laser engraving - The Engravers Journal

Transcription

CIRCLE 91 ON AD EXPRESS
THE
Contents
2006 equipment advisory
A supplement to The Engravers Journal
THE
6
Publisher
Mike Davis
OTARY ENGRAVING
R
APPLICATIONS, ADVANCEMENTS & ALLURE
By Jackie Zack
The age-old question “Is it rotary or is it laser; which is right for me?” is resolved.
General Manager
Sonja Davis
MANAGING EDITOR
Claudia Sinta
senior contributing Writer
Jackie Zack
7
Contributing writers
Roy BrewerDale Gruver
J. Tol Broome, Jr.Richard Hilton
Mike Clarke
Kristin Huff
Mike Fruciano
William J. Lynott
Gene Griffiths
John Pratt
ROTARY ENGRAVING PHOTO EXPO
A plethora of rotary engraved products and applications.
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE
Christy Cardenis
CIRCULATION/SUBSCRIPTIONS
Jaime Peters
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EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS
Joyce Belczynski
Cecelia McClure
Multimedia & Graphics
Andrea Thill
2006 EJ EQUIPMENT ADVISORY
We’ve pre-scouted the Vegas show. Have a sneak peek
at the assortment of products you’re in store for.
11 ROTARY ENGRAVING
14 LASER ENGRAVING
18 ADJUNCT EQUIPMENT
© 2006 Davis Multimedia International Inc. All rights reserved. THE ENGRAVERS JOURNAL is published monthly
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nor its staff necessarily agree with or endorse the statements or opinions made in contributed articles and are not
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22
WHAT’S IN THE FUTURE FOR LASER ENGRAVING
By J. Stephen Spence
Steve Spence takes a look into his crystal ball and predicts where the
world of laser engraving equipment will take us over the next five years.
23
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LASER ENGRAVING PHOTO EXPO
An abundance of laser engraved products and applications.
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
Subscriptions are not refundable.
ISSN 0099-0043
Lithographed in U.S.A.
THE ENGRAVERS JOURNAL
2006 EQUIPMENT ADVISORY
re rotary engraving machines going the way of the dinosaurs? With
the proliferation of laser engraving
machines in this industry, one might quickly jump to that conclusion. Who wants to
deal with all those cutters and holding jigs
and material chips when you can just pop a
plaque into a laser engraving machine, set
the power and speed and walk away while
the machine does the work?
Laser engraving is undisputedly the best
technological advance to hit this industry
since computerized mechanical engraving
debuted over 25 years ago. But are laser engraving machines actually replacing rotary
systems? Ask anyone who’s been in the industry for any length of time—most users
will answer, “No!”
Interestingly, most of the major machine
manufacturers in this industry now offer
both laser and rotary equipment and there’s
a reason for that. The two technologies actually have unique and separate qualifications
that make each one better suited for certain
types of jobs. For many traditional engraving applications, for instance, rotary engraving is not only the best way to go, it is the
only way to go; on the other hand, laser engraving has an edge when it comes to producing larger volumes of products quickly
and efficiently and, to a great degree, when
you need to do special graphics such as special fonts and logos.
In many industry-based firms the two
technologies actually work together, side by
side. “Especially in the awards and recognition industry, we see quite a few businesses
that have the laser doing the bulk of their
production and the rotary system doing some
of the more high-end type of work,” says
Guy Barone from Xenetech Global, Inc., Baton Rouge, LA. “That’s one of the reasons
why we got into the laser business in the 90s,
because we saw that they do complement
each other very well.”
Why All the Laser Fuss?
So why is there so much excitement and
emphasis on laser engraving in this industry,
when clearly rotary engraving is still a major
player? Several factors contribute to this phenomenon, including the newness of the technology, the versatility of the process, gradually declining equipment costs and plain old
marketing ingenuity.
“It is the newest technology,” explains
Jonathon Cohen, Gravograph-New Hermes,
Inc., Duluth, GA. “It’s newer than rotary engraving. But also there is an ease of use about
it. You don’t have to select different tools,
you don’t have the same cleanup, you don’t
have to worry about tool breakage or wear
since you are just using a laser beam. Plus,
more and more materials are becoming laser
engravable and the cost of lasers is becoming
more economical for what you get. Cost versus functionality is improving.”
continued on page 8
ROTARY
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ENGRAVING
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PHOTO EXPO
See page 25 for photo captions.
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2006 EQUIPMENT ADVISORY THE ENGRAVERS JOURNAL
ROTARY ENGRAVING
continued from page 6
inherently fast, versatile and easily
learned process, characteristics that
make it particularly appealing. According to Xenetech’s Guy Barone “I
think it’s the versatility of the machine
and the productivity. You can actually
produce quite a bit of product, especially by raster engraving with a laser.
And you have a great deal of versatility from cutting acrylics to engraving
a plaque, marking wood, etc.”
It doesn’t hurt, either, that there’s
an ongoing laser engraving marketing blitz that attracts mass attention.
“Laser engraving machine manufacturers comprise a good portion of the
industry and are growing all the time,”
says Carl Thompson, Vision Engraving Systems, Phoenix, AZ. “They are
spending a lot of money in trade publications and things like that to put
themselves out there in the forefront
of the market. So for a lot of people
just getting into the industry, that’s
all they see. They see a lot of people
talking about lasers and the awesome
things they do for the engraving industry.”
And while no one is disputing that
laser engraving is a remarkable technology and that it certainly has made
its place in the industry, major en
graving machine manufacturers report
that sales of rotary machines have remained steady and, in some cases, are
increasing. “Our sales have been on
the increase and have been for the last
five years,” says Gravograph’s Cohen.
“People are still purchasing these machines.”
