An in-depth guide to Metal Laser Engraving?

Metal laser engraving is possible with a fiber or an infrared laser.

Laser engraving on metal is a process where a laser beam melts a layer of the metal substance and engraves a pre-given design. You can also make any patterns through annealing that makes designs visible without melting or vaporizing the workpiece.

However, not all metal items are handled by a single laser machine, and the low-budget laser machines cannot even mark the bare metal due to some limitations.

In this article, we will try to identify the challenges involved in metal engraving and suggest some tips and recommendations.

If you are looking for metal laser engravers, you can directly jump into the best metal laser engraver section.

How does metal laser engraving work?

In a nutshell, metal laser engraving involves a laser beam to melt a layer of the metal workpiece to visualize any design.

However, some complexities limit the metal items engraving.

The first complexity is that the diode and the CO2 laser cannot engrave bare metal items mainly for two reasons.

First, the laser strength (or, the wavelength) of the diode and CO2 lasers are not absorbable by the bare metal, so engraving bare metal would need a fiber laser engraver.

Secondly, Bare metal reflects the laser beam in the opposite direction due to having a shiny surface. It happens because the laser beam gets reflected before metal absorbs the laser beam generated by the CO2 lasers.

How does laser marking differ from engraving?

Laser engraving is a process where a laser beam vaporizes a layer of the metal surface and visualizes any patterns or designs. In simple words, laser engraving creates a cavity on the metal surface that reveals an image at eye level.

In contrast, laser marking is a process where laser beams fully alter the metal properties to visualize any designs or diagrams without cutting or melting.

To summarize, a laser engraving would have a tangible texture on the metal surface and the laser marking would only discolor the metal surface.

The usability of both procedures is diverse. For example, laser engraving helps to etch any metal to visualize any pictures, letters or quotes whereas laser marking is used to place barcodes, QR codes, and serial numbers. Laser markings appear on the motor parts where serial numbers are laser marked.

Does all types of laser engrave metal?

Now, you may be wondering whether all types of laser can engrave metal.

To answer that, we need to learn about the laser types a little more.

To summarize, there are four different types of laser which are:

• Diode lasers
• CO2 lasers
• Fiber laser
• Hybrid lasers (diode plus infrared laser)

Technically, only the fiber lasers can engrave the metal, but, a fiber laser alternative (infrared laser) can do this job on small scale.

Can diode laser engrave metal?

Technically, diode lasers cannot engrave metal, but they only engrave any temporary coating on the top of the metal layer.

Diode lasers are the most budget-friendly laser which is available at a budget starting from $400. A diode laser usually generates a laser beam with a semiconductor or, stimulated emission process.

In simple words, diode lasers are powerful to cut wood and acrylic but are not as powerful to work with metal. The main reason is that the diode lasers produce a laser wavelength of 450 nm (some may create 800 nm) whereas metal engraving would require a laser beam at a range of 1064 nm wavelength.

This is the main reason that makes a diode laser incapable of engraving a bare metal.

How do people engrave stainless steel metal tumblers using a diode laser such as Atezr or xTool?

The answer is simple!

Diode lasers can only engrave a coated metal, which means that the laser beam does not melt the metal surface. It melts the top layer of the temporary coat which helps in visualizing the designs over the tumbler.

For example, you may look at the engraved tumbler below which ideally is not a metal engraving. It is just engraving the top layer of enamel coating.

In the above picture, the diode laser is not actually engraving the metal surface, the laser actually removes the upper coating to make the shiny portion visible.

The diode laser’s wavelength is not sufficient to melt, vapourize, or perform annealing the shiny metal.

Can CO2 laser engrave metal?

CO2 lasers produce laser beams with carbon dioxide and other gas mediums which is a powerful laser to cut through any items.

A CO2 laser generates a wavelength of approximately 10,600 nanometers, which is in the far-infrared region of the spectrum (as shown in the earlier picture).

Because of this long wavelength, CO2 lasers are excellent for working with non-metallic materials and coated metals.

