among CNC laser engravers, laser cutter machines, laser marking machines and laser etching machines

Sometimes, people usually treat the CNC laser engraving machine, laser cutter machine, laser marking machine, and laser etching machine as the same laser for CNC work. But they do have certain differences in the processing effect. The major difference between them lies in the depth of processing. Accordingly, the finished surfaces have a distinct appearance.
 
As suggested by the name, the CNC laser cutter usually cuts through materials and cut parts out. For example, the wood laser cutter near me can cut out wooden signs, letters, jigsaw puzzles, splicing decorations, etc. The wood laser cutter machine or CO2 laser cutter for acrylic can cut acrylic letters, numbers, signs, and other shapes. And the metal laser CNC cutting machine can achieve metal tube cutting, pipe cutting, and metal sheet cutting.
 
The laser engraving machine, laser marking machine, and laser etching machine can all provide permanent marks on material surfaces. But at the same time, they differ largely in what each process does to the marking surface. This includes how deep the laser goes and how it changes the overall appearance.
 
The laser marking machine usually changes the colors of the material surfaces. While the CNC laser engraving machine and laser etching machine would remove a part of the surface when processing. In short, the processing depth of a laser marker is smaller than that of a CNC laser engraver or a laser etcher. Besides, the processing depth of the best wood laser engraver and laser engraver for metal also varies.

Laser engraving machine advantages

Wide range

The laser cutter and engraver can engrave and cut various materials. For example, the fiber laser engraver for metal can engrave and mark on steel, aluminum, copper, gold, silver, etc. While the CO2 laser CNC machine can cut and engrave almost all non-metallic materials.

Safety

Using non-contact processing, the laser cutters near me will not cause mechanical extrusion or mechanical stress to the materials. It does not damage the surface of the workpieces or deform the materials.

High accuracy

The laser engraver for metal and wood adopts automatic laser positioning. And the machining accuracy can reach 0.02 mm. Due to non-contact processing, the metal laser engraving machine has a small heat-affected area and no damage to the surface. This also ensures processing accuracy.

Environmental protection

The photoelectric conversion rate is higher than that of traditional engraving machines. So it can save energy and reduce material waste. Besides, many laser engravers for sale are equipped with a protection cover. This not only protects the operator’s safety but also reduces pollution to the environment.

Consistent effect

The best laser engraver can ensure that the processing effect of the same batch is completely consistent. So CNC laser wood cutting machine is perfect for mass production.

High-speed

It can immediately carry out high-speed engraving and cutting according to the pattern output by the computer. Due to high-level automation, the laser engraver for metal and wood is quite easy to operate. One operator can work with two CNC laser cutters at the same time, which reduces human labor and improves work efficiency.

Low cost

Not limited by the number of processing, laser processing is cheaper for small batch processing services. It is the best laser cutter for small business due to its high performance-price ratio.

Laser engraving CNC machine parameters

Name	Parameters
Laser type	Fiber laser, CO2 laser
Working table size	600*600 mm, 600*900mm, 1200*1200mm, 3000*1500mm (customized)
Power	CO2 laser engraving: 50w, 70W, 100W, 130W, 150W Fiber laser cutting: 500W, 1000W, 2000W, 4000W (customized)
Materials	Metals (copper, gold, silver, aluminum, alloy, iron, brass, steel), wood, stone, glass, acrylic, plastic, rubber, leather, fabric, textile, paper, MDF
Positioning accuracy	≤±0.03 mm/m
Repeatability positioning accuracy	≤±0.02 mm
Voltage	380V/50Hz/100A(customized)
Support format	BMP, HPGL (PLT), JPEG, GIF, TIFF, PCS, TGA, DST, DXP

 

Applicable materials for CNC engraving machine

Some thin metal sheets: stainless steel, carbon steel, galvanized sheet, and other thin sheets
Non-metallic materials: organic glass, plastic, two-color board, glass, bamboo wood, foam plastic, cloth, leather, rubber board, stone, artificial stone, PVC board, wood products, metal board, crystal, paper, alumina, resin, sprayed metal.

Application in various industries

1.Advertising decoration industry

Plexiglass carving (cutting)
Laser production of medals and plaques
Two-color sheet laser engraving (cutting)
Engraving (cutting) of other non-metallic plates
Laser engraved metal nameplates, signs, and boards
Laser-engraved glass, ceramic, and plastic products

2.Printing and packaging industry

Laser-engraved rubber plate
Printing roller
Laser-cut and laser-engraved paper products
Laser-marked codes, letters, patterns, and signs
Marks on electronic elements, metal parts, cables, tools, etc.

