Vinyl records have been in the market for years. It was a major source of music for the people of 20th century.

And after that, they were almost gone. However, with the advancement in the laser industry, laser engraving has been a versatile solution for many industries.

This article talks about the recent re-emergence of vinyl records because of laser engraving technology.

A little throwback to the history

Developed in the mid-1800s, Vinyl records were among the most dominant source of music till the 20th century. In 1990s the small size cassettes and CDs replaced these vinyl records.

The introduction of technology in the entertainment industry made people adopt new emerging things. However, these instruments were able to maintain their worth. With a large number of people still using vinyls to record their music.

With the introduction of engraving technology, these recorders have started coming back in trend. Numerous artists have started recording music in this format. In fact, according to current reports, vinyl sales are increasing year over year.

Additionally, Sony recently made an announcement that for the first time in 30 years they will be reopening the vinyl plant.

On the other hand, CNBC did a report on vinyl sales that stated that in 2016 total sale numbers for vinyl were 13 million. The highest number ever the company has had since 1991.

How this transformation became possible?

Laser Engraving in Vinyl Record:

In 2016 a company named Rebeat, located in Australia did a patent of the new method i.e. producing vinyl records using laser engraving. Later when they were able to increase their funding, they went on to reintroduce these records in the market.

Rebeat is calling these new records HD vinyl. And according to sources, these new records would have long playtime and better sound quality.

If you are looking to upgrade your laser machines with new parts you can look online for Bystronic spare parts or Prima spare parts for quality results.

Working:

The digital audio data from the device converts into an accurate image and represents it in a 3D inverted surface model for music. Further, it goes for mastering and size evaluation to prevent any unneeded gaps during printing.

It creates 3D images on ceramic plates. Whereas in traditional vinyl pressing, nickel stampers are useful instead of ceramics. 

But, they wear out faster compared to other ceramics and produce records that decrease the quality as stamping plates lose details.

In fact, Rebeat claimed that with the help of laser engraving along with ceramic plates, up to 10,000 records production is possible without any loss in quality.

Additionally, they even said that by replacing vinyl pressing with laser engraving they were able to reduce the manufacturing time by 60%.

Pro tip: All HD vinyl produced by Rebeat will be backwards compatible and will be playable on any standard turntable.

Oreo Records and Laser Engraving:

Another big news is from Oreo cookie company. According to reports from Digital Music News, oreo recently partnered with the company called Dimension Plus to create Oreos capable of playing on the special turntable.

The company engraves the grooves on the iconic cookies which in turn produces Oreo’s theme song in different music styles like Jazz, classical, electronic and Chinese pop music.

To upgrade your laser machines with new parts you can look online for Bystronic spare parts or Prima spare parts for quality results.

A few of the major reasons that define the longevity of the records:

1. Young collectors are having interests in collecting these records as it gives them a retro
2. feel.
3. The interest of baby boomers who grew up using them.
4. The audio quality of vinyl records renders the best results. Because they are the closest to the original format.
5. Additionally, engraved Vinyl records can be an art piece or autographs from their favorite artists.

Final Words:

Sometimes it may seem that technology is overpowering the world of music. However, Vinyl records and laser engraving can be the best example to overrule this type of statement. The collaboration between laser engraving and vinyl records is thriving in the industry and creates the need as it gives them the freedom of reliving those good old days again with a touch of technology.

Source: https://www.evernote.com/shard/s548/sh/b85b924a-e13d-4d3d-9168-69656a5ab9e5/7e07981b0edc3f185118656f93ed9957

Thinking of starting a laser engraving business?

Beware of these 9 myths!

Starting a laser engraving business is a big decision. It’s a great way to earn extra income or you can pursue it as a hobby as well. This field is growing as engraved artifacts are always in demand. People love personalized things as it reflects their personality. It’s amazing to gift engraved things to your loved ones. And they want designs to be out of the box which is the hard part of starting a laser engraving business. So, with the right laser machine, spare parts like Bystronic spare parts or Amada parts, and the right motivation, you can build a huge business.

All the other things you might have heard about laser engraving are just myths.

So, in this article, we will bust some of the misconceptions these myths might have created in your minds.

• Laser Is Hard to Learn

Learning anything new is hard. The same goes for laser machines too. Initially, you might find it hard to learn but with time, you learn how to use it to perfection. Companies selling these machines have training staff who can help you in learning and using these machines. So, you don’t have to worry about finding an expert or trainer to learn this machine.

