This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
TechFront New Developments in Manufacturing and Technology Surfaces Get Laser-Produced Textures I


n many industries, surface texture has become an important aspect of product design. It not only provides the means to refine the physical appearance of an item, but also allows a company to influence tactile impressions of their products. As a result, surface texturing has become an important aspect of product design for ap- plications as diverse as automotive, medical, and moldmaking. Laser-texturing technology is a fully digitized manufacturing process that can produce detailed and nuanced texturing, microstructuring, engraving, marking, and labeling of 2-D and 3-D geometries, said Gisbert Ledvon, business development man- ager, GF AgieCharmilles (Lincolnshire, IL). “Our laser texturing technology can achieve a much higher level of detail than chemical etching for greater creativity in part design


Laser-texturing technology is a fully digitized manufacturing process that can produce detailed and nuanced texturing, giving product designers both refined appearance and tactile qualities.


across a wide variety of materials, including plastics, graphite, aluminum, copper, steel, carbide, brass, and ceramics.”


The textured surface is produced by a laser that turns material directly from solid to gas. The Laser 1000 5Ax machine from GF Agie Charmilles uses a pulsed laser to produce 2-D and 3-D details from a high-quality digital im- age, allowing for completely reproducible results for specific textures, engravings, marks, or labels in both large and small batches. At IMTS, the machine was paired with an integrat- ed pallet changer to demonstrate its repeatability in produc- ing precise complex 3-D texturing on airbags and other automotive molds. Special surface textures can be created on surgical implants, often made of titanium, to stimulate bone or tissue growth onto or around the implant to secure it in place.


Laser-texturing machines produce precise repeatable patterns and textures directly from digital files with no variations from component to component or within a metal mold.


The Laser 1000 5Ax has two optical and five mechanical axes and construction using a cast iron body that produces a stable machining platform. Linear scales and rotary encoders ensure maximum accuracy, and a 20-W Ytterbium pulsed fiber laser is standard with a 50-W option available. The machine is equipped with a programmable tilting laser head,


December 2012 | ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com 25


Photo courtesy GF AgieCharmilles


Photo courtesy GF AgieCharmilles


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93