History
Let's do a little historical digging, starting 1977 ! Education. Employment. Small Business
1) Education
Education / Employment from the beginning...
A few years out of David Crockett High School, almost pursued strictly Electronics, but decided for Laser-Electro-Optics at Texas State Technical College in Waco, Texas 1977. Laser related thru 2005, then moved back to Texas.
Married in August '78, moved to Orlando, Florida from Austin/Waco and in a year landed a career job at Control Laser Corporation, a major industrial laser supplier in America, being the #1 USA-wise, and note only 7 companies worldwide providing a laser marker (~$90,000). Nowadays ... hundreds of significance and a thousand middlemen elsewhere!
2) Career
Began as "Laser Tech" Jan 1979 : Test assembled laser machinery, alignment, optics configuration, power and beam profile records, final test samples. After 2 years moved into the Apps Lab as the single "Processing Specialist" for sales justification of the Laser Marking product line, and that for 9 years with over 1000 units sold, typically $100K w/automation/workstation. Overlapping, I formed my own Laser Marking Industrial job shop Laser Graphics in 1987, then Lase-It, Inc. 1990-2001 full time, netted over $130K that last full time year, $285k gross. Personal difficulties and divorce contributed to a business dissolution down to a very low level, business property sold and resumed full time work at Control Laser Corporation 2003-2005. Moved back to Texas, home, 2006, with the lasers. A major theft however, stunted growth potential in the following years, and the enterprise became quite dormant...for a decade plus. However, extremely significant, mega-colossal were the advances made in the semiconductor laser media in the following 5-10 years, greater power, greater complexity, and highly reduced costs! In 2020 began looking ahead and planning for new beginnings, but not really, moreso "a resurrection" with "new life" superadded, halleluyah!
1979 forward, systems built for Chicago Laser (gold trim), Teradyne...most systems were for resistor trimming and thin material scribing in my "laser tech" days. Our company moved from "just lasers" to turn key systems in the early 80s, cutting, welding, drilling and marking and I moved into Processing R&D, the Apps Lab. Parts from all over the country were coming in for "laser feasibility tests" and potential sales. Early 80s pic with cast, the system belonged to Digital Equipment Corporation, placing a barcode on the edge of the "hard storage discs". The tan machine, my lab in 1986, premiered the new Elite system, $20K price reduction from the old blue $80k units. The company was a leader, world's first 10,000 watt CO2, cutting 2" steel at 1"/second, sold to Boeing and the GE Schenectady. My friend Mike Pfledderer on a Pulsed 400 YAG.
The lasers from Florida were put in a barn 2006. In 2007, a federal lawsuit concerning those specular crystal images created in Lucite surfaced. In 1986 I had done some early pioneering in that same process (before any patents) and still had the same exact laser (had bought that lab model for my job shop). At two separate occasions, opposing lawyers came for interview and process info/demonstration ! $500/hr , yes !
3) Side Business Development "in the garage" 1987
In 1987, General Motors sent their $150,000 system bought in 1981 back for a software/hardware upgrade ($17.5k). It was dropped off the dock with the forklift , then they requested a brand new unit. I bought it as scrap, invested a total of $19k, upgraded it myself and had a $80K marker in my garage. Originally was for nameplates attached to all Hydramatic transmissions and I removed the automation (plate stacker/de-stacker/bar code reader) and the shield- enclosure. First job was marking dashboard instrumentation panels for MasterCraft boats in Orlando. Within a year I was marking tens of thousands of tools for Snap-On out of Wisconsin and fully assembled pacemakers for Cardiac Pacemaker, right in the garage with washer and dryer ! Of course I had a courtesy curtain up. My first brochure was handmade, inserted photographs (boat panel there), only one cover page, and a commission policy. After 3 years of garage laser work I matched my $36k salary at Control Laser and in May 1990 resigned on good terms.
...and that was just the beginning...
4) From Garage To Rental 1990, Lase-It, Inc. full time
Incorporation & Logo Federally registered for Lase-It, Inc. in 1990. 1500 sq ft building rental. Brochure created. Attended Industrial Shows/Events. First and largest contract ever in 1990, won the bid nationwide for laser marking 487,000 hand tools belonging to Warner Robins Air Force Base in Georgia, won the bid double under lowest bidder (yes i had some tricks) and still maintained in excess of $90/hr processing ($60-120 typical in those days). Second largest were the tools at NASA's Cape Canaveral, each receiving a unique serial number. This rental location ran 6 years, before buying my own building in 1996. About the most novel marking, was being involved with the patent owner and investors for laser marking glass Christmas balls in 1990, as we helped launch this into retail sales. Ha, also one of my few "products", detailed in STORE
5) Business Building bought for Lase-It, Inc. 1996 -2001
This shop ran from 1996 4 Nd:Yag 50-75 watt markers for another six years. Our regular repeat manufacturing customers numbered over 75, total customers around 200. Production runs ran from 1 (medical device needed next day in California surgery) to lots of 100, 1000, 10,000s, the last in the case of an AT&T/Lucent fiber optic coupler and washer, I had created some intuitive semi-automation which brought cost down to $.03/each! Our marking service grew from 175,000-280,000 in 2001, that last year netting over $130K, whilst at the same time providing by far, the least expensive costs to the customer compared to any other shop in the nation, no brag, just fact. We never lost a job over cost or quality ...period, but due to life challenges and divorce, that world was about to be shaken.
6) Part Time Lase-It, Inc. and Full time at Control Laser Corporation 2003-2005
Home and business building sold (divided interests), one laser sold to a friend/employee to start his own shop and I put two others in an available church friend's garage. Operated part-time as I was re-hired by my original employer, Control laser Corporation for Lab R&D processing work as well as Unsolved Field Service challenges. Still in this time were plenty of medical toolery marking and panel engraving. Some of our marking almost went to the moon, as LaCoste & Romberg, world famous seismic and gravity meter builders, were the second choice vendor for NASA. My brother worked there, as well as my step-dad. Ha, the spring in their patented device, exceeded in ability newer technologies such as quartz, piezo-electric, laser, semiconductor and the chips for decades up till the 21st century!
That completes the older historical view. After this time, 2006 forward, exceed-ingly great advances were made the semi-conductor/diode world with respect to lasers, far beyond what was effected in the standard lighting world. Great system size reduction, much less power required, and costs down 5-10x from the previous era, dominated by media in gas tubes or crystal rods. This has invited an immense influx of laser equipment brought into industry, thus decreasing the demand for "outsourcing" to industrial job shops, HOWEVER... and NEVERTHE-LESS ... there still exists needs... and for numbers of reasons easily understood.
To this end is our focus founded, supplying this service as well as support our customers in the acquisition of their own systems.
7) RESURRECTION 2023>>>
Over the years since, have remained "laser crazy" and kept up with the technological evolution in that field, particularly the marking and engraving. The equipment I owned, though thoroughly maintained and updated, well finally, became obsolete. In my retirement, ha ... I thought about a new day with new lasers. The proverbial "difference between night and day"
! Brought 2023/2024 high power fiber 1.064u lasers, 60 and a special 80 watt 2 mjoule, JPT's with lens fields of 70, 110, 175, 230 and 300x300mm. Also added an 8 watt Galvo JPT UV .355u DPSS system, covers all the organic materials the other wavelengths does not (wood, glass, stone, bone, paper, plants, food, etc.) as well as a fourth laser, Gantry 450x480mm .450u (Blue) LONGER B1 40Watt and an Atezr L35 .450u Blue 35watt 440x450mm workspace
