ImagesMagUK_December_2021

LASER SYSTEMS www.images-magazine.com 56 images DECEMBER 2021 KB Investing in a laser may sound like something a James Bond villain would do, but a laser system can provide an exciting new revenue stream for garment decoration businesses that are looking to diversify their product offering. We cut through the technical jargon to obtain practical advice from industry experts on buying and using this increasingly popular decoration tool Lasers: a beginner’s guide W hether you want to sell etched leather aprons or badges to hospitality industries (see this month's step-by-step by Trotec on page 54), precisely cut out fabric for cushion covers, personalise denim jeans and polar fleece tops, or engrave trophies and plaques, taking on a laser system not only allows you to offer additional services and products to longstanding clients, but also opens up market sectors you may previously have not explored. What’s more, the finished products generally benefit from a high perceived value amongst end user customers. Lasers can be used either to cut or etch material in a specific pattern; CO2 lasers can be used for textiles and a wide variety of other materials, says GS UK. A fine laser is trained onto the surface of the material being cut, which increases its temperature and causes vaporization. Depending on the power level of the laser and also the speed setting being used, the material can either be cut or etched, ie just the top part of the material is removed. There are many advantages to using laser cutters with textiles, confirms Thomas Armbruster, marketing manager at laser manufacturer Eurolaser, such as the sealing of edges when cutting synthetic textiles, no fabric distortion thanks to the contactless processing, and the ability to process in all directions independent of the fabric structure. When engraving, the laser can be used over zips and seams, adds Annette Sucharewycz, UK sales manager at GS UK, which offers various types of laser systems. William Stafford, marketing manager of CSI Manufacturing, the distributor for Epilog laser systems in the UK and Ireland, says: "Speed, precision and repetition are the three main advantages. The laser can cut textiles much faster than cutting by hand and it can also cut extremely intricate designs very quickly. Since they can engrave as well, it opens up a whole new revenue stream as you can create customised A cushion that was made using a Trotec laser Graphtec GB: WID Innovations C Series Laser Engraving/Cutting Machines The latest C Series of laser engraving/ cutting systems from WID Innovations has been developed to meet the varying skill levels of both entry-level and seasoned professional machine operators, says exclusive UK and Ireland distributor, Graphtec GB. “The C Series will handle a wide range of disparate materials, including acrylic and various plastics, marble, glass, slate, solid woods, laminates, stainless steel, and other non-ferrous metals and alloys, such as brass, copper and zinc.” The C Series is available in four different-sized models (500, 700, 900 and 1,000), with processing areas of 700 x 500mm, 1,000 x 700mm, 1,300 x 900mm and 1,600 x 1,000mm respectively. The machines come in variable speeds of up to 90,000mm/ min on the 500 model, and 72,000mm/min on the 700, 900 and 1,000 models. Key design features of the C Series include a 150mm, adjustable machine height facility and automatic temperature and air control systems, as well as smoke/dust extraction and waste retrieval units. The machines also have an optional auto-focus- empowered CCD camera, which is designed to ensure precise engraving/ cutting accuracy on different materials/ objects for even the most complex applications, adds Graphtec GB. “The machines also incorporate a CO2 tube and, on selective models, radio frequency lasers with power ratings ranging from 60W on the 500 and 700 models, and incrementally up to 120W on the 900 and 1,000 models.” The C Series laser engraving/cutting systems will handle a wide range of disparate materials, says Graphtec GB