Plastic engraving

Irreplaceable and constantly used in all industries, from automotive to medical or to the general public, plastic materials need to be identified and traced. Gravotech is a plastic supplier and maker since 1978 . We are making 2-layers plastics, made from abs or acrylic, with different color finishing. Most of our worldwide-known brands such as Gravoply™, Metallex™, Gravoglas™ 2-Plex™ or Gravotac™ have become synonymous of quality and are a reference for competitors to match. Our wide material range included over 900 references, specially developed for engraving and cutting. “Surface” or “Reverse” engraving, laser marking or cutter engraving, all our ranges are available in a spectrum of colours, thicknesses between 0.09 mm and 10 mm according to the products, and various finishes (matt, glossy, satin, textured, metallic, brushed).

The great majority of our materials is also compatible for digital printing. For you, this is the guarantee to find the right product for your application. Our ABS and acrylics are pure and selected among the best grades. Each component is subject to careful selection process taking into consideration normative and environmental obligations (RoHS**, REACH***). From the production of technical plastics to the finished product, Gravotech’s solutions are designed and optimized to mark all types of plastic, both natural and coloured, transparent, boosted by multiple additives. Different marking results can be obtained depending on the plastic type and the chosen marking technology: foaming, colour change, ablation of top layer, engraving, etc.

Mechanical

Mechanical engraving process uses a rotative cutting tool to remove material. You can remove the complete width of the material to cut and create shapes, or only at a predetermined depth to create engraved grooves and form letters, logos, and graphics.

Ablation of top layer of plastic : numbers

Plastic engraving sheets have been a long-time partner to the rotary engraving machine. Create contrast by removing the coloured top surface of your material using cutting tools, and let the subsurface of the plastic appear. Rotary engraving machines are very versatile and can engrave every type of plastic, made for mechanical or laser engraving, or not.

When a plain plastic is being mechanically engraved, the contrast is possible by adding coloured material in the groove where the material has been removed. Gravotech offers a large range of colouring, including paints and cold wax. Simply apply your colouring after the engraving to obtain a clear and durable contrast.

Dot peen marking machine engraving plastic part

Non-contrasted marking obtained by making close impacts on the surface of the plastic. Visible marking dedicated for identification. Can be done on all kinds of plastics.

MECHANICS

Laser

The structure of the individual molecules or additives, such as colour pigments, are directly changed or destroyed through laser marking. A change in colour or bleaching is then visible on the material, creating a marking. The colouring is lighter or darker depending on the composition: darker plastics fade to white/beige in the marked areas, while lighter plastics fade to grey or black. The surface stays smooth, but this can be done only in some kinds of plastics. - Photochemical reactions of the molecules of plastics. - Usually, special additives are mixed into the plastics themselves. - High-speed marking. - Surface marking. - Green or hybrid laser efficient on coloured plastics. - Contrasted marking.

Foaming is a contrasted marking only possible on certain plastics and is usually clear on dark plastics. The laser melts the plastic locally, creating gas bubbles in the material. As it cools down, these gas bubbles are encapsulated in the material, creating a thin layer on the surface: the marking. - Melting process. - Inclusion of gas bubbles or impurities. - High-speed marking. - Work on some plastics, especially on black plastics. - Hybrid or Fiber.

Personalized with laser engraver plastic items

Contrasted marking obtained by making appear the colour of the lower layer. Can be done on all kinds of plastics with a plastic laser engraver. Colour and material removal marking is mainly used in coated materials. The existing colour, coating and surface layers are partially removed and the base material becomes visible. The layers to be removed absorb the laser light, the material heats up and vaporizes at the affected areas. As the surface layer and the protruding base material have different colours or the base material is often backlit, the marking becomes clear and visible. - The laser removes the top layer without damaging the lower surface. - High speed. - Green laser.

This engraving effect creates a non-contrasted marking. Can be done on all kinds of plastics. When engraving by laser marking, the material is removed from the surface of the component to be processed. The beam penetrates the surface and removes it. In the case of transparent materials, as the material is simultaneously heated and reacts with the ambient air, discolouration often occurs in the engraving areas. This is a shadow effect in the depression, which depends on the transparency of the laser light and the penetration depth of the laser radiation. - Melting / Vaporization process. - Scribing effect. - High-speed marking. - Work on all plastics. - CO2 is the only solution for transparent plastics.

LASER

Focus On Laser Sources

Marking interaction obtained with laser depends on the plastic category (divided up into thermoplastics, thermosetting plastics and elastomers), their capacity to absorb the light and different wavelengths, the colour of the plastic and the kind of additive used on their composition. Our application laboratory can make free samples to help you choose the best technology depending on your requirements. We master all the laser technologies and we can propose them in High-speed Galvo systems or X/Y Gantry systems allowing marking, engraving and cutting on almost all types of plastic material and all parts sizes.

ASK FOR A DEMO

Plastic brush personalized with name

Plastic indoor signage with ADA Braille

Plastic component engraved with datamatrix

Plastic bookmark engraved

Indoor signage made of plastic engraved

Datamatrix marking on a plastic part

Glasses personalization

Engraving plastic for identification

Datamatrix marking on a plastic component

Top layer ablation of plastic materials

Discover Gravotech’s solutions

Plastics lend themselves perfectly to laser marking and engraving. Our complete range of plastic laser engravers will enable you to carry out marking on many plastics, for a permanent result, with excellent quality and finish.

Our powerful and high-quality Fiber Laser engraver performs precise markings in very short cycle times....

FIBER laser

INTEGRABLE LASER MARKER

Integrated laser marking system for metal and plastic parts

Plastic engraving

Mechanical

Mechanical plastic engraving

Ablation of the top layer

Adding colour to the engraving

Dot peen marking machine

Laser

Colour change on the surface

Foaming

Ablation of the top layer