The Best Machine for the Job
For those entrepreneurs considering purchasing new equipment, consider this: There are still many applications within the recognition and
identification industry that require rotary engraving, such as cutting out
shapes in plastics with a beveled edge
and marking bare metals like brass,
aluminum and stainless steel. While
there are ways to provide contrast on
metal using a laser engraving machine
(engraving metal with an anodized
coating or using Cermark metal marking solution to create a blackened effect), the fact remains that most lasers
can’t actually engrave bare metal.
“There are so many things out
there that have to be done on a rotary
machine,” says Thompson. “Metals
are a huge part of the engraving industry and that’s just something that a
CO2 laser can’t do. As far as the traditional engraving, there’s no way that a
laser can do it. Even the YAG lasers
that can penetrate metal to a certain
degree, depending on the wattage and
the style, can’t take the place of rotary
engraving.”
The Market Demands the Method
One of the major areas of the industry where rotary engraving continues to dominate is the jewelry and gift
personalization market. “Some YAG
lasers have begun to make a presence
in the gift industry but, for the most
part, mechanical engraving still rules
personalization in that end,” says Barone.
Thompson agrees, “A lot of traditional engraving into gift products can
really only be done on a rotary machine. There are some anodized products on the market, but a laser really
can’t do anything to traditional products like flasks and plated metal key
chains.”
Signage and the industrial market
are two other market areas where rotary engraving is often the best equipment choice. “In particular ADA signage. It’s very difficult to make an
ADA sign with just a laser because
you don’t have control over the depth
like you do with a rotary machine,”
says Cohen. And industrial marking
typically involves a variety of metal
engraving techniques, such as marking machine parts and deep engraving into stainless steel or aluminum,
which dictates rotary engraving.
The bottom line is that you need to
select the type of machine that fits the
type of work you’re doing. “We are
selling to all of the traditional markets
that we have sold to in the past,” explains Gravograph’s Cohen. “For example, our M40 vise version is very
well suited to trophy and award shops
because it is inexpensive and it has
the engraving area that is required by
them. We are selling the gift machine
into the gift and retail market. And we
are selling our large tables into the industrial market and also into the higher production trophy and award market where they do multiple pieces at a
time.”
The Look Has It
Going beyond a machine’s actual
capabilities, it’s also true that some
people actually prefer, and demand,
the look of rotary engraving. “There
is no question that some people prefer
the look of mechanical engraving over
laser engraving,” says Cohen. “For
continued on page 10
ROTARY ENGRAVING
example, with some of the high end
awards, they want to have a mechanically engraved look and feel to it. Everyone has seen a person who receives
an award and the first thing they do is
run their fingers over the engraving. If
it’s flat, such as laser engraved black
brass, it just doesn’t have the feel—it
looks good but it just doesn’t have the
feel of an incised engraved plaque.
There is something more substantial
about that.”
Barone agrees that the rotary engraving look is sought after, particularly in the recognition market. “They
have customers that really notice the
difference and they want to make sure
they can offer their customers that
burnished plaque as opposed to the laser engraved plaque.”
Thompson says that the look of
rotary engraving is really unique and
that’s something that many customers look for. “Rotary engraving has a
much higher perceived value especially in the metals. There’s no comparison, especially with people that want
to match something that is preexisting, like perpetual plaques.”
Better Technology Boosts
Productivity & Profitability
As the popularity of rotary engraving has continued, manufacturers
have sought to improve technology
and make the equipment even better
by improving features such as rigidity (especially important for industrial metal engraving applications), engraving speed, third-party software
compatibility and Ethernet connectivity.
Just a few years ago, for example,
Xenetech switched from microstepper
technology to the newer Viper electronics, which dramatically increased
rotary engraving speed. Thompson
agrees that rotary engraving technology has improved over the years. “We
continue to introduce new machines,
new styles of machines and also new
electronics for the machines that we
have,” he says. “Connectivity to newer computer systems and also the
speed at which we are actually able
to move the machines has increased
quite a bit over the last few years.”
Both Gravograph-New Hermes
and Xenetech have recently introduced rotary engraving machines to
reach the huge gift/jewelry market and
make the process of engraving these
products easier and more efficient.
Gravograph-New Hermes introduced
the GravoTech M40 machine last year
with an innovative “laser spotting
beam” feature that allows you to point
to the corners or center of the engraving area and the system automatically sizes the job to fit into that space.
Xenetech also introduced the GE gift
engraving machine in 2005 that’s popular in the gift and jewelry engraving
market.
What About Cost?
Rotary engraving machines still
have it over laser engravers when it
comes to the cost of the equipment.
Generally speaking, mechanical engraving machines are less expensive
than laser systems but the gap has become smaller in recent years; prices
for rotary systems have basically remained stable while lasers have come
down in price somewhat.
“With the rotary systems we’ve
been able to increase the performance
and utility and keep the price the same
so the end user is getting more value out of the rotary system purchase
than they did a few years ago,” says
Barone. “I think lasers have become
less expensive and so the differences
(in cost) are becoming smaller. Your
entry level smallest laser is around
$10,000 or so and your entry level rotary system is probably around $7,000
or even a little bit less than that,” says
Barone.
Who’s Buying Rotary Machines?
Engravers who are currently purchasing rotary engraving machines
run the gamut from new owners just
getting into the industry, to people
who already own an engraving machine and want to add and/or upgrade
to owners who want to supplement a
laser. The right equipment choice basically boils down to knowing what
you need the equipment to do.
“Some of the people who are just
getting into the market are being so
barraged with the laser hype that is
out there that they purchase a machine
and find out, only later, that the majority of the stuff that they wanted to do,
they can’t,” says Vision’s Thompson.
“So it’s starting to turn where people
are buying rotary machines after they
purchased their laser, especially people who are new to the industry and
really didn’t realize what they were
getting into until they had to send
work out of house that they couldn’t
do.”
Thompson adds that many established engravers in the industry are already well aware of the capabilities of
mechanical engraving. Many of these
engravers purchased a rotary machine
before they bought a laser and others
have elected to forgo the laser technology altogether and, instead, update
their existing equipment with new rotary engraving technology.
