Generally, a laser cutting machine should also be able to engrave and mark. In fact, the only difference between cutting, engraving, and marking is how deep the laser cutting machine goes and how it changes the overall appearance of the material. In laser cutting, the heat from the laser will cut all the way through the material. But that is not the case with laser marking and laser engraving.

Laser marking discolors the surface of the material being lasered, while laser cutting machine engraving and etching remove a portion of the material. The main difference between engraving and etching is the depth to which the laser penetrates.

Here’s the difference between marking and engraving:

Laser Marking: In laser marking, the laser does not go all the way through the material but instead only alters the properties or the appearance of the material. The laser creates high-contrast marks because the heat of the laser redistributes the carbon in the material in question.

Laser Engraving: In laser engraving, the beam physically removes the surface of the material to leave a cavity that reveals your design. The laser heats the material to very high temperatures, causing it to vaporize and to create a cavity.

Differences in laser cutters come from the types of lasers in the machines, and the kind of laser determines the type of material thickness the laser may be able to cut. Generally, a high-powered laser will be ideal for professional applications and large sections of plastic or metal need to cut. On the other hand, a low-power laser is effective for thinner materials like plastics, card stock, paper, and wood.

1. Gas Lasers/C0₂ Laser Cutters

The cutting is always using electrically-stimulated CO₂.

2. Fiber Laser Cutters

Here, cutting is done using fiberglass. The lasers originate from a “seed laser” before being amplified via special fibers.

Diferentes entre las máquina de corte, grabado y marcado