So, a CO2 laser is not ideal for engraving metal items because it generates a heavier laser beam which is not absorbed any of the metal. Moreover, the shiny texture of the metal reflects the laser beam in the opposite direction, creating further damage.

So, How is CO2 laser used to engrave metal?

The answer is again simple. People use temporary laser marking spray or an already coated metal piece to engrave designs on metal. Ideally, CO2 lasers cannot engrave, melt, or remove any metal surface.

However, these top-notch CO2 lasers can be a must-have machine, especially for laser crafters as they cuts and engrave almost anything except metal items.

How does fiber laser create metal markings?

Fiber lasers create laser beam using the rare earth element such as erbium, ytterbium, neodymium, thulium, praseodymium, holmium or dysprosium.

Fiber lasers are the most powerful laser in this world having the capacity of cutting, welding, drilling, and engraving, particularly in the case of metals.

Fiber lasers generate laser beams at a wavelength of 1064 nm which falls under the infrared spectrum. Such laser strength is just perfect for metal engraving.

So, it can be said that fiber lasers are the ideal commercial choice for laser engraving on metal.

Not only that, a fiber laser can generate laser wavelength at different levels ranging from ultraviolet to infrared, depending on the dopant and the specific design of the laser.

However, there are two different types of fiber laser and both are capable of laser engraving on metal.

The two types are:

• MOPA fiber laser
• Q-switched fiber laser

Both are suitable for laser engraving metal items. However, MOPA fiber lasers are capable of color laser engraving on metal whereas the Q-switched lasers can only work with a single color laser marking, engraving, cutting, and welding.

What is a dual laser?

Hybrid or mixed laser technology is nothing new. it is a mixture of both diode and infrared laser which allows you to work with all material types.

The trick is that the infrared laser produces a laser beam in the infrared spectrum which can easily engrave bare metal items with its 1064 nm wavelength.

In early 2023, LaserPecker introduced a mixture of diode & infrared laser (LaserPecker 4) which further motivated the giant xTool to launch their fastest portable laser engraver – The F1 ultra with metal engraving capability.

That was a technological hack where the manufacturer made the metal engraving easy with a portable laser module.

You may consider it as a fiber laser alternative since these lasers engrave stainless steel, gold, and other shiny metal materials.

Later on, we saw different versions of such hybrid lasers in 2023.

For instance, the xTool S1 is the first enclosed diode laser that comes with an additional infrared laser module for metal engraving at a very minimal cost.

How can you bring color engraving on a metal surface?

As described earlier, there are two types of fiber laser of which one is the MOPA fiber laser.

MOPA lasers usually perform color laser engraving in the following ways:

• Performs oxide layer creation by heating the surface with its variable frequency
• Controls oxide layer thickness using its controlled pulse rate & frequency
• Creates color using diffraction grating structure (not with the help of any pigment)

Till now, there are no alternatives to color laser engraving if you want the color without the help of any pigment.

We saw that some diode lasers such as the xTool D1 can make oxidization and bring color but these are not at the level of what MOPA fiber laser offers.

Below is a color laser engraving example we did with the MOPA fiber lasers.

What type of metal can be laser engraved?

Using a fiber laser or hybrid lasers, you can laser engrave any metal. In this section, we will categorize the types of metal materials and will discuss relative challenges.

In simple words, all types of metal with a temporary coat can be laser engraved using a diode or CO2 laser. However, a fiber laser or an Infrared laser would be required to engrave bare metal having a shiny surface.

Stainless steel engraving

Engraving stainless steel is easy if you take the help of the fiber lasers as they produce laser beams at the required wavelength which is 1064 nm.

Due to the reflective nature of the stainless steel, you cannot directly place shiny stainless steel under the diode or CO2 laser as there is a risk of laser beam reflection.

If you need to use a diode or CO2 laser for stainless steel engraving, you may use a temporary laser coat spray and after the engraving is done, remove the temporary color using isopropyl alcohol.

For the best result, try the portable infrared laser/fiber laser as there is no risk of laser beam reflection.

