I’ve read a lot of comments saying that air assist can speed up the engraving process or that can be useful for cleaner results and some others claim that the smoke can be deposited on the material itself and stain the surface. I really want to learn how to engrave tumblers so any advice is welcome
Thanks in advance
Hi.
Both are correct.
While some air assist is in most cases (except when dealing with powderous substances, obviously) beneficial, the ability to somehow regulate the airflow is extremely important.
Unless someone has exactly the same laser head/air assist and the same exact tumblers as You have, trial and error is about the only way to determine what’s the exact airflow needed for optimal results.
Regards,
Sam
Fume extraction is important also. You don’t want to fill your hobby shop/home with the burnt particles that you have lased off the material.
You will want to have an enclosure to capture the fumes, and a way to filter and or move those fumes outside your living space. You do not want to breathe the smoke and fumes from any engraving operation.
If you are still concerned about soot deposit on your work, you can wrap the piece in thin masking tape. The laser will not be affected and the smutz will stick to the tape. Peal and discard when done.
Wash the tumbler in soapy water when finished.
The lens is what makes a laser work… so the number 1 reason for air flow is to keep debris off the lens…
If you wish to seperate them, then air and air assist can be viewed as operationally different.
Usually increasing the flow/pressure can be greatly beneficial for cutting operations…
Each type of material needs to be evaluated to determine if more air flow will give you a better engraving, but it always comes back to the material.
Many mug coatings will vaporize and condense on anything that is cooler… so nozzles, lenses and the actual work piece may suffer.
I use only low pressure air when I do mugs on my co2 and no pressure at all with the fiber…
I think you’ll find enough air to keep the lens clean is likely all you need… but nothing is better than cutting out a test item so you try different engraving options.
I engrave from front to back, same direction as the air flow through the machine, so any debris is in areas that haven’t been engraved yet…
Good luck
