MATERIALS

Aluminium
Aluminium is one of the most common materials and is used in many industries. Usually, with a lighter marking intensity, aluminum will turn white. It looks good when the aluminum is anodized. More intense laser settings ensure a dark gray or charcoal color on, for example, cast aluminum.

Brass and copper
Brass and copper have high thermal conductivity and thermal transfer properties and are often used for wiring and circuit boards. Their thermal properties are ideal for laser marking systems because the heat is quickly dissipated. This reduces the impact that the laser can have on the structural integrity of the material.

 Tungsten and Carbide
Tungsten and Carbide are two of the hardest metals on earth and are widely used in tooling and cutting applications. Another popular segment for these metals are wedding rings.

 Chrome
Chrome plating offers a stylish and refined finish and usually requires minimal laser intensity to remove or get through the plating. Care should be taken to ensure that the marking occurs only on the surface, without affecting the chrome layer.

Coated and lacquered metal
There are many types of coatings that are used to harden metals or protect them from corrosive elements. Some coatings, such as powder coating, are thicker and require more intense laser settings to remove completely. Other coatings, such as black oxide, are thin and intended to protect only the surface. These are much easier to highlight and will provide greater contrast.

 Fiberglass & Carbon Fiber
Fiber-based materials such as fiberglass can be marked with limitations. Since they consist of individual fibers, the structural integrity can be damaged by the laser, resulting in a blurred marking.

Nickel
Nickel is often used as plating. The plating is often used for the protection of parts against corrosive elements. Care must be taken to ensure that it is not pierced or damaged, exposing the underlying metal surface.

Plastics and polymers
Plastics and polymers are by far the most comprehensive and variable materials that can be marked with lasers. There are so many different chemical compositions that you can’t easily categorize them. We recommend testing the marking to ensure the best results. A good example of material variability is delrin (POM or Acetal). Black delrin is easy to mark and provides a strong white contrast with the black plastic.  Natural/white Delrin cannot be marked. The most common technique when marking plastic and polymer is color change.

 Rubber

Rubber is an ideal material for engraving because it is soft and very absorbent. However, laser marking rubber offers no contrast.

 Silver and Gold
Precious metals such as silver and gold are very soft. Silver is a tricky material to mark because it easily oxidizes and affects. Gold can be marked very easily and needs little strength to get a good, contrasting mark.

 Stainless steel
In addition to aluminum, stainless steel is the most marked metal. It is used in virtually every industry. There are different types of stainless steel, each with different carbon contents, hardness and finishes. The geometry and size of the parts also vary greatly, but they all allow for a variety of marking techniques.

Titanium
This lightweight superalloy is heavily used in medical and aerospace applications due to its strength, durability and limited mass. Industries that use this material bear heavy liability and must ensure that the marking that is carried out is safe and non-harmful. Aerospace applications require heavy fatigue testing to ensure that the titanium part does not absorb structural damage through Heat Affected Zones (HAZ). Not all lasers are able to perform such markings. For the medical industry, most titanium parts are actually placed permanently in the human body, or for surgical tools that will be used in the human body. Therefore, markings should be sterile and durable. Also, these marked parts or tools must be approved by the FDA to ensure that they are truly inert and safe for their intended use.