For example, one major customer
of Xenetech’s is a large production
catalog order company that recently
replaced their older rotary machines.
“They told us that one of our machines with the new Viper electronics
will now do the work of 14 of their
older machines,” says Barone.
Is There a Future For Rotary?
It’s clear that rotary engraving is
the method of choice for several important engraving applications in this
industry. It is the technique for personalizing jewelry and gifts and it remains the number one approach in
other money-making markets like industrial and sign engraving; it’s still
the best way to mark on metal; and it
continues to be a look that people ask
for.
“People are still purchasing these
machines because there are some
things that rotary systems do that lasers still don’t. Our sales of mechanical engraving systems are consistent
and, in fact, they’ve increased a little
bit in the last quarter over last year so
we’re feeling pretty positive about rotary systems,” says Barone.
By all accounts, rotary engraving is
still alive and well in this industry.
www.engraversjournal.com / www.uidmarkinginfo.com
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EQUIPMENT
ADVISORY
Each and every year retailers flock to various shows across the country to get a look at what marvelous
new equipment the R & I industry has to offer. Beginning in 2006, The Engravers Journal has done
a little pre-scouting for you. We’ve assembled an assortment of the newest, most exciting equipment that
R & I suppliers have to offer. So before you hit the show floor running, take a sneak peek at what you
should put on your “MUST SEE” list! And don’t forget to fill out the Ad Express card in this issue to receive more information on these fabulous products.
ROTARY
ENGRAVING
GRAVOTECH M40G COMPUTERIZED ENGRAVING MACHINE
The GravoTech M40G rotary engraver offers engraving versatility. This one machine can engrave flat and cylindrical items plus
glass engraving as well. Switch-over time between flat and cylindrical takes only seconds, thanks to its motorized vise. Features like auto-Z and its integrated red laser
pointer aid in quick job setup and error-free test engraving. The GravoTech M40G
features a 12" x 8" engraving area, super simple software, a small machine footprint
and excellent engraving quality. A high-precision workhorse, the M40G is excellent for
personalization on glassware and high-end glass awards as well as on hard-to-hold
items such as jewelry boxes and odd-shaped awards.
CONTACT: GRAVOGRAPH-NEW HERMES
770.623.0331
VIPER ENGRAVING SYSTEMS
Xenetech’s Viper electronics (standard on all Xenetech rotary engraving systems) drive
their rotary engraving machines significantly faster than traditional micro-stepper driven
systems, in some cases up to 10 ips. In addition, all Xenetech Viper systems utilize a
state-of-the-art touch screen pendant, 4-axis simultaneous interpolation electronics and
virtually an unlimited job queue and network access through Ethernet communications.
CONTACT: XENETECH GLOBAL, INC.
225.752.0225
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ROTARY
ENGRAVING
VISION’S MAX
PRO ROTARY ENGRAVER
SUREGRAVE/
DAHLGREN
MINI M.E. COMPACT
ROTARY ENGRAVER
The Suregrave/Dahlgren Mini M.E. is a
small, lightweight and ultra portable computerized engraving machine. The Mini
M.E.’s features include a high speed motor, an engraving area of 6" x 4" (work plate
8" x 6"), a deep vise and auto “z” axis. The
Mini M.E.’s compact design makes it wellsuited to trophy shops, hobbyists and retail
outlets which need to engrave a large variety of materials. The unit comes with flat
pen engraving capabilities as standard and
rotary pen and inside ring engraving options will be available soon.
CONTACT: EAST COAST
MARKING SOLUTIONS, LLC
434.293.6990
Vision Engraving Systems has developed the MAX
Pro Engraver allowing for engraving of flat, deep,
round or odd-shaped items in one compact, easyto-use machine. The system contains Vision’s
automatic surface-sensing feature that allows
for flat and curved surface engraving on materials such as plastic, brass, coated and non-coated
metals, stone, pewter, glass and more. For easy job
setups, the MAX Pro uses Vision’s Auto Laser Layout
feature, which feeds the engraving area and position
directly to the software without measuring. Each MAX Pro system includes the new
Vision Series 3 high-speed electronics with hand-held pendant and Vision-Pro software.
CONTACT: VISION ENGRAVING SYSTEMS
888.637.1737
EGX PRO SERIES ROTARY ENGRAVERS
Roland’s EGX PRO Series rotary engravers have the power, size and speed professional
engravers need. With Roland High Speed Engraving (HSE) technology, the EGX-400 and
EGX-600 have a maximum engraving speed
of 100 mm/second and a maximum spindle
speed of 30,000 rpm. Both can handle a wide
variety of materials, including wood, urethane
foam, plastic, acrylic and light metals such as
brass and aluminum.
CONTACT: ROLAND ASD
714.349.7976
THE 350 ROTARY ENGRAVER
Newing-Hall’s 350 Rotary Engraver is a good
starter engraver featuring a 16.5" x 15" engraving area, powerbase, vise and cylindrical capability. The 350 can engrave items
like brass, aluminum, plastics and
acrylic. Switching from flat engraving to cylindrical is easy with the removable dyanagrip (self sticking table, no
clamps) that allows you to engrave round items like pewter
mugs and bowls. You can add the glass
kit and engrave your favorite stemware or glass mugs.
CONTACT: NEWING-HALL, INC.,
800.255.8804
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THE EXCELSIOR
ENGRAVING SYSTEM
The excelsior™ engraving system is a high precision 2D and
3D rotary engraving and machining system. The excelsior
has an extremely stable, compact machining area for applications requiring tight tolerances
and perfect surface finishes. The
one-piece cast steel gantry frame
offers superior machining quality with welded-frame style construction. The 11" open height facilitates larger parts. The excelsior is ideal for industrial engraving applications such as
embossing and progressive dies, steel stamps, coin and medallion dies, panels, mold making, stainless panels or any application requiring superior stability and surface finishes.
