Method and system for mass production of customized engraved products

Abstract

Systems and methods for mass producing customized engraved articles of manufacture based on orders from multiple different customers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for simultaneously engraving a plurality of articles, comprising:
 receiving, by an engraving machine, a carrier containing the plurality of articles in respective positions in a carrier, each article having a targeted engraving area;   receiving, by the engraving machine, a composite engraving job, the composite engraving job comprising a plurality of individual engraving designs respectively corresponding to different engraving orders associated with different customers, each individual engraving design corresponding to a different article to be engraved and arranged in the composite engraving job to correspond to a position and dimensions of a targeted engraving area of a corresponding article held in the carrier;   wherein the engraving machine processes the composite engraving job as a single engraving job and engraves the respective individual engraving designs on corresponding respective articles on the carrier.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the individual engraving designs is different than one or more of the other individual engraving designs in the plurality of individual engraving designs in the composite engraving job. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein different ones of the individual engraving designs are associated with respective different ones of associated customer orders. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the engraving machine engraves the plurality of articles on the carrier using a laser engraving process. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the engraving machine engraves the plurality of articles on the carrier using a mechanical engraving process. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the engraving machine engraves the plurality of articles on the carrier using a carbonization marking process. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the engraving machine engraves the plurality of articles on the carrier using a pigment transformation marking process. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the engraving machine engraves the plurality of articles on the carrier using a polymer expansion marking process. 
     
     
         9 . An engraving machine, comprising:
 an engraving table having a carrier mounted thereon, the carrier holding a plurality of articles in respective positions relative to the carrier, each article having a targeted engraving area;   an engraving marking device;   at least one computer processor which receives a composite engraving job, the composite engraving job comprising a plurality of individual engraving designs respectively corresponding to different engraving orders associated with different customers, each individual engraving design corresponding to a different article to be engraved and arranged in the composite engraving job to correspond to a position and dimensions of a targeted engraving area of a corresponding article held in the carrier,   wherein the at least one computer processor processes the composite engraving job as a single engraving job and instructs the engraving marking device to engrave the respective individual engraving designs on corresponding respective articles on the carrier.