A tool including a tool surface and further including coding indicia linked, at least indirectly, with the surface of the tool, the coding indicia capable of being detected by a sensor, the coding indicia functioning as a pointer to information relating to said tool or its use.

An engraving machine is disclosed. The engraving machine may have a housing and an engraver located within the housing. The engraving machine may have a slot disposed on the housing for receiving a cartridge including an offboard item to be engraved. The engraving machine may have an onboard storage configured to store a plurality of tags. The engraving machine may have a carrier for receiving the cartridge through the slot and for positioning the cartridge relative to the engraver. The engraving machine may have a pick mechanism for selectively retrieving a tag from the tags stored in the onboard storage and for positioning the tag relative to the engraver. The engraver may engrave the offboard item or the tag based on a user selection.

A method and an apparatus with rotating tool changer for automatically machining multiple sides of a workpiece which is trimmed and machined according to tags placed on the workpiece or preprogrammed sequence. A method that automatically selects and adjusts parametric computer machining code to machine various workpieces sizes. An apparatus comprising a handling and trimming station of parts to be machined, multiple optical, magnetic or radio-frequency identification (RFID) reading systems for processing labels or tags information for sequential workpieces machining steps, a multiple gantries computer numerical control (CNC) station for machining workpieces on various sides, multiple rotating tool changers for selecting tools used to machine workpieces, and a storage station that receives workpieces in sequential order when they have been processed. The moving gantries of the CNC station simultaneous machine multiple sides of the workpiece which in the preferred embodiment is composed of panel for making decorative items and engraved doors.

A laser engraving structure with three-dimensional effect formed on a plane, includes a substrate and at least one stacking sheets having a color different from a color of the substrate and attached on a processing surface of the substrate in order to form a multi-layered composite wooden material. In addition, the laser engraving technique can be utilized to the stacking surface of the composite wooden board in order to engrave out a desired pattern. Accordingly, a three-dimensional visual effect with great colors at different engraving depths can be achieved along with a gradient effect of different gray scale can be generated among layers of colors such that the texture is of rich colors and vividness.

The present disclosure provides an ID number complement method for a engraving machine, including the steps of: sequentially acquiring a first distance a and a second distance g of a character located in a first digit of an identification number to an edge of an identification area in each identification area; respectively substracting the first distance a and the second distance g from a first preset value a and a second preset value g, and acquiring an offset information in X-axis direction and Y-axis direction of the identification number in each identification area. The disclosure also provides an ID number complement system for an engraving machine, including: a measuring device, a statistical process control system and an engraving machine. Compared with the prior art, the automatic filling of the engraving machine is realized, and the working efficiency is improved by the above method.

Materials for, and methods of, colorizing a metallic surface with micro-gratings using vibration cutting technologies are provided. Micro-gratings on aluminum, brass, and stainless steel surfaces can be rapidly created to effect, under illumination, at least one color observable in the visible spectrum using elliptical vibration texturing, a vibration-assisted mechanical cutting process. The modified metallic surface can display multiple visible colors, an iridescent effect caused by changes in one or more cutting parameters employed to produce the micro-gratings, the angle of illumination by an incident light, and/or the viewing angle of the surface under illumination.

A portable rail system for mounting an engraving device includes rails and crossbar members that are precisely joined, and include height adjustment devices for incrementally adjusting the height of the rail system relative to a work surface or contact surface, thus making the portable rail system capable of being assembled and disassembled at a work site to enable the use of an engraving device, such as a CNC router engraving systems, in situ, or on-site, rather than in a workshop. The portable rail system enables the use of a CNC router device or other engraving device on vertical surfaces.

Materials for, and methods of, colorizing a metallic surface with micro-gratings using vibration cutting technologies are provided. Micro-gratings on aluminum, brass, and stainless steel surfaces can be rapidly created to effect, under illumination, at least one color observable in the visible spectrum using elliptical vibration texturing, a vibration-assisted mechanical cutting process. The modified metallic surface can display multiple visible colors, an iridescent effect caused by changes in one or more cutting parameters employed to produce the micro-gratings, the angle of illumination by an incident light, and/or the viewing angle of the surface under illumination.

A tool including a tool surface and further including coding indicia linked, at least indirectly, with the surface of the tool, the coding indicia capable of being detected by a sensor, the coding indicia functioning as a pointer to information relating to said tool or its use.

Materials for, and methods of, colorizing a metallic surface with micro-gratings using vibration cutting technologies are provided. Micro-gratings on aluminum, brass, and stainless steel surfaces can be rapidly created to effect, under illumination, at least one color observable in the visible spectrum using elliptical vibration texturing, a vibration-assisted mechanical cutting process. The modified metallic surface can display multiple visible colors, an iridescent effect caused by changes in one or more cutting parameters employed to produce the micro-gratings, the angle of illumination by an incident light, and/or the viewing angle of the surface under illumination.