As a reference, you can see the below picture where both of the engravings are done with the same (diode & infrared) laser.

Gold, Titanium & silver engraving

Gold, titanium, and silver cannot absorb the laser power generated from a diode or CO2 laser for the same reason of wavelength incapability.

You may use a fiber laser or an infrared laser for engraving such sensitive items.

In our prior article, we discussed how gold jewelry engraving works and possible strategies you may execute to engrave such items.

Fiber lasers and infrared lasers are commonly used for engraving metals like gold and titanium due to their precision, speed, and efficiency.

Fiber lasers use an optical fiber as the gain medium, which is doped with rare-earth elements like ytterbium. They generate a high-intensity, focused beam of light that can be precisely controlled. The high energy of the beam heats the metal locally, causing it to vaporize or oxidize, which creates the engraving. The process is highly precise, allowing for detailed and intricate designs.

Similar to fiber lasers, infrared lasers focus a beam onto the metal surface, where the energy is absorbed, causing localized heating and material removal. However, they are generally less effective on metals compared to fiber lasers due to their longer wavelength, which is not as readily absorbed by metals.

Brass engraving

Because brass is a reflective material, you cannot engrave the bare brass using CO2 or diode lasers.

To ease out the process, there are laserable brass available in the market which is the brass with a layer of enamel pain.

When the laser engraves the top layer of the enamel, shiny golden brass starts appearing.

The only way to engrave bare brass is to use a fiber laser or an Infrared laser.

Aluminum engraving

One of the primary issues in aluminum laser engraving is its high thermal conductivity. Aluminum dissipates heat quickly, which can affect the engraving process.

We addressed the other challenges as well. Below are some quick techniques to perform laser marking over the aluminum.

• Use fiber lasers as they are highly effective for aluminum due to their precision and ability to handle reflective surfaces.
• Remove the anodized layer to reveal the natural aluminum beneath, enhancing contrast.
• Applying a marking compound before engraving can increase laser absorption and improve engraving quality.
• Fine-tuning the laser’s power, speed, and frequency settings to match the aluminum’s thickness and desired engraving depth.

How long does laser engraving on metal last?

Laser marking or engraving is a permanent thing and there is no risk of disappearing automatically. However, there are some metals of which the engraving may disappear if it is exposed to outdoor weather. For example, uncoated metal (if it is not stainless steel) would have corrosion upon reaction with water and oxygen.

Such corrosion eventually vanishes the engraving. This is why, we recommend laser engraving stainless steel which does not have any risk of corrosion due to having a zinc layer.

What are the best laser metal engravers?

We highly recommend using a fiber laser to engrave metal. An infrared laser can also create metal marking, but not suitable for deeper metal engravings.

These are the best laser metal engravers we can suggest for you:

• ComMarker M7 JPT MOPA fiber laser (Best overall)
• xTool F1 Ultra dual laser (fiber + diode laser)
• ComMarker B4 fiber laser
• Ikier k1 Pro 20W fiber laser
• Atomstack M4 Pro 1064 nm IR laser

Comparison of the metal laser engravers

Here’s a quick comparison table that will help you understand the performance factors of the metal laser engravers that we have shortlisted.

	Laser Type	Laser Power	Engraving Speed	Best side
ComMarker M7	20W – 100W	MOPA fiber laser	Up to 15000 mm/s	Supports Color Engraving
xTool F1 Ultra	20W fiber + 20W diode	Fiber + diode (dual power)	10000 mm/s	Engraves all types of material
ComMarker B4	20W – 100W	Fiber laser	15000 mm/s	Portability
Atomstack M4 Pro	2W IR + 10W diode	Infrared + diode	10000 mm/s	Engrave all materials

Overall, ComMarker M7 is the best metal laser engraver in our opinion due to its ability to color engrave metal using the MOPA fiber laser source and controlled pulse frequency. We have never seen any portable MOPA fiber laser before at such a competitive price.

xTool F1 Ultra is also a very good metal engraver that empowers with a 20W fiber laser module, plus a 20W diode laser alongside. The best side of the F1 ultra is to engrave almost every material. Additionally, the portability of the F1 ultra gives it a little boost in the market, mainly suitable for small laser engraving businesses.

