Jacqui, Jandra, Jenny, Joanne, Sarah
Customer support
Phone: +61-1300-TROTEC
E-Mail: australia@troteclaser.com
Contact form Laser Engraving Glass
Engraving hollow glassware, flat glass and specialty glass
Laser engraving glass has never been more simple and precise. Anything is possible when you use a Trotec machine – the sky is your only limit! Laser etched glass produces a beautiful, fascinating matte effect. Fine contours and details can be etched in the form of photographs, lettering, logos and much more. Materials can include anything, like wine glasses, champagne flutes, beer glasses, bottle, mirrors and even window panes. Laser etched glass makes a perfect, personalised gift idea for parties and corporate events – make a statement and be remembered at unique!
Glass Suitable for Processing with a Glass Engraving Laser:
- Container glass
- Cast glass
- Pressed glass
- Float glass
- Sheet glass
- Crystal glass
- Mirror glass
- Window glass
- Mirrors
- Conical and round glasses
- Drinking glasses, wine glasses
- Bottles
Engrave glass simply and precisely with a Trotec laser engraving machine. Laser etched glass produces a fascinating matte effect. Very fine contours and details can be etched into glass as photos, lettering or logos, e.g. on wine glasses, Champagne flutes, beer glasses, bottles, mirror or window glass. Personalized gifts for parties or corporate events are memorable and make laser-engraved glass unique.
Impressions
Application Examples for Engraved Glass
Technically, glass is only ‘superficially’ etched by a glass engraving laser – akin to ‘matting’. Trotec laser machines can produce fine details accurately and crisply, and these designs are applied to the material with a clear, white, textured look. For glass etching laser designs on conical items (such as beer glasses or bottles), we recommend the use of a rotary engraving device. This will automatically rotate your workpiece as you work, keeping it in the correct position.
It is not possible to laser cut glass.
- Automotive industry
- Personal engravings
- Promotional materials
- Optics
- Decorations
- Gift items
- Interior design
- Drinking glasses and bottles
- Mirrors
“Why should I buy a laser for glass engraving?”
With Trotec laser engraving machines, laser marking glass has very little damage risks. This is due to the non-contact processing qualities that our machines are known for. You don’t need to use any templates when using a glass engraving machine either, which are necessary when sandblasting – instead, the etching is done directly onto the surface of the object.
If the glass needs to be engraved deeply with a sandblaster, our laser machines are also perfect for marking out a required and desired template. Trotec laser engravers are versatile and flexible!
Function & Advantages of Laser Technology
No Tool Wear
- Laser beams will not wear over time from material processing
- There is no need to replace old tools, like classic engraving techniques
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- CeramiCore laser sources have a particularly long service life
No Dust Exposure
- The surface of the glass is heated with the laser beam, removing extremely fine glass particles. No residual blasting agents are required with laser engraving
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- Trotec exhaust systems filter and remove the resulting gases, dust and particles while the machine is engraving
Amazing Engraving Results in Record Time
- There is no need to use a template, which is typical for sandblasting glass
- Trotec laser machines are as simple. They are as easy to use as a printer. Simply work with your preferred graphics program and send a completed design to the laser using the ‘print’ command on your PC or Mac
- Machines can easily be adapted for single projects as well as series productions
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- JobControl® laser software: Simply, efficient, intuitive
- Speedy series: The fastest laser engravers available on the market, with a maximum engraving speed of 3.55m/sec and an acceleration of 5g
- Trotec’s product and system range is the largest worldwide, and our machines have the greatest freedom and flexibility
Fine & Accurately Contoured Details
- Laser etching logos, text and photographs is easy
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- Ideal optics and optimal beam performance
Non-Contact Processing
- Cracking and breaking due to rough mechanical impact is eliminated
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- A rotary engraving attachment means you can engrave across the entire circumference of a round object. They are available in all sizes
"Evright chose a Trotec laser because Trotec understands our industry. Trotec laser has been an essential partner to our business since our first purchase. They have provided unparalleled support to us not only from a machinery side but more importantly from a business planning and consulting perspective, helping improve productivity and profit."- Reece Moore - sales manager at Evright.com -
"My partner and I are passionate about personalised gifts. We tried several methods in personalising gifts but upon extensive research online, we came across laser engraving and its extensive benefits. After researching for the best laser brands and we came across Trotec along with few other brands. We took a lot of time and researched a lot about the Speedy laser machine online and discussed with others who had been using it for a long time and finally made the decision to go with our Trotec laser. Everyone at Trotec is committed to give you the best service. "- Ranjit Endurthi - Etch Your Thoughts -
"I wanted a reliable laser engraver and a large work area. Trotec offered good value for money. Our Trotec laser offers us reliability, and a high quality result that is ideal for glass and metal trophies used by corporate customers and sporting clubs. I would recommend Trotec because they produce reliable, high quality results, and it works well with Corel, being my design software of choice."- Ross Midgley - Sports Awards -
Trotec product recommendation
Tips for Engraving Glass
“Can round or conical objects be engraved?”
Yes! When you use a rotary attachment, round and conical materials can be engraved crisply and perfectly along the entire circumference of an object. JobControl® provides you with all the necessary parameters for a job like this – all you need to do is enter the object’s diameter and the height of your graphic.
“Can glass break during laser engraving?”
If you are using extremely delicate and thin glass with a strong power setting, slight cracking may occur. It all depends on your ability to consider your material and apply the right laser parameters. Results may vary from piece to piece. We always recommend placing a damp paper towel on top of the engraving are, which will dissipate the heat and prevent the glass from cracking
Cheap glass actually engraves better than crystal glass. This is because cheaply-bought glass has a higher lead content.
Always engrave glass with care!
“How do I get a clear, white engraving?”
Placing a damp paper towel on the engraving bed not only prevents the glass from cracking, but can also assist in achieving a clear, white engraving result. You need to make sure there are no air bubbles or creases in the paper, as this can show up on the finished product! Always double-check that Air Assist is disabled, because it can dry out the paper. Alternatively, you can use masking tape.
To minimise the dark effect of heat on larger surfaces, convert the graphics to grayscale (black and white graphic, 70-80% black). If you are using this method, no damp paper is required.
“How do I get the best photo engraving effect?”
Try using grayscale rasterization, 70% black. This ensures that less heat is applied to the glass, and the results will appear crisp and fine. We always recommend an average resolution of 500dpi, and make sure you always use the ‘ordered dithering’ rasterization method.
“Can mirrors be engraved too?”
You can create beautiful designs on a mirror relatively easily. When using a Fiber laser, you engrave the mirror through the glass from above. The glass doesn’t react with the laser, so only the mirror layer is ablated. The glass itself is never scored – it can only respond to the CO2 laser source wavelength anyway.
The subsequent cleaning is easy too. This is because the material that was removed during the engraving process falls onto the table beneath the mirror, and hardly any dust is ever left on the mirror itself.
Acrylic lacquer is usually applied to the back of the mirror. This creates a positive effect; the laser-engraved areas of the glass become transparent. The colours of the lacquer remain bright and intense, peeking through the transparent glass.
“Can glass be laser cut too?”
No, unfortunately it is not possible to laser cut glass.