Lasers are used to engrave deep features into metal products. The dimensions of the engraving are critical to the quality of the finished results. The interaction of the laser and the material requires some effort to develop the precise formula for the desired results and the engraving times can be quite long.

The process can be substantially affected by considerable material variation and there is no way to determine the result of each pass without time consuming manual inspection. This results in extra setup time, process time and lower yield. Scrap is expensive in both time and money. Accurate, repeatable results are highly desirable.

Integrates a sensor technology independent of the material to measure depth/finish in between each pass and modify parameters on-the-fly for subsequent engraving passes. An application specific knowledge base can be incorporated into the algorithms to select specific laser control parameters for the desired result.

Deep engraving becomes a more reliable and valuable process with repeatable process control. Closed loop monitoring supports better yields (parts engraved to accurate dimensions), less scrap (waste) and easier job setup, increasing the potential market for laser engraving.