If your priority is to get a handheld laser marking station, undoubtedly the ComMarker B4 can be a good choice due to its acceptability as a portable laser marker. If your budget is slightly lower to afford these all three, try exploring the Atomstack M4 pro.

ComMarker M7 JPT MOPA Fiber Laser

ComMarker M7 is an excellent MOPA fiber laser marking station. The M7’s laser frequency ranges from 1-4000 khz with a varied pulse width of 2-500 ns.

Such MOPA fiber fiber laser is specialized in color laser engraving which is merely impossible by the Q-switched fiber laser and other types of laser machines such as CO2, IR and diode.

Positive sides:

• Engrave metal in color due to having an MOPA fiber laser module
• Engraves at a speed of around 15000 mm/s (that varies depending on laser settings), faster than Attomstack M4 pro and xTool F1 ultra
• A portable laser marking station means you can take it wherever you want to
• Serves for more than 1,00,000 hours is immensely larger than other laser markers
• Performs 3d engraving (laser carving) on metal that helps deeper engraving in materials like copper, aluminum, and gold.
• The M7 uses galvanometer technology that uses an F theta lens to focus on the laser spot size. It helps in creating tiny engravings at maximum precision. Learn more about galvo lasers.
• There will be a red dot marking guide and manual focus to ensure better design. It helps recheck the laser positioning to avoid material damage.
• Supports Lightburn helps for better compatibility and limits dependence on web-based servers like Glowforge.
• Supports rotary attachment for laser marking on cylindrical material. For instance, you can color engrave a yeti tumbler with the ComMarker’s M7 MOPA fiber laser.
• It gives a live engraving preview so that you can see a preview image of the engraving design over the metal before you start laser marking.

Negative sides:

• It is a bit expensive, and not suitable for personal DIY crafters
• Cannot remove metal rust

xTool F1 Ultra dual galvo laser

The F1 ultra is a larger and upgraded version of the xTool F1.

The F1 ultra is a dual galvo laser that appears with a combination of two 20W lasers (fiber & diode). For the metal engraving, the F1 ultra can be a great choice along with etching other types of materials.

Learn more on xTool F1 Ultra and get further insights.

Positive sides of F1 ultra:

• Offers dual galvo lasers with the ability to engrave any material
• Engraves metal and other material at a speed of 10000 mm/s
• Supports bed extension, rotary attachment, smoke purifier and more
• Works in both Lightburn and XCS, providing better software compatibility
• Supports intelligent batch processing with its conveyor bed extension
• Suitable for quick engraving delivery at any place
• Comes with more than 100 presets that save time for setting up the laser parameters
• Completely portable and safe for the eyes

Negative sides:

• It is costly (price is above the $3000)
• Cannot be used as a professional laser cutter

ComMarker B4 handheld fiber laser

ComMarker B4 is a portable fiber laser marking station offering laser power from 20W to 100W. This tiny fiber laser is available under $2000, in both US and EU plug.

Positive sides:

• Offers 15000 mm/s engraving speed, which is substantially higher than the F1 ultra and Atomstack M4.
• Comes with a true fiber laser having a cutting depth capacity of 0.3 mm metal.
• Offers 0.01 mm precision that makes the tiniest patterns visibly marked on the metal surface.
• It is a portable laser and can be carried anywhere.
• Generates laser at a wavelength of 1064 nm which is most suited in metal surface.
• Features galvo laser technology, which is immensely faster than XY laser.

Negative sides:

• Cannot engrave wood and fabric
• Not suitable as industrial fiber laser

Atomstack M4 Pro

Atomstack M4 is a dual laser, with a combination of 2W infrared laser and 10W diode laser. The Atomstack M4 can be a go-to metal marker, only suitable for soft metal marking.

