Laser engraving is the practice of using a laser to engrave, etch or mark an object.

Vector engraving follows the line and curve of the pattern to be engraved, by constructing line segments from a pattern. Raster engraving moves the laser across the surface in a back-and-forth slowly-advancing pattern that is similar to an inkjet printer.

Materials that can be Engraved

Wood, Plastic, Acrylic, Glass, Ceramic, Delrin, Cloth, Leather, Marble, Matte Board, Melamine, Paper, Rubber, Wood Veneer can all be laser engraved.

Aluminum, stainless steel, chrome and titanium can be marked with a solution that can be applied to the surface and permanently bonds to it. It is so tough that it can not be removed with flame, acids or bases. The metal would have to be scratched or gouged to remove the marking. NASA uses this process to mark parts for the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station.

Materials that can be cut

Wood, Plastic, Acrylic, Delrin, Cloth, Leather, Matte Board, Melamine, Paper, Mylar, Pressboard, Rubber and Wood Veneer are some of the materials that can be cut with the laser.

Materials that can be marked

Specially Coated Metals, Ceramic, Anodized Aluminum, Painted Metals, Stainless Steel can be marked with the laser.

The same conduction that works against the spot vaporization of metal is an asset if your objective is to vaporize some other coating away from the metal. Laser engraving metal plates are manufactured with a finely-polished metal, coated with a paint made to be "burned off". Excellent engravings are made as the enamel is removed quite cleanly. A wide variety of finishes are now available, including screen-printed effects on the enamel.

Cutting

Lasers have the capability of not only engraving, but also cutting material. The same basic techniques and considerations are used in fabrication of many cut shapes, whether in wood or in other soft materials.

Sandcarving has become a very effective method for marking or personalizing a variety of different surfaces such as glass, marble, chrome, ceramic, and many others. It is accomplished by using a sandblaster and a stencil. After the resist stencil has been processed and applied to the surface to be etched, a stream of "sand" (actually silicon carbide) etches the "open" areas of the stencil, whereas the rest of the stencil protects the surface from abrasion. Once the sandcarving has been completed, the stencil is removed leaving a beautifully etched image on the surface.

There are a number of advantages with using abrasive glass etching. It is the only process that allows you to etch both very large areas and very fine detail quickly and accurately. It allows you to etch lightly on the surface, carve deeply into the glass or cut all the way through to actually shape the glass. It can be used to create any style of artwork or any level of complexity. Almost of any kind of glass is suitable; sheet glass, window glass and preformed shapes such as bottles, vases, goblets, and glass sculptures.

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