Laser Marking Machinery – Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying

Heavy-duty laser marking and engraving machinery isn’t what you’d call an everyday business purchase. But for some companies the payback can be very quick.

Of course, how often it becomes necessary to change or upgrade such machinery will depend largely on the decisions made when purchasing it in the first place. According to the experts at www.lotuslaser.com, there’s no reason why a quality machine from a leading brand shouldn’t be able to go on doing what it does for a good ten years – the key being to make sure you choose wisely in the first place.

So for those out to pick up such a machine in the near future, what follows is a brief introduction to just a few of the most important questions you should be asking yourself prior:

1 – What Do I Intend to Mark or Engrave?

First and foremost, it’s of the utmost importance to think carefully about what it is you intend to mark and the kind of marking you intend to carry out. For example, there’s a big difference between 3D glass engraving and simple 2D leather marking, just as there’s a world of difference between marking large-sized store signs and adding a few letters to an order of metallic pens. Exactly what it is you intend to do and on what scale will to a large extent establish the type of machine you need, so it’s crucially important to think about this before beginning the search process. Discover the benefits of laser marking with LASIT technologies: reliability, versatility and high productivity.

2 – How Intensively Will the Machine Be Used?

Along with the scale of the marking jobs and the types of materials you’ll be marking, it’s also important to think about how intensively the machine will be used. Again, there’s a big difference between marking ten pens an hour and churning out thousands of marked products a day, just as there is between a machine that’s designed to be run for a few hours daily and one that’s kept in operation on a 24/7 basis. The needs of every business will always be very different from one to the next and there’s an ideal marking and engraving solution out there for each – it’s simply a case of pairing what you need with what’s on the market and at the same time allowing sufficient capacity when your business grows.

3 – How Much Space Do I Have to Spare?

To say that today’s high-end marking machines come in all different shapes and sizes would be an understatement to say the least. While some are small enough to sit on an average-sized table top, others pretty much dominate the rooms they’re placed in with quite an imposing presence. And then of course there’s the space that’s needed for the individual/s operating them, which is why it’s very important to be realistic about the kind of space you have available.

4 – How Do Short and Long-Term Costs Stack Up?

When weighing up the costs of the machines available to you, it’s a good idea to try and think as long-term as possible. The reason being that while there can be a world of difference between the prices of competing products, buying cheap doesn’t necessarily mean saving money. For example, you could invest in a cheaper laser marking machine, but at the sacrifice of efficient output and faster performance in general. Likewise, you could save a good chunk of cash on a cheap machine in the first place, but then face exponentially higher running costs that wholly augment the original savings. Think long-term and try not to be too blinded by apparent bargains.

5 – Is the Brand Reputable and Long-Established?

When looking to invest in machinery this important and complex, the brand you choose matters…a lot. There are some brands that have been in business for decades and have earned incredible reputations for performance, quality and value for money. By contrast, others are just getting started and might not have quite the same track record for getting things right. Do a little research and reputation-snooping before going ahead.

6 – How Difficult is the Machinery to Operate?

Last but not least, the very best machines on the market these days are those that
are easy and intuitive but it is important that a full health and safety training is undertaken on any new machine. As such, you might want to look into this and ask a few questions on ease-of-operation before making your mind up – some machines being exponentially trickier to handle and operate than others.