Engraving 3D Image Through Sub Surface Laser Engraving Machine
The sub surface laser engraving or SSLE is the process of engraving an image inside the surface of a solid material, which is typically a glass material with a good optical clarity to lessen the distortion of the laser beam. The sub surface laser engraving technique was discovered around 1980s in Russia.
And with the advancement in 3D camera technology and latest trend in sub surface laser engraving machines, it is now possible for anybody to have their own 3D portrait to be captured inside a block of crystal in a matter of hours.
Many are wondering how sub surface laser engraving machine generate and put the 3D image inside the crystal without causing any damage, and so here is the simple explanation for this amazing laser engraving technique.
A 3D image of the person or the subject is the first requirement in sub surface laser engraving technique. This is accomplished by using a 3D camera; a 3D camera is just a regular camera that takes images in matter of split second.
The 3D image acquired is then processed and converted in the computer through the proprietary software that is usually bundled in the sub surface laser engraving machine. The resulting 3D image to be engraved can be previewed on-screen. The 3D image can now be adjusted or modified prior the actual etching process.
The glass block or crystal block will now be placed inside the sub surface laser engraving machine. This is the stage where a laser beam will penetrate the crystal to create thousands of very tiny cracks in the glass just below the surface to embed the 3D image representation.
The length of the entire process depends on the quality and speed of sub surface laser engraving machine and the type of laser beam that it uses. Those machines that have red lasers generally burn with a slightly larger point size that yields to sparser and slightly fuzzy image. Subsurface laser engraving machine with green lasers on the other hand can burn smaller point sizes that yields higher point density within the cube and an impression of a more focused and detailed image.
Tags: Engraving 3D, Laser Engraving