Abstract: A method of surface marking an article, especially a building product, is provided. One described method includes the steps of laser marking a first graphic design element on a surface of an article and ink-jet printing a second graphic design element in registry with the first graphic design element on the surface of the article to create a high quality overall graphic design. Also provided are articles made according to this method, and systems for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A method of creating an easily torn material using laser etching, as well as articles produced therefrom is provided. As opposed to standard perforations, a laser is used to etch a line in a sheet of material. The line allows the material to be easily torn by a user, yet exhibits enough tensile strength to prevent tearing during regular use.

Abstract: A method of scribing a graphic on a material is provided, in which laser output is applied to the material. The laser output is moved relative to the material at a high speed greater than 10 m per second, and at a high power greater than 500 W, to scribe a graphic on a surface of the material. Also provided is a system for scribing a graphic on a material. The method and system of the invention are especially useful in the scribing of building materials.

Abstract: A method of generating a pattern used to process a surface of a fabric through laser irradiation is provided. The method includes the steps of defining a pattern area having an array of pixels. A laser irradiation unit area is defined where the laser irradiation unit area includes at least one pixel. A laser irradiation unit density associated with the pattern area can be selected where the irradiation unit density corresponds to a number of laser irradiation unit indicators included in the pattern area. A plurality of laser irradiation unit indicators are arranged within the pattern area based on the laser irradiation unit density and the defined laser irradiation unit area. An effective applied power of the laser is identified for each of the plurality of laser irradiation unit indicators.

Abstract: A method of surface marking an article, especially a building product, is provided. One described method includes the steps of laser marking a first graphic design element on a surface of an article and ink-jet printing a second graphic design element in registry with the first graphic design element on the surface of the article to create a high quality overall graphic design. Also provided are articles made according to this method, and systems for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A method of surface marking an article, especially a building product, is provided. One described method includes the steps of laser marking a first graphic design element on a surface of an article and ink-jet printing a second graphic design element in registry with the first graphic design element on the surface of the article to create a high quality overall graphic design. Also provided are articles made according to this method, and systems for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A method of scribing a graphic on a material is provided, in which laser output is applied to the material. The laser output is moved relative to the material at a high speed greater than 10 m per second, and at a high power greater than 500 W, to scribe a graphic on a surface of the material. Also provided is a system for scribing a graphic on a material. The method and system of the invention are especially useful in the scribing of building materials.

Abstract: A method of surface marking an article, especially a building product, is provided. One described method includes the steps of laser marking a first graphic design element on a surface of an article and ink-jet printing a second graphic design element in registry with the first graphic design element on the surface of the article to create a high quality overall graphic design. Also provided are articles made according to this method, and systems for carrying out the method.

Abstract: Glasses are described which have characteristics that produce high visible transmittance, low solar transmittance, and high selectivity. The glasses can also preferably have a blue-green color. A number of advantageous formulations are described.

Abstract: A painted surface is processed by a laser beam to remove at least one layer of paint. The surface that is exposed may be the raw substrate material, e.g., wood or wood laminate, or may be another painted surface. The laser may engrave a pattern, e.g. a wood grain pattern.

Abstract: Glass formulations and methods of setting the characteristics and formulations are described. The method includes determining climate characteristics of an area in which the glasses to be used, using the climate characteristics to determine heating and cooling costs for the geographical area, using the heating costs as part of a model to select an optimum glass assembly comprising a dual pane glass assembly, using an optimization model by providing higher weighting on low emissivity in a northern climates, and high or waiting of solar control in a more southern climate.

Abstract: A method of surface marking an article, especially a building product, is provided. One described method includes the steps of laser marking a first graphic design element on a surface of an article and ink-jet printing a second graphic design element in registry with the first graphic design element on the surface of the article to create a high quality overall graphic design. Also provided are articles made according to this method, and systems for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A painted surface is processed by a laser beam to remove at least one layer of paint. The surface that is exposed may be the raw substrate material, e.g., wood or wood laminate, or may be another painted surface. The laser may engrave a pattern, e.g. a wood grain pattern.

Abstract: A staggered laser-etch line graphic system, method, and articles of manufacture are provided. One described method includes the steps of laser engraving a first plurality of lines associated with a first component section of a graphic on a surface of an article; laser engraving a second plurality of lines associated with a second component section of the graphic on the surface of the article; and controlling said laser engraving of the first plurality of lines and said laser engraving of second plurality of lines to reduce the visual impact of a demarcation line separating the first component section of the graphic and the second component section of the graphic.

Abstract: A fantasy football game which is carried out as a tournament play over the Internet. The fantasy football game can be played between different computers. The hosting computer maintains information indicative of the teams performance as well as their strength of schedule. Winners who play in the playoffs are selected based on both information such as the win loss record, but also the strength of schedule. In addition to the win loss record, total points scored by teams, total numbers of losses and other information may be maintained in order to find more information about the win loss record.

Abstract: A method of creating an easily torn material using laser etching, as well as articles produced therefrom is provided. As opposed to standard perforations, a laser is used to etch a line in a sheet of material. The line allows the material to be easily torn by a user, yet exhibits enough tensile strength to prevent tearing during regular use.

Abstract: A laser-markable acrylic and PVC composition (commonly known as Kydex®) is lased using a CO2 laser to differentiate a laser etched graphic or pattern from the base material. A discoloration may be controlled to improve an appearance of the graphic or pattern. An embodiment uses a 500 to 2,500 watt CO2 laser to provide a raster or vector graphic pattern on the Kydex® finished part. Yet another embodiment is to use a 500 to 2,500 watt CO2 laser to provide a seamless raster or vector graphic pattern on a large piece of Kydex® which can then be cut and divided into multiple finished parts. In this case, an embodiment would include providing the necessary software and process controls to insure that the seams between individual parts that make up a larger part are without lines of demarcation.

Abstract: Glass products that can significantly reduce the solar transmission of glass and thus improve the solar control properties for such products used in autos, trucks, homes and buildings. A significant reduction in total solar transmission of the coated glass product by depositing PVD stacked layer coatings on glasses which in and by themselves have light transmissions greater than 40% for building, 70% for autos and 80% for homes but which have the lowest solar transmission for a given level of visible transmission. Also, a selectivity in the base glass greater than 25 percentage points for a given level of visible transmission. Selectivity is defined as the percent visible transmission minus the percent solar transmission and can be expressed in units of percentage points. A selectivity greater than 30 percentage points is even more preferred.

Abstract: A system and method of laser etching materials is provided. A series of optical elements are used to reduce the spot size of a laser for a given field size, allowing fine detailed graphics associated with small spot sizes to be etched with larger field sizes. This may be accomplished, for example, by increasing the size of a laser beam beyond its natural state before passing the beam through a focusing lens, such expander lens, focus lens and mirror system increased in size so as to generate a laser spot size less than or equal to 0.5 mm at a field size equal to or larger than 1500 mm square.

Abstract: A method of creating an easily torn material using laser etching, as well as articles produced therefrom is provided. As opposed to standard perforations, a laser is used to etch a line in a sheet of material. The line allows the material to be easily torn by a user, yet exhibits enough tensile strength to prevent tearing during regular use.