CONTACT: DATRON DYNAMICS
603.672.8890
LASER
ENGRAVING
VERSALASER CO2 LASER CUTTING,
ENGRAVING AND MARKING SYSTEM
LASERMASTER L30V
LASER ENGRAVING MACHINE
Cam Tech’s new Lasermaster L30V features a
large format process bed. The built-in
fume extraction system provides
1
/2 downdraft bed for vector cutting and 1/2 raster bed
for engraving. A standard 70 watt vertically mounted CO2 laser
optimizes beam delivery for precision work. Upgradable to 100 or 250 watts the
L30V provides power flexibility to meet
your specific needs. The company’s passion is on product development and a focus on after-market support to meet your current
and future needs.
CONTACT: CAM TECH INDUSTRIES, INC.
403.236.4464
The VersaLaser is a compact, easy-to-use and affordable computer-controlled CO2 laser cutting, etching and marking system. VersaLaser features a unique materialsbased print driver that takes the
guesswork out of complex power
and speed setting. The VersaLaser
is as easy to use as a desktop printer and is compatible with Windows®
XP and most popular graphic software programs and is available with
16" x 12" or 24" x 12" engraving areas
and with five laser power options.
CONTACT: UNIVERSAL LASER
SYSTEMS, INC.
800.859.7033
THE EPILOG MINI
18 LASER SYSTEM
VISION VXL
LASER ENGRAVER
Vision’s VXL Series Laser is a high-speed
CO2 laser system developed for the personalization marketplace. These galvo-based
laser systems have the ability to provide laser marking at a rate of 5–50 times faster
than traditional laser systems. The system
utilizes its own VXL Series Laser Software
which imports files from almost any graphics package and has an X-Y table for loading parts in volume. The Vision VXL series
can also be adapted to your assembly line
for added efficiency. Class I or Class IV solutions are available in 10-300 watts.
CONTACT: VISION ENGRAVING
SYSTEMS, 888.637.1737
14
The Epilog Mini 18 is a small format, high quality
CO2 laser system designed as an introductory engraving and cutting system for small businesses. It allows businesses to break into engraving with a relatively
small investment. The Mini provides highly detailed engraving. Built to fit almost any work space, the Epilog
Mini 18 features an 18" x 12" (457 x 305 mm) engraving area and comes in 25, 35 and 40 watts. The
system includes a vector grid, vacuum table, red dot pointer,
air assist assembly and auto focus, so there aren’t a lot of add-ons
to drive up the cost.
CONTACT: EPILOG LASER
303.277.1188
FINEMARKER HYBRID CO2 & YAG LASER
Trotec’s FineMarker Hybrid™ combines a diode pumped Nd:YAG (YVO42) laser with
a CO2 laser with a high speed flying-optic X-Y motion system. The result is a machine
capable of engraving, cutting and marking on a wider range of
materials than either technology separately. [The system thus
offers all the advantages of a high precision CO2 laser or
the unique cutting characteristics of a YAG laser,] in particular the ability to directly mark and engrave metals
such as stainless steel. The Hybrid uses the same
platform (chassis, electronics and motion system) as
the Speedy CO2 series and is the first laser system
to combine both technologies on one platform.
CONTACT: TROTEC LASER, INC.
866.226.8505
LASER
ENGRAVING
LS900 LASER
ENGRAVING MACHINE
The LS900 Laser Engraving machine, combined with the optional Integrated Exhaust module, was designed for the professional laser engraver. This industrial strength floor mounted CO2 laser with a 24" x 24" table allows the user to process
a half sheet of engraving stock at one time (ex: a full matrix of
engraved and cut out badges). The LS900 has user-friendly
features like auto-focus and red laser pointer, which reduce
set up time and engraving errors. The LS900 has a heavy
duty chassis and gantry and offers laser power ranges up to
80 watts. Its front access provides effortless loading and adjusting of objects.
CONTACT: GRAVOGRAPH-NEW HERMES, 770.623.0331
XLT-2436 LASER
ENGRAVING SYSTEM
The newest Xenetech CO2 laser, named
XLT-2436 for its 24" x 36" (61cm x 91cm)
engraving table size, has new and established features from the XLT-1325. One
enhancement is its ability to reach engraving speeds of 150 ips. The new system
contains a top mounted touch-screen key
pad allowing users unprecedented control of the system and the job including job
settings, job preview, pan and zoom, onthe-fly power and speed adjusting, system
feature controls, job queue from the hostcomputer’s hard drive, real-time job timer,
direct import of files and auto focus to any
location on the table or object.
CONTACT: XENETECH GLOBAL, INC.
225.752.0225
THE LASERPRO SPIRIT ENGRAVING
AND CUTTING MACHINE
The LaserPro Spirit is a user-friendly 12-100 watt CO2 laser engraving and cutting machine. The Spirit features a pass-through
front and rear door design for flexible applications. The Spirit
also features SmartLID™ with instant access to the work table
for quick and easy maintenance and SmartPIN™, an auto focus
probe providing optimal focal distance at the press of a button. The Spirit
GE is the “Grand Edition” and includes a super-wide work area extendable to 38" x
18" It’s available in 30–100 watt laser configurations.
CONTACT: GCC, 909.718.0248
THE PINNACLE ZX-SERIES LASER
ENGRAVING AND CUTTING SYSTEM
The Pinnacle ZX-Series CO2 laser engraving system is available in 30-100 watt configurations
with standard features including: One Touch Auto Focus, Quality Speed Mode, oversized 38" x
20" work area with front and rear doors for large objects, air assist and built-in USB support. Applications include part marking and identification, serialization, 2D matrix, barcoding and more.
CONTACT: ENGRAVING SYSTEM INTEGRATORS, INC.
