Patent ID: 6407361
Filing Date: 2002-06-18
Classification: B44C,G05B

Abstract:
In a laser system having a laser beam, a control assembly for directing the laser beam along a workpiece, system program adapted to translate artwork into control assembly signals corresponding to laser paths along the workpiece, a method of engraving a three-dimensional image into the workpiece comprising the steps of:(a) providing a plurality of component pieces of artwork for depicting a three-dimensional image to be engraved into the workpiece, each component piece of artwork having portions of said image thereon to be engraved into a selected layer of the workpiece, each selected layer having a thickness less than the thickness of the workpiece; (b) designating a first selected layer of the workpiece for penetration by the laser beam, said first layer having a thickness less than a thickness of said workpiece; (c) designating on a first component piece of said component pieces of artwork portions of the image on said first component piece artwork to be engraved into said designated first layer of the workpiece; (d) communicating said designated portions on said first component piece of artwork to the system program for translating said designated artwork portions into control assembly signals corresponding to laser paths along the workpiece; (e) communicating said control signals to the laser system control assembly for directing the laser beam along said laser paths, the interaction of the laser beam with the workpiece removing material from the workpiece in said first layer along said laser paths; (f) designating a subsequent selected layer of the workpiece for penetration by the laser beam, said subsequent layer adjacent a layer of the workpiece having previously undergone said interaction with said laser beam, said subsequent layer having a thickness less than the thickness of said workpiece; (g) designating on another of one of said component pieces of artwork portions of the image on said component piece of artwork for engraving into said layer of the workpiece designated in step (f); (h) communicating said component piece of artwork having said designated portions designated in step (g) to the system program for translating said designated artwork portions in step (g) into control assembly signals corresponding to laser paths along the workpiece; (i) communicating said control signals to the laser system control assembly for directing the laser beam along said laser paths in step (h), the interaction of the laser beam with said workpiece removing material from said workpiece in said designated layer of step (f) along said laser paths of step (h); (j) repeating steps (f)-(i) for each subsequent layer of said workpiece until the image is engraved in the workpiece.