3.Garment industry

Leather products, and surface pattern engraving
Clothing fabric pattern cutting

4.Embroidery
Laser-cut and engraved fabric decorations

5.Model making industry

Model plate cutting
3D laser CNC machine engraved reliefs, hollow-out works, and 3D models
Architecture models
Laboratory models

Craft gift industry

Laser-engraved bamboo slip products
Awards and trophies
Wood or plastic engraved signs and displays
Laser engraved mahogany gifts

Jewelry industry

Laser-engraved gold and silver necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets

Laser engraving projects

1. Plywood projects
The plywood laser cutter is widely used in many industries. Firstly, plywood decoration is very popular in the decoration and furniture industries. A plywood laser cutter can engrave plywood pendants to decorate the walls and increase the beauty of the room. The laser-engraved plywood clock is both beautiful and practical. Secondly, plywood can also be made into small toys of various shapes, which are more environmentally friendly than toys made of plastic and metal.
 
2. Glass projects
The laser engraver for glass can carve glass into various shapes of products, such as glasses with different shapes and patterns, beautiful glass ball gifts, glass photo frames, carved glass windows, and so on.
 
3. Acrylic projects
Acrylic laser engraving machine can engrave various patterns and letters on acrylic plates of different sizes and thicknesses, and then make them into acrylic billboards, nameplates, accessories, daily necessities, etc.

4.Metal projects
The laser engraving machine for metal can laser cut and engrave almost every kind of metal material, such as steel, aluminum, brass, stainless steel, etc. This laser cutting and engraving machine can be widely used in kitchenware manufacturing, mold production, parts manufacturing, medical equipment making, etc.
 
5.Leather projects
Though laser engraver for leather is not very common and familiar, it plays a very important role in our daily life. Leather laser engraving machine can carve on leather and made it into wallets, keychains, mobile phone cases, and notebook packaging.
 
6.Fabric projects
The fabric laser engraving machine is a Co2 laser cutter machine, which is good at cutting soft non-metallic materials. We also call it a textile laser engraving machine and cloth laser cutter machine. Laser fabric cutters can engrave various designs on various fabrics, such as engraving cartoon patterns and letters on denim, cotton, linen, and other fabrics.  

Why is the Laser Engraving Machine Price Expensive?

The data shows that the price of laser engraving machines is basically in the tens of thousands of dollars, while the average price of traditional ordinary engraving machines may be only a few thousand dollars. So why is it so expensive? The high price of laser engraving machines is mainly because of their higher configuration requirements and better processing effect. For example, higher engraving accuracy and faster speed require it to have a more stable laser source, a higher-precision guide rail, and a stronger beam. At the same time, in order to ensure the stable operation of these parts, it is necessary to cooperate with world-class CNC parts suppliers. Naturally, the manufacturing cost of the machine is much higher.

5 factors affecting the laser engraving machine price

1.Kits and parts

The quality of the laser engraving machine parts directly affects the CNC machine kits play an important role in the whole laser engraving machine. Of course, the kit price also directly affects the whole laser engraving machine price. In addition, the number of parts also has a certain impact on the laser cutter price. Generally, the laser engraving machine price with standard configurations is lower than that of a customized machine with high configurations. Imported or famous brand kits and parts can also incur extra costs to your CO2 laser cutter machine.

1.1Laser source

According to different laser sources, laser engraving machines can be divided into two categories: fiber laser engraver and CO2 laser engraving machine. A fiber laser engraver is mainly used to process most metal materials. Its power is very large, ranging from a few hundred watts to tens of thousands of watts. The CO2 laser cutter is mainly used for engraving non-metallic materials. Its power is relatively small, usually between tens of watts to hundreds of watts. Moreover, the size of the laser power directly reflects the cutting ability of the machine, thus affecting the price of the laser engraving machine. Therefore, the price of fiber laser engraver is generally higher than that of the CO2 laser cutter.

1.2Control system

The control system can be described as the command center of the laser engraving machine. Some control systems are hand-held controllers, which are easy to operate. Such controllers generally have a relatively low price. Another relatively advanced laser engraving machine will be equipped with a display screen so that users can more intuitively adjust the cutting parameters. Besides, it can also perform breakpoint compensation, autofocus, and so on. Of course, this also means that the cost of the laser engraving machine will be higher.