440.409.0100
KERN 52
LASER SYSTEM
WITH HSE
HAND-HELD
PORTABLE
MARKING SYSTEM
PTG Industries’ innovative Portable Hand-Held Fiber Laser Marking
System produces permanent, legible marks on a variety of materials.
This new laser system is a safe,
reliable, direct part marking alternative to Nd:YAG lasers. The
system is extremely reliable delivering 50,000 hours of maintenance-free operation. The extremely versatile unit can be easily
moved to any location for convenient operation and is capable
of marking materials ranging in size from miniature to equipment too large to fit into traditional marking systems.
CONTACT: PTG INDUSTRIES, 407.804.1000
16
The new CO2 HSE (high
speed engraving) design engraves up to 60" per second. It produces clean, crisp, detailed artwork in
2D and 3D design using 1G of acceleration, while maintaining the same laser spot diameter and power
over the entire table. The HSE is available in a variety of wattages
including 100, 150, 200 and 400. The HSE allows easy access to
three sides of the table, plus the open design permits materials to
extend out the front and the back of the table. The metal cutting
option is available to cut mild and stainless steel.
CONTACT: KERN ELECTRONICS & LASERS, INC.
218.631.2755
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ADJUNCT
EQUIPMENT
EPSON SUBLIMATION PRINTERS
Johnson Plastics now offers three new Epson printers: the C88, R1800 and 4800, which are
ideal for sublimation. Each Epson Printer delivers outstanding performance with amazing
quality and durability. Choose the affordable C88 printer
for sharp, clear photos up to 81/2" x 14"; or the Epson
R1800 or 4800 using the new 8-color ink technology.
Sublimation inks are also available for all three of
these printers.
CONTACT: JOHNSON PLASTICS
800.869.7800
MODEL 635 CHEMICAL ETCHING MACHINE
DK20S 16" X 20" DIGITAL
HEAT TRANSFER PRESS
The DK20S 16" x 20" Digital Swinger is
Geo Knight’s new industrial heat transfer
press. The DK20S boasts a heavy-duty
solid steel welded frame providing even
pressing and pressures up to 2,200 pounds
of force with minimum operator effort. The
heat platen pressure is also adjustable to
accommodate material thicknesses ranging from thin fabrics to 1" thick. The lower
tables are instantly interchangeable with
many differently sized optional platens. The
DK20S’s fully digital heat control utilizes an
oversized LCD display showing both temperature and time simultaneously. The 16"
x 20" heat platen uses a proprietary heating
method called SuperCoil-Microwinding™
heater technology.
CONTACT: GEO KNIGHT & CO., INC.
508.588.0186
Masteretch’s Model 635 Chemical etching machine etches a variety of metals including stainless steel, copper, brass, aluminium, steel and
bronze. This makes it a great unit for producing nameplates, panels, ADA signage and other
products where a durable and
attractive solid-metal product
is desired. The Model 635
is capable of etching panels
25" wide by any length. Masteretch supplies conveyorized
etching equipment in all sizes from table top units to high volume production systems.
CONTACT: MASTERETCH SERVICES. LTD.
+44(0)1536.266.288
THE MILLENNIUM 590 FULL
COLOR BADGE/PLATE PRINTER
The Millennium 590 full color badge/plate printer uses
a unique dye diffusion thermal printing technology and
prints directly onto a variety of pre-cut, rigid, print receptive substrates in one color or in full color. The 590 is
perfect for your identification, recognition and small signage needs, allowing you to print directly onto substrates
from 1" x 3" up to 2.5" x 10" and from .010" up to .060"
thick. The 590 utilizes continuous tone imaging technology to assure a
clear, sharp and professional looking output from digital graphics, scanned images and original
artwork created in popular software applications.
CONTACT: DIRECT COLOR SYSTEMS
860.829.2244
DOT EMBOSSING UNIT
The vhf Dot Embossing unit has been designed for lettering metals, including steel and stainless steel. The Dot Embossing unit works by indenting the surface of the work using little “hammer strokes” made with a thin and extremely hard needle. The needle oscillates approximately 300
times per second and the single dots adjoin each other so closely that the inscription looks like it has
been engraved. The Dot Embossing unit is powered by compressed air.
CONTACT: vhf CAMFACTURE GMBH
+49 7032.97097.0
18
ADJUNCT
EQUIPMENT
JP 500 SUBLIMATION
MUG PRESS
The JP 500 Mug Press from Johnson Plastics cuts costs and produces consistent
quality sublimated mugs. The JP 500 can
sublimation print all types of artwork designs including beautiful, full color photographs and company logos on most 11,
15, 18 and 22 oz. mugs and steins. The
unit has an easy pressure adjustment for
achieving uniform pressure while printing
various size mugs. Other features include
digital electronic controls and an automatic
digital timer.
CONTACT: JOHNSON PLASTICS
800.869.7800
GUILLOTINE SHEAR MODEL 4001
Accu Cutter’s Model 4001 guillotine-style shear provides a heavy duty, bench top solution to all of your cutting needs. With a larger-than-normal 13" cutting capacity and interchangeable top and bottom blades, the unit
provides a smooth, burr-free cut on even very thick
materials such as .080" aluminum and .050" brass.
The 4001’s full 12" back gauge provides accurate
and repeatable cuts. A particular convenience is the shear’s
repositionable handle allowing the unit to be set up for right or left-handed operation.
CONTACT: ACCU CUTTER COMPANY
717.241.2330
THE PHASE II HOT STAMPING SYSTEM
The Phase II Hot Stamping System will put an
elegant foil imprint on a variety of flat surfaces such as plastics, leather, paper and wood.
Phase II Systems are offered in manual or
convenient pneumatic operation. Phase II Hot
Stamping Units can make imprints on award
ribbons, badges, napkins, flat-sided pencils
and pens, matchbooks, book covers, letterheads, business cards and photographic slidemounts. Jackson also offers the MD-100 photopolymer system which allows users to create
their own hot stamping dies for use with the
Phase II and other hot stamp systems.
