Decorative Injection Molding - Laser Etching

Laser etching, by taking the advantage of photothermal effect, concentrates energy on a surface to create texture. When applied in the surface treatment, it gives product a distinguished appearance and better touch.

Features of Laser Etching:

Wide Application: This technology can be applied in texturing various materials.
Consistent Quality: Laser etching, compared with blast etching, can prevent the distortion of the mold. It also ensures the quality and outcome of each batch.
High Precision: Laser etching minimizes the tolerance to 0.1 mm.
Great Efficiency: Controlled by a computer, laser etching technology cuts faster than the traditional wire cutting.
Low Cost: Laser etching is not restricted to high volume production. For small batches, it is an economic choice.
Small Cutting Width: Laser etches measure only 0.1 to 0.2 mm in width.
Smooth Etched Surface: Laser etching leaves no burrs on the material surface.
Suitable for Products in Large Size: To manufacture a mold for products of larger size is time-consuming and expensive. Laser etching can creature texture directly on the product surface and it’s faster and cheaper.
Top Prototyping Choice: Enter production data and laser etching is ready to go. It’s suitable for product prototyping as the actual product can be made within a short period of time.

Techniques :

Step 1: Mill the mold
Step 2: Laser the base layer of texture onto the mold
Step 3: Examine the texture in 3D computer graphics
Step 4: Calibrate laser etches on the mold
Step 5: Use a 5-axis laser etching machine to create the final texture of the mold
Step 6: A textured mold is completed and ready for injection molding.