4 Best Engraving Tips for Beginners to Increase Performance

With laser technology, you can custom-engrave signs for different purposes such as address signs, outdoor signs, labels and tags. Also, you can engrave symbols on materials of your choice, be it metal, acrylic or wood. With the ease of design, laser engraving is one of the fastest techniques to get engraved signs. Here are the best laser engraving tips for beginners. 

Adjusting Resolution

Beginners might fall into the trap of working with images of low resolution in an attempt to finish engraving tasks faster. It is vital to note that an image with high resolution will take longer to engrave compared to a low-resolution image. You can compromise on both ends by lowering the resolution marginally to save on engraving time. One method to increase efficiency while not sacrificing quality is to use varying dithering patterns that are available in most laser print drivers. Dithering randomises the visual dot patterns in lower-resolution images, thereby making the patterns appear sharper. Notably, it facilitates the production of quality engraves within a short duration.

Consider Pre-Engraving

Most clients want their engraved items custom-made to precise specifications. However, these are usually one-off tasks that can be time-consuming and inefficient when you think about loading one design multiple times to engrave the same item many times. However, why not pre-engrave a list of everyday items before receiving individual orders? It is easy to work with pre-engraved items because of the simplicity in customisation as opposed to engraving a whole design over and over. 

Engrave Multiples

A typical inefficiency in laser engraving is printing one item of similar design at a time instead of doing it in multiples. Notably, you can reduce production time by engraving the same designs, like road signs in batches. The only limiting factor when engraving in batches is your table size. Most importantly, always remember to expand the page size of your item's graphic design to suit the laser table size. Note only does engraving multiples save time, but it also increases your profit margins by reducing the cost of production.

Cleaning your Laser Engraver

Design equipment such as laser engravers needs to be cleaned regularly for quality work. Besides, regular maintenance ensures peak performance at all times. The optics in the engraver (mirrors and lenses) are the standard components that are affected by dirt and debris. For example, acrylic and wood produce excessive residue that should be removed from the optics as often as possible to leave a shiny and bright look. Any signs of debris, smudges or stains must be cleaned for optimal results. 

Reach out to a commercial engraving company to learn more.

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