If you own a business or want to find a unique gift for a friend, understanding the essential materials you need for laser engraving is a great way to show appreciation or bring in customers. Whether it’s a unique cutting board for your parents or professional-grade car engraving, laser engraving is perfect. Luckily, learning about laser engraving isn’t complicated. It consists of a deeper understanding and practice.
Cutting vs. Marking
Before picking out the essential materials you need for laser engraving, it’s vital to familiarize yourself with the different engraving methods. Laser-cutting and engraving services bring benefits to any household and manufacturing company interested in expanding its expertise.
Cutting
A cut in laser engraving is when the laser beam goes all the way through the material of the designated workpiece. The amount itself is generally precise and very clean. Depending on the material, it can leave behind a darker brown edge for wood or a high gloss finish for acrylic.
Marking
While engraving removes parts of the top of the designated material, marking does not. Instead, marking is when the laser changes the material’s color and is used on metals.
It gets applied to the surface of the workpiece, then engraved after the solution is dried. As a result, the laser bonds the solution to the metal, becoming permanent.
Usable Materials
Now that you’re familiar with the different laser engraving methods, you can learn about the other materials that are safe to work on.
Stone and Brick
Bricks and stones are excellent for outdoor engraving pieces, memorial sites, and other outdoor installations. The pieces are commonly used for donations to parkways, walkways, and universities and feature the engraved names of donators or sponsors.
People place them in zoos, hospitals, parks, museums—the list goes on. Laser engraving will not only ensure permanency but also give a smooth appearance.
Acrylic and Metal
Acrylic sheets are often durable and lightweight, making them a great alternative to glass. Acrylic responds to engraving with two different manufacturing methods—cast or extruded. While cast acrylic has a more frosted look, extruded acrylic remains clear and more ideal for engraving.
Almost all types of metal are engraving-friendly and come in handy for any scenario. Some examples of metal include art pieces, alteration of aircraft wings, and automotive parts.
Marble and Granite
Great for engraving photos, granite and marble yield a great contrast when used. If you’re using dark-colored granite or marble, you get high contrast with no added color.
The choice between comes down to what color you or the client prefer. Depending on whether you’ll place the piece indoors or outdoors, you may also base your decision on how the material will stand up to the elements.
Miscellaneous Materials
If you want to venture into other engraving-safe materials, there are so many to choose from. Some materials include:
- Wood
- Glass
- Cardboard and paper
- Fabric
- Leather
Each of these materials is lovely for creating thoughtful gifts and goods for life events or holidays, even Casio watches. If you know someone who wants a personalized and unique item, even engraving something as simple as a leather wallet would impress them.
Van Rundell is a writer and author who specializes in transportation, travel, guidance, health & fitness. With over 10 years of experience in the industry as a driver and an entrepreneur, he has seen it all. His tone is professional but friendly with a dash of humor thrown in for good measure. In past, he has been advising, educating and writing about transport for the public and professionals alike.
A qualified fitness instructor with over 5 years’ experience as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, Van brings his deep knowledge of health and exercise science to his articles on health & fitness.
