Make your mark! MAKE offers professional laser cutting and engraving in Vancouver. We’ll help you find the best solution for your custom project.For general inquiries, please contact our department Custom Engraving at MAKE Request a quote today for industrial engraving services or contact us for more information. The numerous advantages of this process include: Etching is a more viable option for thin materials and small projects such as jewelry. The depth of a laser etch is usually no more than 0.001″. Laser etching, which is a subset of laser engraving, occurs when the heat from the beam causes the surface of the material to melt. Advantages of EtchingĮtching, like engraving, aims to produce crevices and lines below the surface of the material. You can engrave almost any type of material but are most commonly used for metal, plastics, wood, leather, glass, and acrylic.
It’s a quick process, as the material is vaporized with each pulse.The laser creates high heat during the engraving process, which essentially causes the material to vaporize.Some of the more impactful advantages of engraving include: There are numerous advantages of engraving that can take your project to the next level. In manufacturing, lasers are used for cutting, engraving, drilling, and marking a broad range of materials. There are many types of lasers, including gas lasers, fiber lasers, solid-state lasers, dye lasers, diode lasers, and excimer lasers. Engraving and Etching Hard Materials with Laser TechnologyĪ laser is a device that emits a beam of coherent light through an optical amplification process. Request a quote for laser engraved or laser etched products or contact us to learn more about our capabilities. An engraver uses sharp tools to cut lines directly into a surface, while an etcher burns lines into a surface with acid. The primary difference between them is that engraving is a physical process, and etching is a chemical process. In contrast, laser etching machines are less powerful and provide only a fraction of the cutting capabilities of a laser engraver.įurthermore, etching and engraving are both methods of cutting lines into a hard surface, such as metal. Laser engraving is accomplished by using a high heat laser that causes the material surface to vaporize. Laser etching, on the other hand, basically sweeps away a top layer of material without cutting into the metal and creating a crevice. For example, laser engraving cuts a cavity through the material’s surface, leaving a cavity that reveals an image or writing at eye level that is noticeable to the touch as well. engraving also share many bold dissimilarities. Laser Etched Material The Difference Between Etching and Engraving ProcessesĪlthough very similar in respect to end-results, the technological aspects of etching vs. In a situation like this, we would recommend chemical etching because we can achieve the same results faster and at a lower price. Since this material is difficult to engrave, the process takes longer, adding to the project cost. Let’s say you want a stainless-steel label with small text, for example. We pride ourselves on being transparent in our pricing and helping you stay within your budget. For higher volume orders, etching is often less expensive. Production volume: If you only need a few labels, sometimes engraving is the more cost-effective option.The more complexity involved, the higher the cost. Character Size and Depth: The size and depth of text or a design determine the complexity of the process.We typically recommend etching for these projects. Material: Hard materials are more difficult to engrave, increasing the cost.The primary difference between the two, however, is the price.Ĭost differences between chemical etching and engraving depend on a few primary factors: Both processes offer compatibility with a variety of metal surfaces and produce clear text and images that won’t wear away.
In a world full of complexities and robust interchangeable terms, certain aspects of a given industry can often be intermingled.