Hi friends, welcome back to my laser engraving blog. Today, I’d like to answer a pretty typical question, what can lasers engrave? The answer may suprise you, so lets dive in!

Types of lasers in the marketplace

There are three types of lasers most people can purchase in the marketplace and they all come with a wide variety of options, sizes, styles, and features. There are diode lasers, CO2 lasers, and Fiber lasers, all with different purposes, so bear with me a moment and let me explain what each one is and does.

What is a diode laser?

A diode laser is usually a smaller unit that is mainly used for cutting and engraving thin materials because of its low laser power. The recent developments and availability of higher power options (up to 6kw to 8kW) have made it possible for diode lasers to cut through thick materials such as 1/8th thick wood.

These lasers are the most basic and can provide elementary cutting like names on a board, basic graphics, and sometimes photos.

Diode laser machines can easily cut 5-8mm thick solid wood, 5-10mm thick plywood, and 2-5mm thick acrylic, cardboard, paper, and leather. These are the common materials that almost all laser diode machines can cut according to their power.

They are generally priced in the $500 to $1500 range in the 5w-20w range.

What is a CO2 laser?

The next step up is the CO2 laser called b/c, which uses carbon dioxide to work. n a CO2 laser, a discharge tube is filled with numerous gasses (also known as a gas-filled tube), but CO2 is in the highest proportion, which is why the laser is called the CO2 laser. The other gasses inside the discharge tube are hydrogen, helium, oxygen, nitrogen, and xenon.

Additionally, these can be larger than the diode lasers b/c they use vacuum tubes, similar to those older televisions of yesteryear.

The main advantage here is that CO2 lasers generally offer higher wattage and can cut or engrave far more than diode lasers.

These systems can cut wood, paper, cardboard, plastic, and PMMA (plexiglass and acrylic). And also rubber, leather, metals, and ceramics: CO2 lasers can cut a great number of materials.

For this reason, CO2 lasers have become the most widely diffused laser technology for laser material processing.

You can pick one up from $500 to $10,000 in various wattages ranging from 40-200w.

What is a Fiber laser?

Lastly, fiber lasers are at the top of the list, they different from simple diode lasers because they have an amplification system. The laser beams travel through fiberglass or fiber optic cables, which amplify the laser beams due to the presence of rare earth metals.

Fiber lasers are the most powerful and thus the most expensive of all types.

These have revolutionized laser cutting and engraving. It is a very new technology compared to CO2 laser and diode laser. The main advantage here is that fiber lasers can engrave and cut into the metal whereas the others have a very hard time doing so.

A fiber laser cutting machine is extremely useful in cutting sheet metal including carbon steel, stainless steel, copper, brass, aluminum, and even titanium.

Fiber lasers excel in cutting reflective materials which CO2 lasers struggle with and they range in price from a few thousand dollars upwards of $40,000.

There are some materials that you simply want to avoid cutting a laser with, like PVC pipe for example as the chemicals can be harsh to breathe when it’s melting.

If you are trying to find someone that can engrave something, just reach out to them and ask. They should be able to tell you what they are able to cut or engrave for you or point you in the direction you need to go.

Do you have a question I can help you with? Contact me and let me know, happy to help.