If you look at a 3D crystal for the first time these questions are bound to come to your mind. I am answering them below so you can have a better understanding of how 3D crystal engraving are made and thereby demand a good result from your vendor.
How is 3D Crystal Engraving done?
Nothing happens to the surface and yet the image is inside the crystal.
The first time I saw this, I asked exactly the same question. But I was lucky as I saw it in a store in Las Vegas in 2003.
The machine was installed in the store and I could see everything in action. They even had a 3D camera. People could get their pictures clicked and get their 3D photo in the crystal. It was beautiful & the quality was impeccable.
3D Engraved Crystals or 3D Laser Crystal as they are popularly called are engraved through lasers. The crystal piece is placed inside a big laser machine which is then closed. All machines are controlled by their own proprietary software which can work with 2D and 3D images or event plain text.
Once the command is given, the sharp laser beam penetrates through the crystal and starts to rupture the crystal from inside leaving the outer surface untouched. Images are formed using hundreds and thousands of dots.
Minutes later you have your perfect piece.
In this process, artwork and machine settings make all the difference between a poor piece and a high-quality engraved crystal piece.
Of course! machines and crystals do matter. But they are of little use if the artwork is not made correctly or the density of the dots is compromised.
Every small detail adds to the final finish.
(Remember, often to deliver at a very low price, suppliers reduce the number of dots in an artwork thereby reducing the time to finish the piece. Most of the times this reduces the visibility of the artwork and thereby lowers the quality and beauty of the end product.)
If you feel your artwork is not visible from all angles tell the supplier to increase the dots in the artwork and you will see the difference.
I had a chance to see this Machine in action in China. A big difference.
I was shocked to see how the Chinese had invented a new way to increase their production. They had opened the machine from all 4 sides, added multiple laser heads and made the engraving bed closer to the floor. It was a fairly large machine. Now 4 people sitting on 4 sides of the machine could sit comfortably on the floor and keep changing the pieces.
No need to open the machine and close it. Even when the laser was working, the machine was open from all 4 sides. That was shocking!!
I am no expert on the harmful effects of lasers but common sense says there are bound to be harmful side effects. Not just lasers beam but light emitted while engraving is so bright that it is bound to harm vision if one is exposed to it while it’s working.
Some of the custom work we have created for our customers is not so usual shapes.
Still, have some questions on 3D laser engraving? Don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below or mail us at connect@pinnacleworks.com