CONTACT: JACKSON MARKING
PRODUCTS CO., INC., 618.242.1334
2034 AUTOMATIC RECYCLING
SANDCARVING SYSTEM
MODEL VA 10
CIRCULAR SAFETY SAW
B.F.’s VA 10 safety saw offers precision
cutting of sheet material, including plastic, wood, non-ferrous metal, rubber, cardboard, phenolic and more. The VA 10 incorporates the highest standards of safety,
precision and quality of workmanship. The
powerful, high speed, 350 watt motor,
coupled with a long-wearing carbide-tooth
blade, handles the tough jobs for a smooth
cut in a wide range of materials. It makes it
easy to cut very thin strips or large plates
with great accuracy.
CONTACT: B.F. PLASTICS, INC.
800.866.7121
The 2034 Automatic Recycling Sandcarving System has a totally self-contained space saving design that will enable you to recycle abrasive in
90 seconds. The attached 50 lb., 45° pot bottom
allows for unrestricted abrasive flow for approximately 45 minutes of blast time. The 2034 features a powerful built-in high efficiency dust collector motor designed for years of trouble-free
operation. Their new mechanical “shaker” and exclusive dust collection removal feature completely
eliminates exposure to airborne dust during maintenance and dust removal. This unit also features
the brightest lit workspace on the market with dual
recessed halogen lamps.
CONTACT: RAYZIST PHOTOMASK INC.
800.729.9478
19
ADJUNCT
EQUIPMENT
MODEL #9385
12" PLATE
STOCK CUTTER
THE SWINGMAN 20D HEAT
TRANSFER PRESS
Main Trophy’s Model #9385
shear is a guillotine-style metal-cutting shear. The unit features square, burr free cuts on brass, aluminum and steel. Hardened
tool steel blades, an adjustable stop and a side edge ruler are all standard features on the Model #9385. This shear is a real workhorse and
is made of cast aluminum for durability.
CONTACT: MAIN TROPHY SUPPLY CO.
847.439.2550
We hope you’ve enjoyed your sneak peek at
the exciting equipment EJ has assembled from
your favorite R & I suppliers. Now it’s time to
hit show floor running with your “MUST SEE”
list! Or if you’re not attending this year, you can
still share in the excitement. It’s easy to receive
literature from these suppliers. Simply fill out the
Ad Express Card in this issue and have the literature mailed directly to you. Happy shopping!
The SwingMan 20D is a 16" x 20"
heat press designed to meet the
printing needs of any textile
or sublimation business.
The SwingMan 20D
features a swing
away heat platen with
a print gap that accepts
any substrate up to 13/4"
thick. The heads-up display also features digital time and
temperature control from 0° to 450°. The over-center lever provides easy lock-down with a full range of pressure
adjustments. These features combine with an easy-swing
platen which enables productivity and ease of use. All
heating elements carry a lifetime warranty.
CONTACT: HIX CORPORATION
800.835.0606
MUG PRO PLUS
DIGITAL HEAT PRESS
Nova Chrome’s Mug Pro Plus is a digital
heat press sublimation system for mugs.
The Mug Pro features top-to-bottom printing capabilities, an accurate digital electronic controller to insure consistent heat
and time, an auto-start timer and heavyduty construction. The Mug Pro Plus prints
on sublimatable mugs and steins from 11
oz. to the 22 oz.
CONTACT: NOVA CHROME
800.788.6682
20
Visit Us On-line!
www.engraversjournal.com / www.uidmarkinginfo.com
21
L
et me dust off my crystal ball and look deep
within it. That’s where (if I’m a little bit
smart and a whole lot lucky) I may discover where
laser engraving technology might be going in the
near future.
Of course, this prediction business is always a
dangerous practice since there’s always someone
anxious to hold on to these articles and keep score
as to how many of my predictions turn out to be
right and how many are wrong. Still, I will dare
to join the ranks of the Jeane Dixons of the world
and make thirteen predictions. Yes, thirteen is an
ominous number but I will take a stand and here
are my predictions—some accurate and some not
so accurate.
Prediction One: Lasers will continue to come
down in price, just as the PC market has. Although
it may take several years, we’ll see 25 watt CO2
lasers showing up at less than today’s (market)
price. We already have a few lasers that sell for
less than $10,000 but, the prices will continue to
slowly drop.
Keep in mind that the higher end systems will
be significantly less expensive. Really the trend
that drives this prediction is that many of the system manufacturers have come up with entry-level
systems—often machines with a smaller work area
and perhaps a lower wattage laser tube.
Prediction Two: With the lower prices, there
will be less “hand holding” for first time buyers.
Currently, service, support and training are high
on the priority list of any good laser manufacturer
but, as the prices come down, there will be less of
a profit margin for such necessities (luxuries). As
a result, we’ll see more companies charging a fee
for specialized training and support.
Prediction Three: More and more features will
become standard. In the battle of the lasers, we’ll
see more production line models where everything
is standard: air assist, red dot laser pointer, vector
cutting table and auto focus. Many lasers already
offer these as standard equipment.
Prediction Four: We’ll see more market “niches” open up in the least expected places. Already,
22
we’re seeing lasers going into other markets such as scrapbook shops,
hobby shops, photography studios and antique shops. As time goes by,
we’ll see the tag and label industry invest seriously in lasers as will
those serving the UID (Unique IDentification) government market.
Along with these emerging markets, we’ll see more architects buying
lasers to make 3D models and see even more companies spring up
specifically for that purpose. Manufacturers of all kinds of models will
join the ranks. I know of people who use them to cut out parts for the
model train, car, dollhouse and airplane markets. We’ll see lasers shown
at more and different trade shows and especially those central to these
new markets.
