The use of laser engraving and marking on an industrial scale is vitally importance for the identification of each piece produced, as well as to guarantee its safety and traceability. It is very common to hear about this technology as it is also to believe that these are synonyms. However, this is not the case and there are differences between laser engraving and marking that we at COUTH believe are important for you to be aware of.
While there are differences between laser engraving and marking that also allow us to identify its effectiveness for each type of use and work, both techniques allow us to customise various items, contribute to the protection of intellectual property rights and provide the necessary security to avoid the forgery of products produced by a particular company.
It is important to emphasise that technologies used in laser engraving and marking encompass much more complex options than incorporating the brand logo into the products, as well as an identification code. They allow easier identification and tracking in combination with measures to be able to control and verify against any attempted fraud or forgery.
That said, this post will allow you to learn how to identify the differences between laser engraving and marking and to discover their efficiency in certain uses.
Laser engraving
Before you identify the differences between laser laser engraving and marking, you must first learn what each of them specifically consists of.
Laser engraving is a technique that allows you to engrave various alphanumeric characters, series, logos, words, drawings, etc. on different materials, through the application of the laser.
This method produces a delicate cavity on the engraved material, which can be perceived through the senses of touch and sight, thanks to how the laser beam removes a small layer of the surface on the applied area, where the material residues are evaporated thanks to its high temperatures.
The laser engraving results offer high resistance to abrasion, which represents one of the main differences between laser marking and engraving.
Laser engraving is ideal for applying it on parts that will be exposed to a high level of wear and tear. It can be used on a wide range of materials such as metals, wood, glass, plastics and leathers.
Laser marking
When it comes to laser marking, we can also find differences between laser marking and engraving.
The technique used with laser marking applies the beam in such a way that it interacts with the surface of the material, slightly altering or modifying its appearance.
This is achieved by the laser producing a thermal effect on the surface, heating the entire area where it will be applied, which corrodes the material, allowing the desired mark to be permanently applied.
One of the main differences between laser engraving and marking on a physical scale is how the laser marking can be visually observed but it cannot be felt if you pass your finger over the marked surface.
The laser marking procedure is frequently used for the production of industrial and medical applications with titanium and stainless steel parts, as well as in a range of industries due to its high efficiency in marking QR codes, numbers, identification words, etc.
Benefits of laser engraving and marking
There are many benefits of using laser marking and engraving techniques in the sector. Experience has shown the need to identify and describe the different parts and products, for which these procedures are ideal.
- The use of laser marking and engraving means not having to resort to resources such as stickers or ink, resulting in a durable, efficient, ecological and more economical method.
- Its application is very versatile, thanks to how it allows to be applied on different materials for different uses, not just on an industrial scale, but also for marking and engraving in jewellers or for the customisation of pieces such as trophies, plaque of appreciation, glasses, mugs, bottles, QR codes and much more.
- One of the differences between laser engraving and marking is how laser marking machines are capable of cutting certain materials, such as wood, cardboard, plastics, acrylics, leather, etc.
- A range of features can be obtained depending on the equipment models.
- Another benefit of laser marking and engraving is how different accessories can be incorporated, such as rotary ones, which will allow excellent results to be obtained on cylindrical materials, rings, curved or round parts, thermos flasks, bottles, etc.
- There are also other differences between laser engraving and marking when it comes to the size of the equipment, since laser marking machines offer the advantage of being more compact and taking up less space, which also makes them easier to operate compared to laser engraving equipment.
What are the differences between laser engraving and marking?
While they appear to be similar procedures, there are significant differences between laser engraving and marking. Each of them has different processes and offers very different results.
Either of the two methods can be chosen depending on the nature of the project and the materials to be used.
Both techniques offer permanent and efficient results. However, it is useful to learn the differences between laser engraving and marking in order to identify their uses and possibilities to allow us to make the best decision as to which procedure is most beneficial in each case.
It should be noted that both techniques can deliver excellent results in terms of the overall image.
- Laser marking can be more advantageous in many projects if what you are seeking is a quality image that does not require any texture or whose surface should not be altered due to the resistance of the material used.
- Laser marking can represent the best option for identifying parts and products according to your engraving materials and needs, as it guarantees permanent results.
- Laser marking is a simple and straightforward method. Worth mentioning is that this is not a common option, but it represents the best alternative for the identification of various parts and products in certain circumstances. This is particularly the case when it comes to delicate materials that do not offer sufficient strength for the processes involving cutting or removing their surface.
- So another difference between laser engraving and marking is how the integrity of the worked material for laser marking is not compromised, where only the contour and the lines of the vector are delimited.
- The laser marking process can involve points, line or lines and separations.
- Another way of putting it is that in terms of the differences between laser engraving and marking, marking causes a kind of permanent distinctive mark on the surface, while engraving gives it a deeper outline.
Benefits of laser engraving and marking
Both laser engraving and marking offer us major advantages and benefits thanks to being procedures that do not cause damage to the materials we are working with.
Below are some of their benefits:
- They can be applied to a wide variety of materials such as metals, hard and acrylic plastics, wood, glass, and many more.
- The laser beam does not wear out.
- Procedures that do not involve contact.
- It allows to be operated at various pressures.
- Serial jobs as well as unique parts can be created.
Can the materials used be damaged?
It is important to note that the laser marking and engraving techniques do not cause damage to the materials where they are applied as the laser beam will only work in the area indicated, in a detailed and careful manner through the use of strokes. Therefore, the area surrounding the marking or engraving will not be affected.
Some of the main differences between laser engraving and marking are how no part of the material is discarded in laser marking since only its colouring is modified thanks to the effects of the heat and oxidation.
Laser engraving vs. Laser marking
To summarise, laser marking is a technique that allows us to incorporate a code or design without the need to remove any part of the surface only requiring slight penetration in all cases.
In Laser engraving, meanwhile, designs or codes are obtained thanks to a deeper modification of the material that requires greater penetration of the laser beam.
Worth mentioning is how certain laser equipment such as laser marking machines incorporate the two modes, where only the machine mode, speed or power, as well as the frequency of the laser pulse should be changed to use either technique.
Learn more about laser marking
With laser marking, the beam allows interaction with the material generating a slight mark on its surface. This procedure does not require any high power equipment since optimal results can be obtained with low power by using the discolouration method, which obtains sharp marks with good contrast without damaging the surface.
The laser marking procedure creates a new aspect only in the area selected to incorporate the mark, which will only be visible but not obvious. This is obtained by concentrating the beam on the surface to heat the material and cause its oxidation, thus allowing the design to be incorporated.
It is very useful in all types of industries for the incorporation of numeric codes, QR codes, Datamatrix code, identifying words, and many other applications.
Learn more about laser engraving
The laser engraving process transforms or removes part of the surface of the material used for the application.
The beam must therefore reach very high temperatures that allow it to evaporate a layer of the surface, generating deep changes with the incorporation of codes or images selected for this purpose, which can be felt through the sense of touch, given its depth and relief, which, despite being subtle, guarantees resistance and durability.
While the visible results are as effective as those obtained with laser marking methods, this technique is reserved for parts where possible wear and tear is expected.
COUTH: specialists in industrial marking and traceability
It is vitally important to identify the most suitable technique for the identification of industrial parts and products, according to their material and specific needs.
Making the right choice will reduce errors and ensure the safety of the part. It is therefore essential to know the differences between laser engraving and marking.
We at COUTH are specialists in marking and industrial traceability and can provide you with customised solutions to help you obtain greater productivity, quality, speed and efficiency in your processes, using the methods that best suit your needs.
Do not hesitate to contact us for any query you may require.