How does metal laser engraving work?

Unlike laser cutting, almost all metals can be laser engraved. There are four common types of metal processing, they are annealing, black marking, oxidation and white marking.

1. Annealing

Annealing is a heat treatment method that changes the microstructure of a material, thereby changing its properties, such as hardness and strength. The annealed material will form an oxide layer on the surface. Annealing is an excellent process if high precision machining of metals is required. Of course, there are limitations to this technique, you can only anneal metals that will change color under the influence of heat and oxygen.

2. All-black marking

All-black marking is a marking technique that produces high-contrast all-black marks. When you look at it from any angle, the surface of the material being processed appears as a deep, non-glossy black mark. All black marking is the best choice for stainless steel, titanium, copper and other metals.

3. Oxidation

Oxidation is a common method of marking that we often see in our lives. Oxidation is a process that doesn’t physically affect the surface of the metal. This treatment is used for brake discs, bearings, steel medical equipment, and kitchen countertops that are common in our lives.

4. White Marking

In contrast to oxidation, to obtain a white mark, the laser focuses on the material and removes a portion of it. The metal surface thus becomes uneven, resulting in a reflective effect. For example, kitchen knives, faucets are metal treatments with white markings.

Conclusion

Metal laser technology is still very common in our life. In order to get better processing results, we highly recommend you choose the best treatment method according to its characteristics when processing different metals.