Laser-etching the iPhone

We're expecting to see Apple roll out an iPod-esque laser-etching service for the iPhone anytime now, but until then, New Yorkers can stop by Engadget pal Philip Torrone's shop to carve up their phones. Brave customer Dan was first to pony up, and PT set his 35W Epilog laser to 40 percent power and etched in these sweet old-school flying toasters. Interestingly, PT says the back of the iPhone is "nice plastic" and not aluminum, which is news to us. Peep a vid of the crazy-fast laser in action after the break.

[jilie @ Jul 17th 2007 8:50AM]

Laser-etching whatever doesn't add any of the missing features,1st

[PeteC @ Jul 17th 2007 9:13AM]

1st doesn't add anything to the interestingness of your post.

[Laser123454321 @ Jul 17th 2007 8:54AM]

That laser is for wimps. And you say it had issues with aluminum ( for the uninitiated aluminum is 90% reflective, so at max with that laser, 35w, only 3.5w of actual cutting force is applied). This is the laser i use:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6088238839298090908
That's an Amada flying optics Gemini laser. Its rated at 4000w. And yes, it can etch.

[TR @ Jul 17th 2007 9:51AM]

So many things we bragged about yesterday.
Today it's lasers.
Tomorrow it's holographic storage cube arrays.

And they all don't matter...

[Josh @ Jul 17th 2007 10:23AM]

Actually it states "...the back of the iPhone is "nice plastic" and not aluminum...," nothing about trouble with aluminum. For the uninitiated it helps to read the article first.

[MeNotyou @ Jul 17th 2007 11:03AM]

Perhaps you would like a cookie?

[Martin B @ Jul 17th 2007 1:28PM]

The fact that the Epilog can't cut aluminum has nothing to do with the reflectivity. Epilog etching machines use CO2 lasers, which are infrared lasers. The frequency of the laser is simply not matched to the material. YAG based lasers (such as the Epilog Fibermark) cut metal due to being Argon lasers, which have a frequency much better matched to marking metal.

For an analogy, think about your microwave oven. Great at heating water, but very poor at heating anything else.

[Russell @ Jul 17th 2007 3:37PM]

yes but were talking about a iphone dick

if you read his laser was slowed down so it didn't make iphone ornaments out of the back

[nemi @ Jul 17th 2007 4:45PM]

4000W ? A kids toy!

Try the 30'000 Watt (CW) we make....

www.ipgphotonics.com

[Corey @ Jul 18th 2007 9:45AM]

Aww I wanted to work at IPG for my CO-OP...

Mmmm Lasers

[kelly @ Jul 17th 2007 8:54AM]

Mmm, toast.

[neil @ Jul 17th 2007 8:55AM]

if it's plastic, why does it feel cold like metal in the a/c ?

[Concura @ Jul 17th 2007 9:10AM]

a thin coat of Al could just be sputtered on the plastic back piece of the iPhone to give it the metallic feel. that's how my Vaio tr3a is, except Mg on plastic (it can feel cold like metal, but it doesn't take much to scratch the Mg layer off..).

[Person @ Jul 17th 2007 8:59AM]

....toooooooolllll......



Wha? who said that?
hhhhhmmmmm....


Awesome Laser! It cut sick on that iphone!

[darkstar @ Jul 17th 2007 9:05AM]

so cool!
i want an etching machine too!!!
a laser machine from epiloglaser.com isnt cheap though :(

[james @ Jul 17th 2007 9:13AM]

plastic... makes sense. in the "will it blend" video the back disintegrates into powder. The only thing left was the "chrome" border.

[Jonathan @ Jul 17th 2007 9:20AM]

I spent a few days working with that model of laser cutter the other week, cutting felt and foam. The smell is still with me... Awesome machine though. I'm gonna do biscuits next...

[Martin B @ Jul 17th 2007 1:27PM]

ACK! Don't cut foam on the epilog! It's a fire hazard, at best. Also, stay away from ABS and PVC plastics. PVC makes chlorine gas when it's cut or etched, and ABC plastics make cyanide gas when cut or etched.

[Jonathan @ Jul 17th 2007 2:35PM]

S'okay - it's foam manufactured for all sorts of applications, heat-based applications included. It's not actually 'foam' but something else I just can't remember the name.
The machine is also only operated while being monitored, and has a powerful extractor fan so any noxious fumes are dealt with safely (we have a very good health and safety regime!)

[Bill Safsel @ Jul 17th 2007 10:23AM]

I'm in NYC. Where is Phil and how much does this cost?

[SethF @ Jul 17th 2007 10:49AM]

Plastic? I dont think so...plastic doesnt bend like this:

http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=3026&p=1

I took my iPhone apart and if that is plastic, it is some amazing new plasic-metal alloy.

[Manuel @ Jul 17th 2007 11:40AM]

great, now we have apple fan boys worshiping Steve Jobs as a God because the use of alien technology in their iphones

[Jeff Couch @ Jul 17th 2007 12:55PM]

they said they had to heat it. so maybe that bent the plastic.

[tiuk @ Jul 17th 2007 10:52AM]

Too bad it isn't aluminum, it would have been cool if it could be anodized.

[icruise @ Jul 17th 2007 10:54AM]

If the back of the iPhone was plastic, why would they have needed to add the black plastic stripe at the bottom? Its entire purpose was to provide a place for radio waves to go an out, which wouldn't have been necessary if the whole thing was plastic. And why haven't any of the takeaparts mentioned this? I don't buy it.

[Dan @ Jul 17th 2007 11:57AM]

Yup, thats me.... It looks GREAT! Nothing like standing out in the crowd with retro goodness!

http://uneasysilence.com/archive/2007/07/11475/

[Adam Jackson @ Jul 17th 2007 12:05PM]

isn't that Dan from http://uneasysilence.com?

[rus @ Jul 17th 2007 12:12PM]

the back IS NOT plastic it is a metal piece -http://www.ifixit.com/Parts/images/stream/images_thumb/9-21.jpg

[Deluxe @ Jul 17th 2007 12:18PM]

Um, you fail.

[rus @ Jul 17th 2007 12:22PM]

I assure everyone it is brushed aluminum - look at the anandtech link above or the ifixit link

[Kizul Emeraldfire @ Jul 17th 2007 1:18PM]

You know what this needs?



The same thing every great tool needs.



MORE POWER!

[Barb @ Jul 17th 2007 3:02PM]

Is it sad that I expected to see "More cowbell"?

[Martin B @ Jul 17th 2007 1:27PM]

The back of the iPhone is most definitely Aluminum. It is, however, clear anodized. There is a small layer of Aluminum Oxide on the back surface which etches very nicely.

If you would like to have your iPhone, or MacBook Pro etched in the San Francisco Bay Area, pass by the TechShop - www.techshop.ws where there is a 45watt Epilog Laser Cutter/Etcher. I can lend you a hand and do the etching for $20.

[e-mail]

[James @ Jul 17th 2007 1:42PM]

sweet yummy Spam

[dan @ Jul 17th 2007 1:58PM]

Hmm... Too bad he didn't use the laser to cut the whole thing in half. One iphone down, 3 million to go.

[Oprah @ Jul 17th 2007 2:06PM]

has any one tried the black one backplate?

http://cnn.cn/shop/apple-iphone-metal-black-rear-cover-p-1766.html?osCsid=80ff6f132ecbb78bde1bb8778544d88c

[Sean @ Jul 17th 2007 8:04PM]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qg1ckCkm8YI

[Morgan @ Aug 10th 2007 10:10PM]

Well for those of you who are not fortunate enough to live in the new york area, there is a company in Seattle doing this too. http://www.etchaniphone.com