Positive sides:

• Supports wider material engraving including metal with its dual laser technology.
• Engraves at a speed of around +- 10000 mm/s that is great for faster engraving
• The M4 pro is completely portable offering the flexibility to use it anywhere
• Engraves plastic with is 2W infrared laser, which is a bonus advantage
• Generates a laser beam at a laser wavelength of 1064 nm, which is well absorbed by the plastics and metal.
• Works in Lightburn and mobile app that helps in better productivity
• Suitable for product labels, logos, and QR codes

Negative sides

• Cannot engrave metal with deeper cuts like the ComMarker M4 or xTool F1 Ultra.
• Does not feature a true fiber laser, metal marking is done with the Infrared laser module.

The Atomstack M4 is closely similar to the xTool F1 and LaserPecker 3 which contain a combination of infrared laser and diode laser modules.

However, The M4 is a budget-friendly portable laser to quickly mark metal items and plastics fir smaller labels, serial numbers, and QR codes.

Please note that such an infrared laser cannot engrave in color (like the ComMarket M7) and neither cut metal deeply.

How would you laser engrave metal?

For the best metal engraving result, the following steps will help you a lot.

• At the very first stage, you need to prepare the artwork. It can be a sketch, writing, or any pattern. You either need to draw it on the laser software or import it into the Lightburn or Laser GRBl.
• The next task you need to perform is to prepare your laser engraver. There might be separate settings required to engrave the artwork properly.
• After that, you need to set up the material. In some lasers, you may need to manually select the starting and ending point whereas a camera-equipped laser engraver would help you place the design from the computer screen.
• After that, start the laser engraving and wait until the material cools down.
• In some cases, you need to perform some post-processing techniques such as cleaning with a cloth or removing the temporary paints, etc.
• After that, you are good to go with your metal laser engraving.

What are the laser engraving alternatives?

Metal items can also be engraved by other methods such as mechanical engraving, chemical etching, electrochemical etching, stamping & punching, sandblasting, heat branding, and dot peen marking. Even if there are plenty of metal marking solutions, laser engraving still stays on the top due to cost-effectiveness and control over the precision.

While using the laser beam is the most suitable method for its accuracy, other etching methods may be useful.

Mechanical engraving uses a rotating or vibrating tool to physically remove material from the metal surface. This method is effective for deep marks but the process is significantly slower than the laser method.

The chemical etching involves using a chemical solution to etch away parts of the metal surface. Chemical etching can create highly detailed designs and is suitable for large production runs, but handling hazardous chemicals can be risky.

Electrochemical etching uses an electrolyte solution and electrical current to etch the metal. While this is good for serial numbers and detailed designs, but requires careful control of electrical parameters.

Alternatively, metal items can also be etched with a die and press to physically indent the metal. But pressing cannot produce intricate designs like the laser machines do.

Using a dot peen marking method, you can etch metal items by making a series of dots on the metal surface and making any patterns visualized, but this method is not so useful for finer details.

Sandblasting can also be an option that uses high-pressure air mixed with abrasive particles to erode parts of the metal surface. Sandblasting can also create deep and textured marks, but the process is messy.

You can also etch metal using the heat branding technology by using a heated metal stamp to burn a mark onto the surface. This is not suitable for all types of metal and not also preferred for intricate designs.

How to remove engravings from metal?

Removing laser engraving from metal can be challenging, but with the right methods and tools, it can be done effectively. Common techniques such as abrasive blasting, grinding, polishing, chemical etching, and electrochemical removal are often employed to erase the engraved designs.

For removing engravings from gold, the best method is laser ablation. This technique uses a focused laser beam to vaporize the engraved material layer by layer, providing precise control and minimal damage to the soft gold surface. Fiber lasers, pulsed fiber lasers, and Nd: YAG lasers are particularly effective for this process due to their high precision and ability to work on metals.

Other methods like micro-abrasive blasting or hand polishing can also be used for shallow engravings, but laser ablation remains the most reliable for intricate and delicate gold items.

Conclusion

Metal engraving is tricky. You need to understand the terms and solutions for the challenges as described. But the entire process gets easy if you have the appropriate machine and understand the required settings and technical complexity.

Good luck