Glass Etching By Laser Comes To UK

A range of laser sources and integrated glass-processing subsystems is being brought to manufacturers in the UK a Flat Glass Solutions now represents Huaray Precision Laser.

The technology will enable processors to add bespoke decorative features to glass across fenestration, interiors, furniture and homeware product ranges.

The collaboration gives UK glass processors access to technology capable of marking, engraving, texturing, drilling and selectively removing coatings from glass.

Applications

Potential applications extend from decorative glazing, doors, screens and internal partitions to mirrors, cabinet fronts, tabletops, splashbacks, shelving and glass homewares. The same underlying precision can be used to reproduce patterns, logos, lettering, textures and functional markings, allowing manufacturers to respond to individual briefs without making the design itself dependent on conventional tooling or consumables.

The FGS Huaray portfolio includes nanosecond, picosecond and femtosecond laser technologies across multiple wavelengths and pulse widths. Its glass-processing solutions are designed around the specific application, whether the requirement is detailed surface marking, glass interior engraving, a controlled matte or semi-matte effect or precision drilling.

No more sandblasting

As laser marking is a non-contact process, fine and complex detail can be created without a tool physically bearing down on the glass. In one float-glass marking example, a complex 40mm by 40mm pattern on 2mm glass was completed in 35 seconds, demonstrating the potential to combine customisation with practical production speeds.

The technology can also help manufacturers rethink processes traditionally associated with chemical etching, applied films or sandblasting. In relevant applications, Huaray’s laser sanding technology can create complex designs in a single operation removing the need for sandblasting consumables.

More personal

“There is a real commercial opportunity here for UK glass companies,” said FGS MD David Cahill. “We talk a lot about processing glass faster and more efficiently, yet growth can also come from being able to produce something different…something more personal, more intricate or better suited to a specific application.

“Huaray’s technology gives processors much more freedom to explore those possibilities. A customer may want a one-off design, a branded pattern, a decorative finish, a specially shaped component or a product that combines visual appeal with a functional marking. The point is that the technology can be configured around what the company wants to make.

“That makes it relevant far beyond one sector. We can see clear opportunities within architectural glass and fenestration but also in furniture, kitchens, bathrooms, mirrors and homewares. Our role will be to help UK manufacturers understand what is technically possible and identify the Huaray solution best suited to the product and production environment.”

Picture: The Huaray CNC laser drilling machine.

www.flatglasssolutions.com