Making the case for lasers in business

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Lasers can be used for cutting, engraving and marking a broad range of materials, making them useful for a wide variety of applications spanning multiple industries. Lasers can be used in manufacturing and packaging contexts; in educational facilities and makerspaces; and for medical applications, to name just a few. There is a strong business case that can be made for laser deployment in those three diverse areas, and those applications naturally include overlap into other industry segments, as well.

Manufacturing and packaging

Perhaps what first comes to mind when considering laser capabilities is logo and design engraving, which is indeed a significant part of the laser market. Thanks to the precision and accuracy of lasers, those same capabilities can also be applied to industrial needs such as marking barcodes or serializing parts. Fiber-based or dual-source (CO₂ plus fiber) lasers mark engineered plastics and most types of metals, such as stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, copper, iron and many more. It is also possible to engrave on silicon wafers, silicon carbide and even carbon nanotubes. As a result, the range of industry segments that can be served by laser capabilities is far broader than one might realize.

Figure 1: Fiber laser systems can engrave onto almost any type of metal. Source: Epilog Laser

One such segment is electronic device design. Working with printed circuit boards (PCBs) is an area of interest to many who contact Epilog Laser, a Colorado-based manufacturer and industry leader. Epilog notes that its lasers can cut pre-made PCBs out of fiberglass-based laminates, mark them with QR codes and expose the copper layers beneath their non-conductive substrates.

Educational facilities and makerspaces

In educational settings, the laser presents a host of opportunities for curriculum tie-ins. It can bring original artistic concepts to reality, create miniature models based on architectural drawings or be a powerful tool in a technology education lab. It also can be studied from a scientific point of view — imagine the difference in student motivation levels between a lesson which describes how a laser works on a chalkboard, and one in which an actual laser is used to demonstrate.

There is also the possibility of using the laser in a school setting to produce customized items such as awards, displays and signage, which cost-effectively fulfills an ongoing need by using in-house resources and offering the potential for student involvement. Customized items, or even the laser services to produce custom projects, can also be sold to community members as a way of supporting school fundraisers.

The availability of laser services is a primary draw for those in the maker community, providing an incentive for purchasing memberships in organized makerspaces and fab labs. Epilog Laser’s user community is replete with makerspace success stories, like this one about a thriving FabLab in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Medical

Precision is key in medicine, which is why lasers are an ideal match for medical applications. Laser marking and engraving can be applied to a wide variety of devices, including pacemakers, surgical blades, implantable devices, dental tools and many more.

Epilog’s fiber laser systems can produce different types of marks or finishes on metals. The shallow engraving process known as etching is often used for industrial labeling, and the heat-based transformation of polishing is often used to add artistic finishes. In the medical realm, the process of annealing is typically applied to devices intended for use within the human body. Annealing involves heating metal to near melting points to induce color change, leaving no cuts or engraving to interfere with the function of critical devices.

Laser equipment

Epilog’s line of lasers includes CO₂, fiber and dual-source systems designed with specific uses in mind. Of these, the new Fusion Pro series stands out for its broad applicability to a range of industries, including those discussed above. According to Epilog, the device also features the fastest engraving in the industry.

Figure 2: Epilog's newest laser machine series is the Fusion Pro. Source: Epilog Laser

Additional features of the Fusion Pro include precise camera positioning, large work area and the ability to be networked. Its energy-efficient design makes it economical to operate; Epilog offers a formula for estimating the operating cost based on wattage, time and the rate charged by a local utility. Even the highest-wattage machine manufactured by the company, when used eight hours per day at a rate of $0.075 per kilowatt hour, costs little more than one dollar per day to operate.

Wrapping up

While a laser may seem like a niche product, a closer examination of its capabilities shows it to be an ideal tool for use in a variety of industries. Subsequent articles in this series will take a closer look at each of the segments discussed above, offering a discussion of growth and market outlook as well as case studies and customer testimonials.

Laser cutting, engraving and marking machines, such as those manufactured by Epilog, are uniquely designed to supplant traditional tools across multiple market segments. The growing use of lasers in a variety of contexts is driven by cost-effectiveness, efficiency and productivity, as well as a highly versatile range of capabilities. For more information, contact Epilog Laser.