Do You Need Laser Engraving Services for Your Parts?
Want to know a simple trick for improving organization and efficiency at your facility?
The next time you order parts, add on laser engraving services.
When people hear the term laser engraving, they often think of trophies and plaques that require a dedication or other aesthetic elements. But laser engraving serves other valuable purposes, such as labeling parts to streamline operations at plants and factories.
Lucky for our customers, we can engrave most materials at our machine shop in Georgia.
Laser Capabilities at Arbiser Machine
Laser technology leverages heat to create a design, logo, or text on a material. There are three different types of laser technology: marking, etching, and engraving. Here’s a quick rundown of each one:
Laser marking uses low-heat laser beams to discolor the surface of a material, creating the desired image or text.
Laser engraving vaporizes material with a higher heat laser beam than marking. The high-heat beam removes material and creates grooves in the desired shape.
Laser etching melts the material’s surface, creating ridges in the desired shape. Etching is a subtype of engraving.
At Arbiser Machine, we provide laser engraving and marking using our YVO4 Laser Series.
Why Use Laser Technology on Your Parts?
Here are a few reasons to add laser engraving services to your next manufacturing order:
Organizational efficiency
Production plants and factories are responsible for managing, tracking, and assembling countless parts. Engraving part numbers onto a part’s surface can help improve supply room organization by making each part clearly identifiable.
Improved traceability
Having a part number permanently marked on a part allows for enhanced traceability. There’s the option of adding a material certification, which can be especially useful for medical or aerospace components. Each part could also be linked to a database containing relevant information.
Easier revision tracking
Laser engraving can also help you keep track of stock that includes several revision changes. Not all revisions are obvious to the naked eye, and clearly labeling the part iteration is an easy way to avoid confusion.
Durability
Labeling parts can be done in many ways, from Sharpies to masking tape to printed labels. But those options all lack the durability and professional aesthetic of laser engraving. Laser engraving is a long-lasting solution that stands the test of time.
Customer example: One of our customers recently took advantage of our laser engraving services when they came to us requesting ten timing belt pulleys that needed to connect to a specific timing belt. They asked us to mark each pulley with clear instructions for the operators. Providing the operators with as much information as possible has helped to streamline their assembly process significantly.
Adding Laser Technology to Your Parts
Adding laser technology to your parts couldn’t be simpler. Include your laser engraving or marking request right on your drawing. Provide specific, clear instructions about what you’d like your marking to say and where it should be located on the part. We can mark or engrave on flat or round parts using any font, but we’ll default to a standard Arial font unless otherwise noted.
Though laser technology may seem like an unnecessary expense, this post-production process does not significantly affect costs or lead times. In fact, it’s incredibly affordable at higher volumes—much cheaper than milling a part number or revision number. As a bonus, if you let us engrave the Arbiser Machine logo on your part, we might just offer you a discount! :)
Request a quote today!