Prediction Five: A laser will become “standard equipment” in every
serious awards or engraving shop. The advantage some of us enjoyed
by having a laser and thus an advantage over our competition will
evaporate. An awards shop without a laser will fall behind and many
will die a painful death trying to compete using more labor intensive
marking methods.
Prediction Six: We’ll see lasers become faster and more efficient
through the use of specialized optics. Already, most laser manufacturers
offer some form of high intensity lens but this technology is still in its
infancy and will grow dramatically in the next couple of years.
Prediction Seven: We’ll see more shops add lasers to their operation for specific application needs such as the making of rubber stamps,
the UID market, metal marking, etc. Rather than just having one
multi-purpose laser, shops will sport two, three or more with each unit
assigned a specific type of application. It will be rare to find a shop with
only one laser, let alone none at all.
continued on page 24
1
2
LASER
3
ENGRAVING
7
5
PHOTO EXPO
See page 25 for photo captions.
4
6
8
12
10
9
11
16
17
14
15
13
19
18
22
21
20
23
24
25
26
30
31
29
28
27
23
LASER ENGRAVING
Prediction Eight: We’ll see new
software (drivers to be more specific)
that’s written for direct application
without the use of CorelDRAW or
other graphics application programs.
Currently, there are drivers that have
pre-loaded settings that interact with
CorelDRAW (or other programs) to
insure the proper settings, focus, etc.,
are automatically set, but this will be
further refined to eliminate the need
for learning a graphics program altogether.
Prediction Nine: A greater variety of materials will be developed as
“laser ready.” Already, we have material suppliers that offer a huge variety
of materials and engravables that are
laser friendly. This will continue to
expand to include more highly specialized metals and laserable plastics
that interact with CO2 lasers without
the need for chemicals.
Prediction Ten: We’ll see more
and more YAG type lasers enter the
engraving business. YAG lasers and
their close cousins, the Vanadate
lasers, offer a number of advantages
over CO2 lasers, in particular their
ability to directly engrave metals,
including stainless steel.
Some YAGs and Vanadates will
use the traditional Galvo design
(these use a fast-moving mirror to
produce incredible speed when marking metals and other friendly materials, but are severely limited in the
size of the engravable area). Others
will use “moving optics” like the
gantry driven systems used on most
current CO2 lasers. These will be
slower, but allow shop owners to
engrave over a very large work area.
Prediction Eleven: We’ll see more
“hybrid” lasers which will combine
24
both a CO2 laser and a YAG laser
in the same cabinet and use the same
optics for both lasers. This not only
reduces the number of lasers needed,
it adds a great deal of flexibility since
it greatly increases the number of
materials that they can mark and thus
reduces the relative price since the
cabinet, mechanics and optics of both
lasers are shared. Trotec is the only
company currently offering a hybrid,
as far as I know, but it’s a really neat
idea and I predict it’ll catch on with
other manufacturers.
Prediction Twelve: The advent
of inexpensive and relatively massmarketed laser engraving systems
will bring a lot of new people into
the industry and create new competition for you. This likely will include
hobbyists, photographers, pen turners, wood workers, early retirees and
others looking for a new or reworked
career. Of course this is not a totally
new trend in the industry, as many
of the really well-established manufacturers of rotary and laser engraving equipment have long courted
the SYOB (start your own business)
crowd very successfully.
What all this means is that people in the mainstream engraving and
awards field will have to remain
on the leading edge, having a good
range of highly productive and modern equipment. The experienced users
will have to offer more and better services that the start-ups can’t compete
with.
Prediction Thirteen: The Internet
will play a bigger and bigger role in
the way we do business. The ability
for companies (or individuals) to go
online and design their own product on a user-friendly site so all an
engraving shop has to do is produce
the product and ship it will become
commonplace. This may become one
of the most (if not the most) common
ways plaques, gift items and industrial labels are ordered. There will
be less and less face-to-face contact
and less and less community loyalty
since products can be ordered just as
easily from 2,000 miles away as from
down the street. Not only must entrepreneurs of the future have a website, the website must be designed to
allow customers to easily design their
own products.
Well, there you have them. My
predictions for the next five years.
Some will come true and some may
not, but according to my crystal ball,
this is what we’ll see in the near
future.
Oh, there’s one more tiny prediction that should go without saying:
The company that goes through 2006
without a laser will be at a big disadvantage. Even those who enter the
laser capable market this year will
be years behind the curve of those
who entered the market early on.
Those who hold off, waiting for the
price to drop or the technology to
become even easier to use, may find
themselves on the outside looking in.
I have said it a thousand times and I
will say it again: “Anyone who buys
a laser in today’s market and can’t
make it pay for itself in a year or two,
just isn’t trying very hard.”
Enjoy your new laser. If you don’t
have a laser yet, enjoy yourself while
getting one and learning how to use
it. I hope it makes as much money
for you as my two lasers have made
for me and that you have just as much
fun during the learning phase as I
did!
What did I just say? I’ve been
lasering for 15 years now and I’m
still in the learning phase and still
having fun with every new trick and
capability I learn!
ROTARY
ENGRAVING
PHOTO EXPO Captions
Photos on page 7.
1. Rotary engraved acrylic desktop award,
PDU photo.
2. Diamond engraved pewter locket, courtesy of John E. Lepper, Inc.
3. Crystal stemware rotary engraved using
the Stylus Cylindrical engraver from Vision
Engraving Systems.
4. The New Hermes Vanguard Orbiter diamond engraving a solid brass bell.
5. Rotary engraved and paint filled Corian
sign from Ashcraft Graphic Impressions.
6. Rotary engraved pen. Photo courtesy of
Vision Engraving Systems.
7. Rotary engraved Corian solid surface dedication plaque from P.D.M. Products.
8. Diamond engraved men’s ID bracelet
from Speidel.
LASER
ENGRAVING
PHOTO EXPO Captions
Photos on page 23.
1. Pewter plate laser engraved with a
CO2 laser and CerMark solution. LaserBits photo.
