The process of gravure cylinder engraving can be a bit tricky if you are buying the machine for the first time. If you are a newbie and wondering what should be done to engrave the cylinder, you need to read this guide. We have put together some of the crucial things that you need to consider to get the most out of the process. Check out these tips

Prepare the Cylinder

The first thing that you need to get right is the preparation of the cylinder. You need to understand the material used for the making of the cylinder top layer. Is it steel, aluminium or plastic? This is a very important factor to consider because it will determine the kind of layer you need for the engraving. It will also determine many other things you need to do to protect the cylinder. Initial preparation should be about cleaning and removing the chrome later.

Coating Cylinder

Depending on the kind of gravure cylinder engraving you want to do, you need to do the proper coating. In most cases, copper and zinc coatings are the most widely used. Make sure that the process has been done properly and the right side of the coating has been done. This is an important factor to consider.

Prepare Laser Machine

You need to start preparing the machine. Make sure that you have switched on the machine and check it is in perfect condition. If yes, you can switch it to safe mode so that you can place the gravure cylinder. Make sure that the laser table is made large enough to accommodate the cylinder. Make sure that the safety of the machine because some of the cylinders are very heating and a fall would mean a lot of damages to the car. Once the cylinder is in place, you can go to the next step

Laser engrave

With the gravure printing cylinder set in the machine, the next thing is engraving. There are several things that you need to know about engraving. First, you need to make sure that you have the digital image to be engraved right. The second thing that you need to consider is the intensity of the engraving beam. With all factors taken care of, you can start engraving. The laser engraving machine will rotate the cylinder to zero degrees for reset. If you have the graphic ready on the computer, just click engrave to start the process.

After engraving, just chrome the gravure cylinder, and it will be ready for printing.