1.3Motor

The motor and drive are the equipment that drives the movement of the laser head. Generally speaking, motors and drives are divided into two categories: stepper motors and servo motors. Among them, the price of stepper motors and drives is relatively cheap, and the prices of servo motors and drives are slightly more expensive.

1.4Protective cover

As the name suggests, the protective cover is a configuration used to protect the machine. It can reduce the damage of the laser engraving machine, ensure user safety, and be more environmentally friendly. Therefore, it is more expensive than the open laser engraving machine.

2.Brand

The brand is the added value to any product. The same goes for the laser engraving machine. The brand value is embodied in the scale of the manufacturer, the machine quality, and the after-sales service provided. Therefore, the big brand CNC engraving machine is more expensive than that of small manufacturers.

3.Different processing materials  

The difference in processing materials directly affects our choice of laser power. Generally speaking, the thicker the processing material, the greater the processing power required. And accordingly, the higher the wood engraving machine price. In addition, the processing material directly affects the laser engraving machine configuration. Often the deeper the engraving depth, the greater the laser power required. High-power laser generators surely result in expensive prices. Moreover, the processing material size can also affect the laser cutter machine price. For instance, you should choose a bigger table size to process your biggest material. However, the bigger the working table size is, the higher the laser cutter machine price is.

4.Processing performance

We all know that there is a big difference in the performance of the laser engraving machine for wood. It may include general processing, fine processing, and rough processing. Generally, the price of CNC engraving machines with higher requirements for fine processing is higher than that of ordinary requirements.

5.Extra expense

Out of the laser engraving machine manufacturing costs, the laser cutter price also includes many other additional costs, such as transportation fees, packaging fees, taxes, and so on. If the buyer chooses the imported laser engraving machine, then he has to bear the transportation and taxes of the machine. In addition, different types of laser engraving machines require different packaging materials and packaging sizes, so packaging fees will vary.

How to choose a suitable laser engraving machine?

1.Refer to your processing needs

1.1 Processing material: According to different processing materials, select the appropriate type of laser engravers near me. If you are mainly processing non-metallic materials, the co2 laser cutter is your ideal choice. For example, acrylic laser cutter, MDF laser cutter, laser fabric cutter, laser engraver for glass, plywood laser cutter, laser paper cutter, etc. If you are processing mainly metal materials, a fiber laser engraver is more suitable for you. You can choose the following laser engravers near me: cheap laser engraver for aluminum, laser jewelry engraving machines, steel 3d laser cutter, etc.
1.2 Processing size: The processing size corresponds to the selection of the machine size. If you mainly make small laser-engraved crafts, you can choose desktop laser engraver, hobby laser cutter, mini laser engraver, handheld laser engraver, or portable laser engraver. For laser-cut artworks, you can have the wood laser cutter, home laser cutter machine, and desktop laser cutter.
1.3 Laser tube power: The appropriate laser tube wattage should be selected according to specific processing requirements. For example, the engraving of the acrylic and two-color board does not require too much laser tube power. But for cutting work, a higher power laser tube is required.
1.4 Engraving speed: Only by producing more products at a faster speed at the same time can higher profits be created.
1.5 Engraving accuracy: The biggest difference between laser engraving and traditional engraving equipment and manual engraving is high accuracy. The high processing accuracy of the laser engraving machine means that the processed products are of high quality.

2.Refer to the machine configuration

The machine configuration can be said to be closely related to your processing needs. When determining the processing requirements, you are at the same time determining the machine configuration requirements. For example, if you want to process thick metal plates and pipes, then you may need to have a bed and beam with a strong load-bearing capacity. If you just make products out of the hobby, or produce small products in large batches, and do not have any special requirements for cutting accuracy, then you can complete your processing results without a highly configured laser engraving machine.

3.Refer to your budget

Budget is also a very important reason. While considering machine performance and adaptability, don't forget how much you plan to budget. If your budget is insufficient, then you need to consider purchasing a cost-effective and economical laser engraving machine. But if you have a sufficient budget, you can give priority to a high-quality laser engraving machine with high configuration and good processing performance.

4.Refer to a reliable manufacturer

I always believe that only reliable manufacturers can produce good products. Therefore, before buying laser engraving machines, we’d better investigate the manufacturer.
 
First of all, we need to examine the manufacturer’s R&D capabilities, production capabilities, production quality, and customer reviews. Secondly, understand the manufacturer’s pre-sales, in-sales, and after-sales services, of which after-sales maintenance service for machinery and equipment is very important. It includes whether the manufacturer can provide parts replacement, machine maintenance services, etc.

DIY laser engraving machine: the best option for hobbyists and small businesses