•  Return of Investment

Of course! You do get a return on your investment. Starting a business always comes with a risk. Initially, your goal should be to breakeven. But once you start showing your creativity in this industry you will grow your business and start getting customer orders. You just need to have patience, creativity, good customer service and strategy to grow your business. And the right laser cutting machine.

•  Difficult to Learn Software

Well, it’s not so. You just need to design a program for the laser machine to engrave or cut. The program must support vector and raster format.

Let’s learn what raster and vector formats are:

A raster file has a grid of pixels that builds up an image. It is useful in engraving an image or a grayscale image on any material.

A vector format has nodes. You can enlarge images of this format without losing quality.

But, if you don’t know how to write a program, you can use free files that are available online and start using laser machines or you can refer some online tutorials to make it easier for you to understand how to use the machine.

•   Marketing Is Tough

Not really. Marketing your engraved products is not that difficult. You know why? Because your products show your creativity. Customers love personalized products. You can post your product images on any social media platform, share in the local groups or collaborate with any of the local companies. To increase your visibility, you tie up with companies and engrave their company logos on mugs or shirts and provide them as a free giveaway. These are just some of the ideas. But let me tell you there is no limit when it comes to marketing your products or showing your creativity.

•  Lack of Creativity

It’s fine at the initial level if you lack creativity. As I mentioned above, there are many free designs available online. You can use the ones you love and start engraving with those designs. As time passes, you will realize what type of designs your customers love and which designs are trending. You evolve as you learn. So, just be patient with yourself.

• You Can Not Make Enough Money

Laser engraving business is always in demand because it gives customers the freedom of personalization. You just need to think out of the box and bring out your creativity. Buyers are always ready to pay what you ask. So, if you are putting accuracy and perfection at the core of your products, you won’t have to worry about not earning enough money.

• Lack of Support

You will not lack support as the companies who sell the laser machines are in business for decades and know very well the basics of customer service. So, you will not remain in darkness. Companies send trained fabricators to their customers to teach how to use the laser engraving machine. But if you still have doubts you can always call their technical support staff as they are ready to help you 24/7.

• Market Is Competitive

Of course, it is. Every market today is competitive. But that should not stop you from starting your business. This market is very huge. And believe us, there will be space for your unique designs.

Closing statement:

Make sure you don’t fall prey to the above-mentioned myths of laser engraving business. Start your business with your unique designs, right laser machine, Bystronic spare parts, Amada parts, etc. The market is competitive but everyone can make a place for themselves if they want to and customers love personalized curated designs.

When looking to buy a CO2 laser machine, it is important to consider a number of primary attributes. One of the primary attributes that bifurcate the type of laser tube which machine uses is its laser source.  There are major two options including water-cooled glass tubes and air-cooled metal tubes. Let’s look at the differences between glass and metal laser tubes. 

Metal Laser Tubes

Metal laser tubes use radio frequency to fire a fast pulsing laser with quick repeatability. Most of the metal tubes use air cooling system excluding higher wattages. They perform the engraving process with ultra-fine detail as they have a smaller laser spot size. They have a longer life span of 10-12 years, given they have premium parts like bystronic parts or prima spare parts, before the need for the refurbishing of gas arises. Its turnaround time in some cases can be quite long.

Glass Laser Tubes

Glass laser tubes come at a lower cost. They produce laser with the direct current. It produces good-quality beams which work well for laser cutting. However, here are some of its drawbacks.

There are some safety issues as it operates with a water-cooling system. The DC power supply excite the CO2 gas in a glass laser tube. It needs high voltages for the operations. And combining such levels of voltage with a water-cooling system, it might create some safety hazards.

Glass tubes need water-cooled temperatures as it is a poor thermal conductor. Hence, in order to remove the heat from the system, it is important to keep water circulating. If there is no water-cooling system in place, a glass laser tube would overheat and become inoperable. It might increase your production cost. It also introduces other points which can come as your maintenance cost.

The DC process limits the rate at which the laser tube can work. While the laser engraving process is running in progress, it doesn’t fire in one continuous burst. Rather, it “pulses” while moving and working across the material. When DC-excited laser tubes work on the piece, they tend to pulsate less. It significantly reduces engraving speeds and lowers quality.

Plus, there will be concerns over the lifetime of DC-excited glass tubes if they don’t have premium parts like bystronic parts or prima spare parts. Glass is naturally a fragile element. After a period of time, DC-excitation process can bombard a tube’s optics and electrodes with ions. It increases the chance of deterioration over time. Most of them come with a 6-month warranty. At the time of system failures, you will have to purchase a brand-new laser tube, which will increase your costs and waste. 