2. UID (Unique IDentification) nameplate
for the DoD (Department of Defense) using AlumaMark laserable aluminum. Horizons photo.
3. Renoir’s “The Luncheon of the Boating
Party” is an example of laser “art.” Photo
courtesy of CAM Tech Industries.
4. Classic wood desk nameplate laser engraved by Lee’s Wood Products.
5. Horizon’s AlumaMark blanks turn black
when struck by a CO2 laser beam. Johnson Plastics photo.
9. Granites Deluxe, a granite-look plastic
from Rowmark can be rotary or laser engraved. Johnson Plastics photo.
6. Ring laser engraved with the Vision Engraving Systems MAX Pro engraver.
10. Rotary engraved acrylic award from
Tropar.
7. This crystal award from SCT Crystal can
be beautifully laser engraved.
11. Machining aluminum block using the
CAT3D-M3 CNC System from Datron Dynamics.
8. The completed “Buried Alive” sign was
fashioned in plastic by Rowmark.
12. Diamond engraved items from Gravograph-New Hermes, Inc.
13. ADA compliant signage with raised letters and Braille can be easily created using
a rotary engraving machine. Accent Signage photo.
14. Rotary engraved control panels from
Royal Oak Nameplate Co. and Legends for
Industry.
15. Heart locket from Gravograph-New
Hermes personalized using diamond-drag
engraving.
16. Rotary engraved pens from Artmold/
Pierre Cardin (top) and Anson Incorporated.
17. Rotary engraved acrylic award from JDS
Industries.
18. Silverplate Revere Bowl with diamond
engraved plate, Freeman Products photo.
19. Gavel with diamond engraved band and
block with rotary cut plate. Items from The
Gavel Company.
9. Acrylic gears laser cut with the ULS25E laser engraver from Universal Laser
Systems.
15. Intricate designs can be easily created
in wood with your laser. Epilog photo.
16. Laser engraved “Elegance” awards
from Acrylic Idea Factory.
17. LaserFrost from Identification Plates,
is a laserable metal with a frosted background that allows you to laser through the
printed frosting to the background of bright
gold or satin silver for an etched look.
18. Key fobs are a quick and easily lasered item.
19. Red Alder wood plaque lasered with a
CO2 laser. JDS photo.
20. Jet Black Marble plaques from LaserBits laser engraved with a CO2 laser.
21. An Epilog laser was used to create this
moose, including cutting and surface engraving.
22. Leather shoe accents created by Gravograph-New Hermes, using one of their
laser engraving machines.
23. Metal frying pan personalized using a
CO2 laser and CerMark solution. Universal
Laser photo.
24. A 3D laser engraved image created
with a GCC LaserPro.
25. These (non-coated) Italian charms from
Johnson Plastics, can be laser engraved
using CerMark and a CO2 laser.
10. From LaserBits, the laser engraved
Frosted Mountain Award.
26. Laser engravable brass plate completes this Tropar corporate award.
11. Black marble block from LaserBits, lasered using a CO2 laser and PhotoGrav
software.
27. Wooden pen lasered with a CO2 laser.
12. LAMA, Laserable Anodized Mirrored
Aluminum, from Johnson Plastics, is a
highly reflective .020" mirrored aluminum
that turns white when lasered.
13. Alumamark Brass provides high quality
CO2 laser-engraved photos and text. LaserBits photo.
14. An ordinary metal flask can be laser
engraved using MetalMark spray. Photo
courtesy of Jorlink USA.
28. The Pike’s Peak trophy is an example of
subsurface crystal laser engraving where
thousands of dots appear suspended inside a block of solid crystal. Photo courtesy
of GW Crystal.
29. Craft foam sheets are a versatile material that can be laser cut and formed into
unique items like this frame from Epilog.
30. Lasered acrylic award from Tropar’s
“Flame” series.
31. Clock award with a CO2 laserable
brass plate from Tropar.
25
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
AD EXPRESS #
Where would R & I professionals be without their equipment?
Beginning in the upper left and proceeding clockwise and
ending in the middle, ViperSpeed from Xenetech Global
(Baton Rouge, LA), Cornermaster from Johnson Plastics
(Minneapolis, MN), LaserPro Spirit from GCC (Taipei, Taiwan),
Johnson Plastics Table Shear, the VersaLaser from
Universal Laser Systems, Inc. (Scottsdale, AZ), The Digital
Knight DK20S from Geo Knight & Co., Inc. (Brockton MA),
the GravoTech M40G from Gravograph-New Hermes
(Duluth, GA), the Epilog Mini (Golden, CO) and the IS400
Volume from Gravograph-New Hermes.
Accent Signage Systems, Inc. .............................................................p.26
399
BF Plastics, Inc. ......................................................................................p.8
441
Epilog Laser . ...........................................................................................p.3
55
Geo Knight & Co Inc. ............................................................................p.21
24
Gravograph-New Hermes .......................................................................p.5
74
Horizons ..................................................................................................p.24
260
Identification Plates Inc. .......................................................................p.21
481
Johnson Plastics . ........................................................ Inside Front Cover 91
LASERPRO (GCC) ..................................................................................p.15
473
Trotec ........................................................................................ Back Cover 2
Universal Inkjet Printers .......................................................................p.20
496
Universal Laser Systems Inc. .........................................Inside Back Cover
18
Vision Engraving Systems .....................................................................p.9
72
Xenetech ................................................................................................p.13
448
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
J. Stephen Spence
J. Stephen Spence is
president and founder
of Awards by Recognition
Concepts in Huntington,
WV. Steve is a recognition
authority and well known
lecturer in the R & I
industry.
Steve can be reached at
sspence@engraversjournal.com.
Jackie Zack
Jackie Zack began her
career in the industry in
1985. She has authored
hundreds of articles for
The Engravers Journal.
Jackie can be reached
by E-mail at jzack@engraversjournal.com.
26

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