Laser engraving and laser marking: what are the differences?

Although many confuse laser engraving with laser marking, in reality these two processes involve different processes and techniques.

In fact, marking and engraving, although they can work on the same materials, are often adopted to achieve different results.

Let's see together the similarities and differences between the two processing techniques.

What is laser engraving

In the case of laser engraving, the material is dissolved and then permanently engraved. The engraving therefore works by erosion and involves the use of a higher radius power than the marking technique. This feature could also change the structure of the material and darken some parts permanently. 

Laser engraving is often used by artisans and artists for creative crafts that require precision and lots of detail. The same precision is also possible in marking which, however, works through a process of removal rather than erosion.

What is laser marking

The marking acts on the surface by temporarily affecting a layer of a different shade compared to the rest of the surface. In fact, the laser acts on the material by removing a layer of the object's surface.

The marking is different from laser engraving since the temperature is much lower in terms of power, going to remove a layer of the surface instead of burning it. 

For this reason, the mark left by the marking is not as resistant to time as the incision and may undergo changes by external agents in the long term. 

Moreover, unlike laser engraving, marking is not a widespread technique among craftsmen and hobbyists and is often used industrially. 

Differences and similarities between laser marking and engraving

The reason why these two techniques are often confused lies in some common elements that are present in both:

In general, the parameters to be taken into account during processing are the strength, speed and composition of the chosen material. 

What differentiates marking from engraving is the power of the laser and the speed and line spacing. In fact, both processes are carried out using a pulsed light beam. Depending on how power and speed are set, you can go to dissolve or remove the object based on the composition of the material. 

The laser engraving is suitable for machining and could be exposed to external agents or subsequent machining, risking wear and removal of the trace.

The marking, on the other hand, although it takes less time in terms of implementation, does not guarantee the maintenance of the trace unchanged. In fact, although the marking alters the roughness of the surface, if subjected to heat treatments or shot peening and sandblasting techniques, it could change.

Conclusions

Marking and engraving, although similar, lead to different results. For this reason, it is important to keep in mind the final effect you want to achieve and the material you want to work on.

In addition, having skills about the technical processing settings allows you to ensure the quality of the work. 

If you are not sure of the machining you would like to use or have doubts about the material and settings of the machine, please contact our team. We have consultants who can help you with your project.