How to avoid burn marks when laser engraving wood?

July 6, 2022

When the laser beam hits the wood, the surface starts to burn and the particles start to burn and evaporate quickly. Burn marks may appear after engraving due to burning, making the engraved object look unsightly or unfinished. Burn marks must be avoided to ensure the attractiveness of the engraving.

1. Adjust power and speed
The first thing you can do is adjust the power and speed settings of the laser engraver. If the power of the laser machine is too high, it will definitely leave burn marks. High power starts to burn wood and pellets from the edge. Therefore, you need to reduce power consumption as much as possible.

Speed also plays an important role in avoiding burn marks. If the speed is low, the laser beam will spend more time on the object and cause burn marks. Therefore, the speed should be high enough to engrave accurately and reduce burn marks.

Power is proportional to burn marks and inversely proportional to speed. Both should be set for best results.

2. Use the correct laser bed
When a laser beam hits an object, it generates too much heat. Heat dissipation is important; otherwise, it will increase the temperature of the wood. If the heat dissipation is not optimal, there will definitely be burn marks.

Honeycomb panel

It is recommended to use Atomstack honeycomb panels for engraving. Not only does it save the surface beneath it, it also prevents burn marks by providing excellent heat dissipation.

3. Use Air Assist
Due to the carving, the surface of the wood produces smoke. This smoke builds up around objects and increases their temperature. Therefore, its high temperature is another cause of burn marks. In addition, smoke can yellow the wood.

Fumes can be blown away with the help of Atomstack air assist. For a laser engraving machine, air assist is an essential part. It provides a steady high pressure airflow to blow hot smoke.

4. Use Laser Engraving Masking Tape
Laser-engraved masking tape is a great idea to avoid burn marks. When you use tape, the first thing that comes into contact with the laser beam is the tape. It prevents fumes or fumes from the engraving process, and therefore prevents burn marks. After engraving, the tape peels easily from the surface.

5. Add water to the wood
The cause of burn marks is excessive heat. The water helps reduce the temperature when you wet the wood chips. This is one of the easiest ways to prevent wood burns, but after doing so, you need to allow the wood to dry. Remember that water also affects the shape and appearance of wood.

Why Choose ATOMSTACK Laser Engraver ?
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Laser engraving is a popular option that provides a permanent and legible marking on an object through etching, ablation, or deep laser engraving. It is similar to laser marking, but the resulting appearance differs due to the depth of laser penetration.
Laser engraving is commonly used to create permanent serial markings on substrates made of: Metal, Wood, Plastic, Leather.
Benefits Of Laser Engraving Over Traditional Processes
Compared to manual engraving:
Minimally Invasive: Laser engraving can be performed at a range of depths without any direct contact at all. Surface marks can even be done on stainless steel with no depth. Overall, lasers are less damaging than manual engraving and keep the substrate material’s physical integrity intact.
Precise: Lasers provide a level of control that’s impossible to achieve manually. Compared to hand-engraving, the process is swift, clean, and highly repeatable, with little room for human error.
Versatile: A single laser engraving machine can be used to create a host of different designs with only minimal calibration. They can also produce exceptionally complex patterns. Affordable: On average, laser devices last longer than other engraving machines and require less maintenance, resulting in savings that can be passed along to the consumer.
Fast: Lasers can be programmed to render virtually any design in a matter of moments. Because the process is automated, it’s easy to scale production runs as needed according to demand.
Long-Lasting: Laser-engraved designs are permanent but can wear over time, depending on the substrate material that’s used. Soft metals, for example, may experience more signs of wear than hardwood. In general, however, laser-engraved designs tend to have a longer lifespan compared to other engraving methods.