Here’s the one-on-one comparison between two:

Cost: DC laser tubes are cheaper than metal tubes. This cost difference is a result of lower technology and manufacturing cost.

Cutting Performance: To be realistic, both laser tubes are appropriate at their place. However, because the RF lasers work on a pulse base, these materials show a slightly rough edge. With that difference, the quality of the final results is hardly noticeable to most of the users. 

Performance: Metal laser tubes generate a smaller spot size out of the output window of the laser. For high precision engraving, this smaller spot size would make a difference. There are various applications where this advantage would be clearly visible. 

Longevity: RF lasers last 4-5 times longer compared to DC lasers. Its longevity can help offset the initial higher cost of the RF laser. Due to its capacity of refilling, the process can be more expensive than the replacement cost of a new DC laser.

Comparing the overall results, both of these tubes are perfect at their own place. Understand their use cases, their making, their parts like bystronic parts, and choose which is more perfect for your business model.

When it comes to laser cut metal, we always refer to steel plates, signage or some other pieces and mechanical parts. But, it is important to acknowledge that you can even apply laser cutting on a panel for a stairway railing, a bouquet of flowers, wine glasses or even a stapler used in heart surgery.

The point here is that laser parts can be a solution for the oddball problems as well. Be it a car industry, disc gold curses to rental companies - almost all type of businesses can get benefits from a properly done laser cutting project.

So, if you are looking to cut something from metal, or checking the possibilities, here are the 8 examples of how laser parts can help for honed finishing :

Bag Tags in Golf

Weird but feasible. Outdoor exposure can damage the quality of the golf bag in a short time. Hence, golf enthusiasts can create their own custom bags using a metal sheet and laser. You can etch the course's logo and can cut-out the numbers which would work like a metal tag as well as an identifier.

Stair Railing

In order to give that authentic or real touch while designing the house, you can add an element of originality with the laser parts. Using Bystronic spare parts you can craft innovative designs and add them to the custom staircase. This way, it would give you a feel of elegance and a focal point in the normal room.

Charger Plates for Fancy Dining

Organizing an event is equally difficult in this cut-throat competitive industry. Perhaps, you can add a charm of uniqueness to your events with the charger plates. It could be a beautiful and inexpensive addition which would add a charm to any table setting. You can tie it together as a theme or can pump up the panache.

As this plate would sit beneath the plate your guests will be eating from, you can make it from any material including acrylic, plastic, wood, etc.. But we would recommend you to cut it from shiny, durable metal as it would transform that whole look of table settings.

With a Stapler

In some cases, experts from the medical industry would need a new heart surgery device with a metal durable staplers which also needs to be safe because it comes in direct contact with the human body during surgery. In such a tricky situation, using Mazak spare parts in laser cutting could help cut a prototype from various metals.

For Branding

Whenever there comes a holiday season or any occasion, it is the best time to send a token of appreciation to your customers. But if you do that with an ordinary holiday card, probably with your photos or signatures won't create a long-lasting impression. It would end up in a trash bin after a few days. Instead of that, you could use the Bystronic spare parts in laser cutting wisely to create a unique gift.

You can design a company logo as a whole on brass or other metal. As a result, it would be a great addition of value to customers' holiday gifts with an added benefit of increased branding. Plus, it would save you big bucks on the overall cost. It saves cost, time, and leaves a lasting effect on the customer.

Glass Designs

A sandblast logo on glass with a stencil is again a great idea. It is both durable enough to survive the rough use and is thin enough for the logo and text which would accurately etch on the glass. With Mazak spare parts, you can create a stencil in stainless steel and engrave the required text & design to solve the purpose.

Flower Bouquets

When it comes to laser's efficiency, it could provide the best finish results. And by that means, you can even cut the flowers in various shapes with it. Yes! There are various artists available in the market who often do such cuttings, assemble them together to create some stunning pieces of art.

Trophies or Crowns

Rather than offering old monotonous gifts, you can create different versions of trophies or crowns for award winners. To glam up the trophies, you can engrave unique quotes or maybe illustrations of winners to make it more exciting. This can be easily executed using laser cutting techniques.

Hence, regardless of your industry, you can leverage the power of the laser with mazak spare parts and bystronic spare parts to craft unique products.

Source - http://www.tiny.cc/8-unique-products-you-can