Ryan Milne
Customer support
Phone: +27-875-509-335
E-Mail: southafrica@troteclaser.com
Contact form Glass and Crystal Engraving and Etching
Detailed glass engraving with Trotec laser engraving machines
Glass types suitable for processing with a glass engraving laser
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.
Glass types 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
Impressions
Application examples for engraved glass
Applications
Similar to so-called "matting" of the material, glass is only superficially etched by the glass engraving laser. With Trotec laser machines, fine details can be accurately applied to the material as clear, white glass etchings. For glass etching with a laser on conical objects (e.g. beer glasses or bottles) we recommend that you use a rotary engraving device, which will automatically turn your work piece during the laser engraving process, so that it remains in the correct position. It is not possible to laser cut glass.
- Automotive industry
- Personal engravings, engravers
- Promotional materials
- Optics
- Decorations
- Gift items
- Interior design
- Drinking glasses and bottless
- Mirrors
Why should I buy a laser for glass engraving?
With a Trotec Laser machine, there is no risk of glass breakage due to non-contact processing. With a glass engraving machine, no templates are required like they are with sandblasting; the etching is done directly on the glass surface. If the glass really must be engraved deeply with sandblasting, the laser engraving machine is useful for producing the perfect templates. Firmly apply the sandblasting film onto the work piece and cut out the motif with the laser device, the workpiece can then be sandblasted right away.
Function and advantages of laser technology
Non-contact processing
- No risk of breakage due to mechanical impact
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- The rotary engraving attachment allows you to produce engravings across the entire circumference and is available for all platform sizes
Top engraving results in record time
- Templates typically used with sandblasting are unnecessary for glass etching with lasers.
- Trotec lasers are as easy to use as a printer. Work in your usual programs and send your layout to the laser from your PC or Mac.
- Ease of operation from single pieces to series production
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- JobControl® laser software: Simply intuitive. Work efficiently.
- Speedy series: The fastest laser engravers available on the market with a maximum engraving speed of 3.55 m/sec and an acceleration of 5g.
- Trotec offers the largest product range and the greatest flexibility within the systems
Fine, accurately contoured details
- Easily laser etch logos, individual texts and photos into glass surfaces
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- Ideal optics and beam performance
No tool wear
- No wear of the laser beam from the material processing
- No costs for new tools unlike classic engravings
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- CeramiCore laser sources with a particularly long service life
No dust exposure due to blasting agents
- The glass is heated by the laser beam on the surface of the glass and fine glass particles are removed. With sandblasting, no residual blasting agents are required.
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- The resulting gases and particles are efficiently removed and filtered by the Trotec exhaust systems.
"The software is user-friendly and the maintenance on the machine is minimal. Besides after sales service was a great consideration when we bought the laser. In the past 3 years I received help on the phone as well as remote access assistance. My laser was never down and out of production for more than 2 hours. That's excellent service!"- Hester Potgieter - owner of Creadores Art and Craft -
Trotec product recommendation
Tips for engraving glass
Can round or conical objects be engraved?
Yes. By using the so-called rotary attachment, round and conical designs can be engraved along the entire circumference. The JobControl® laser software already provides all the necessary parameters. You only need to enter the diameter of your workpiece and the height of the graphic, and you are good to go.
Can glass break during laser engraving?
Depending on the type of glass and the lead content, slight cracking may occur. Thus, the behavior may vary from piece to piece. Place a damp paper towel on the engraving area. This dissipates the heat better and prevents the glass from cracking. Cheap glass can often be engraved more easily than crystal glass; the reason is the higher lead content.
How to get a clear, white engraving?
The use of a wet paper towel not only prevents the glass from cracking but also leads to a clear, white engraving result. The important thing is that there are no air bubbles or wrinkles in the paper, as these irregularities might otherwise be visible in the glass engraving. Please also make sure that the Air Assist is disabled, otherwise the airflow can dry the wet paper prematurely. Alternatively, you can also use masking tape. To minimize the effect of the heat on large surfaces and thus optimize the engraving result, the graphics should be converted to gray scale (e.g. black graphic into 70–80 % black). In this case, no wet paper towel or masking tape is necessary.
How to get the best effect of photo engraving on glass?
Use gray scale rasterization of 70 % black; thereby somewhat less heat is applied to the glass, and the result is better. We recommend an average resolution of 500 dpi and the use of the “ordered dithering” rasterization method; this fits the image data optimally to the material.
Can mirrors be engraved as well?
You can make an extraordinary decorative element out of any standard mirror. When using the fiber laser, you can engrave the mirror from above through the glass. The glass does not react with the fiber laser, so only the mirror layer is ablated. The glass itself is not scored, because it only responds to the wavelength of the CO2 laser source. The subsequent cleaning is very easy to do, because the material removed by the engraving falls onto the table beneath the mirror, and little dust is left on the mirror itself. Acrylic lacquer is applied to the back of the mirror. The positive effect on the mirror: The laser-engraved part of the glass has no mirror layer and is transparent. Thus, the colors of the lacquer remain bright and intense through the transparent glass.
Can glass be laser cut as well?
No, it is not possible to laser cut glass.